Vashnoveh Village

Vashnoveh is a mountain village and summer pasture (yeylaq) in Fardu District of Kahak County, Qom Province, about 27 km southeast of Kahak and roughly 60 to 63 km from the city of Qom. The village lies in mountainous terrain, bordered by Mount Qaleh-Dezh to the north and Mount Bokhareh to the northwest. Thanks to its mountain climate, Vashnoveh enjoys mild, pleasant weather in spring and summer and cold weather in winter, and it is a well-known summer retreat in the Qom region. Besides its mountain scenery and fruit orchards, Vashnoveh has a remarkable history: historical and archaeological studies date human presence in the area to the fourth and third millennia BC. The village also has a dense residential fabric and terraced architecture, and parts of its historic quarter contain very old houses.

The nature of Vashnoveh includes fruit orchards, mountain valleys, springs, a seasonal river and varied vegetation, and it creates attractive landscapes, especially in spring, summer and autumn. The valleys around the village are covered with old walnut and almond trees. In the warmer seasons, their greenery and the flow of springs and streams make them a good setting for nature tourism and leisure. The Vashnoveh Cave is another important natural attraction of the area. It lies about 6 km from the village in the Ardehal mountains. Among the four caves or sinkhole-caves in these mountains, one has an abundant water source that emerges from a crack in the mountain and sometimes gushes out like a spring. Other sights in Vashnoveh include the seasonal Vashnoveh River, the Alvand heights about 10 km from the village, the Vashnoveh Dam, the upper and lower qanats, an old plane tree, and the Imamzadeh Hadi, whose building dates from the Safavid era. The village is also historically significant: the Vashnoveh copper mine, which has a very ancient history of exploitation, is one of its most important historical features. The local vegetation includes a variety of medicinal plants such as borage, licorice, marshmallow (khatmi), fumitory (shatereh), flixweed (khakshir), chicory and milkvetch (gavan), and its agricultural products include hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts and plums.

Vashnoveh can be reached via Kahak County; the village lies about 27 km southeast of the town, and its distance from the city of Qom is given as about 60 to 63 km. Given the mountain climate of the area, spring and summer are the best times to visit Vashnoveh. In these seasons, besides the pleasant weather, the orchards, surrounding valleys, springs and vegetation look their best, and autumn is also a good time to see the colorful valleys. Nature tourism in Vashnoveh should be done responsibly: avoid damaging vegetation, over-picking medicinal plants, breaking tree branches, polluting springs and rivers, and leaving litter in nature. When hiking mountain trails and visiting the Vashnoveh Cave, it is also essential to pay attention to trail conditions and carry suitable equipment, so that the unspoiled nature of the area and its historical heritage are preserved for future visitors.