Bam
Overview
Bam is a small city located on the road to Pakistan, in the middle of the Iranian desert and also quite close to Afghanistan. It used to be the main tourist destination in Iran because of the well preserved mudbrick old town (the biggest in the world) or Arg-e Bam until 2003, when a 12 second terrible earthquake devastated the whole city (both the arg and the new city) killing half of the population.
Now, 11 years after the earthquake, the city is still recovering (you see scaffoldings everywhere) and the Arg is being rebuilt. They say it will take 20 years to rebuild the Arg, although they will not rebuild it totally, as they say the earthquake is part of their story and it has to be visible somehow.
Bam these days doesn't have the amount of tourists it used to have and the Arg is more than half in ruins (I think it will take more than 20 years to finish the renovations) but still, a visit to Bam is strongly reccomended for two reasons: To imagine how it was the Arg before the earthquake (the biggest mudbrick construction in the world) and to see how powerful was the earthquake and how are they rebuilding the town using traditional techniques.
If you are in Iran, don't miss Bam, you won't regret it.
Now, 11 years after the earthquake, the city is still recovering (you see scaffoldings everywhere) and the Arg is being rebuilt. They say it will take 20 years to rebuild the Arg, although they will not rebuild it totally, as they say the earthquake is part of their story and it has to be visible somehow.
Bam these days doesn't have the amount of tourists it used to have and the Arg is more than half in ruins (I think it will take more than 20 years to finish the renovations) but still, a visit to Bam is strongly reccomended for two reasons: To imagine how it was the Arg before the earthquake (the biggest mudbrick construction in the world) and to see how powerful was the earthquake and how are they rebuilding the town using traditional techniques.
If you are in Iran, don't miss Bam, you won't regret it.
Sightseeing
The main reason to go to Bam is to visit the Arg-e Bam. This is the ancient citadel or old town. It was the biggest mudbrick construction in the world until the 2003 earthquake turned it into a pile of mud, literally. Nowadays it is slowly being recontructed using the same techniques as centuries ago. It is less than half reconstructed, so most of the site is a pile of mud, but still, is totally worth a visit. Why? Firstly, because you can completely imagine how it was before theearthquake, and secondly, because you have the place for yourself, only you and the workers are there and you can see how they are rebuilding it. Really, even if it is more than half destroyed, it is realy worth visiting it. Besides, you can see how powerful an earthquake can be, even if it only lasted 12 seconds. Entrance fee 150000 rials.
Besides the Arg, there is a really nice mosque in town (Jameh Mosque) and having a walk around Bam you realy see how powerful was the earthquake, as 11 years after it, everything is still being rebuilt.
Besides the Arg, there is a really nice mosque in town (Jameh Mosque) and having a walk around Bam you realy see how powerful was the earthquake, as 11 years after it, everything is still being rebuilt.
Accomodation
The most reccomendable place to stay in Bam is Akbar Tourist Guesthouse. Akbar is a really nice guy, there's a cool courtyard and rooms are big and nice enough. 500000 rials per night. 20 minutes on foot to the Arg.
Food & Drink
There's a nice place to eat just in front of the Jameh mosque, right next to a small amusement park resembling the Arg, but in pink, quite weird but with a nice owner.
A teahouse where to have tea and shisha to be found near the other mosque in town.
A teahouse where to have tea and shisha to be found near the other mosque in town.
Transportation
To get to Bam your best bet is to do it from Kerman. There are not many buses, but for sure one at 14:00 every day which takes 3 hours to get to Bam (60000 rials). The bus is quite shitty and driven by Baluchis, so not really a peaceful ride.
From Bam back to Kerman you can take a shared taxi for 100000 rials and you'll be in Kerman after 2 hours.
From Bam back to Kerman you can take a shared taxi for 100000 rials and you'll be in Kerman after 2 hours.
Safety
No issues at all, totally safe place with friendly people.
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