Polo: An Iranian Sport on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

 While the sport of polo is older than recorded history, we know that its origins are in the inspirational relationship between humans and horses. The art of polo is distinctly Persian and it is thought to have originated in Persia over 2000 years ago. The special bond and the unique blending of athletic talents between horse and rider have helped polo evolve into The Sport of Kings. Game played on horseback between two teams of four players each who use mallets with long, flexible handle to drive a wooden ball down a grass field and between two goal posts. The match is divided into chukkas, each lasting 7 minutes, with an interval of 3 minutes between each one. The object of Polo is for a team to score more points than its opposition, thus winning the game. Each team attempts to move the ball into the opposition's half of the pitch with the aim of eventually hitting it through the goal to score. Each team of four is made up of attackers and defenders, but realistically all members of a polo team are expected to be flexible and make any play whether offensive or defensive and change position as necessary to benefit the team. Today, the oldest of equestrian sports is finding a shiny, new vitality among the young people in the whole world. We are so thrilled to announce that, Polo has been officially registered as an Iranian sport on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in December 2017. 

Two polo teams are competing with each other in Naqshe jahan Square of Isfahan, Iran

Ancient Falak ol aflak Castle that Still Stands Today

Iran is dotted with many beautiful castles of varying shapes, sizes and functions – from romantic fantasy palaces to imposing military forts and picturesque manor houses. Ancient castles are sprinkled across Iran’s lush, green countryside in various states of ruin. The amazing artifacts, antiquities, and artworks can be found in Babak and Falak ol aflak Castles. Falak-ol-Aflak Castle situated on the top of a large hill with the same name within the city of Khorramabad, the regional capital of Lorestan province, Iran. This gigantic structure was built during the Sassanid era, while some of the archeologists believe that the castle’s structures date as far back as the Atabakan dynasty. The castle itself covers an area of 5,300 square meters and the height of the entire structure, including the hill, reaches to 40 meters above the surrounding area. It is 2,860 meters in perimeter and its tallest wall is 22.5 meters high. This space is divided into four large halls, and their associated rooms and corridors. Originally the castle used to have 12 towers, but only 8 remain standing today. The water well of the fortress lies in the area behind the first courtyard. Reaching a depth of 40 meters, the majority of the well's shaft is carved into the rock in order to reach the source of the spring. The castle is managed by the Iran Cultural Heritage Organization as a protected site. At present, Falak-ol-Aflak is on the Tentative List of UNESCO's World Heritage sites as an example of Persian Architecture.  The castle’s simple beauty makes it one of the most visited castles in Iran .Remember to add this magnificent monument in your bucket list while exploring west of fascinating Iran.

 Falak ol aflak Castle, Lorestan, Iran