The historical region of Bastam is bounded by Golestan province to the north and northwest, Semnan province to the south, Alborz range as well as Majan city and the villages of Nekarman and Tash to the west, and the Miyami plains to the east. Its population, including the districts of Majan, Kalateh Khij and Kharaqan’s Qale-ye Nou and 30 small and large rural settlements, exceeds 48,000 people who subsist on farming and livestock breeding.
Bastam is surrounded by snow-capped mountains throughout the winter and has one of the most favorable climates in Iran. All visitors are charmed by the picturesque city in spring and summer when it is completely verdant. The fragrance of fruit trees in blossom in over 2,000 hectares of orchards appeals to any tourist. According to Iranblog.com, summer nights of Bastam are indeed beautiful. Nobody is tired of gazing at the clear and starry skies. The flavor of the city’s fruits, including cherry, plum, peach, grape and sour cherry, is different from those in other parts of the country.

Tourism Sites
The city also boasts of the tomb of Imamzadeh Mohammad, the son of Imam Jafar Sadeq (AS), the sixth Imam of the infallible household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This enhances the religious attraction of Bastam. Moreover, the mausoleum of the towering mystic Aba Teiqourin Issa bin Soroushan Bastami (widely known as Bayazid Bastami) is adjacent to the tomb of Imamzadeh Mohammad (AS). Many pilgrims and domestic and foreign tourists visit the city each year.
As is evident from the artifacts in the Sang-e Chakhmaq Hill, Bastam’s history dates back to 8,000 years. Historical sites such as Imamzadeh Mohammad (AS) and Ghazankhan domes, the Seljuk minaret, grand mosque, Kashaneh Tower and Shahrokhiyeh Seminary point to the rich Islamic culture of the city during various periods. Many mystic and literary figures have been nurtured in the historical city. Some good cases in point are Aref Bastami, Forughi Bastam, Abol Hassan Kharaqani and Zoqi Bastam. Recently, due to the painstaking efforts of Semnan’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department, an independent cultural heritage office has been established in Bastam. It is hoped that this office can contribute effectively to the maintenance and renovation of the city’s many historical edifices.

Wells, Aqueducts and Spas
There are over 120 deep wells in Bastam, the water of which is very pure. The wells supply water for agriculture and horticulture throughout the year except in winter when farming activities are suspended due to cold weather. The famous aqueduct Sadeq Khan has one of the best waters of the region. The water is very warm in winter and cold in summer, and good for digestion. Among other natural attractions of the area, one can cite Siahcheshmeh and Palizi spas and the beautiful and famous waterfall of Majan.

Regional Products
Fresh high-quality dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, butter and meat can be found in Kalateh Khij while the best potato can be bought in Majan and Tash. Furthermore, Bastam has good quality cherry and the village of Abarsaj has the best cooking oil and honey. Although chicken farms in the area are industrialized, they are of high quality compared to those in other parts of the country due to the favorable climatic conditions of Bastam.

A summer festival themed ’Leisure Time: An Opportunity for Self Recognition’ is currently underway at Tehran’s Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA).
Head of the Headquarters for Holding Summer Festival said that the main objectives of the festival are to devise better programs to fill the leisure time of children and find ways to help youngsters make the most of their free time. Mohammad Reza Rostami stated that the exhibition section of the weeklong event will focus on the capabilities and programs of Tehran’s Municipality districts and state institutions involved in leisure and recreational activities.
“Services and products of the private sector, as well as activities of educational, cultural and artistic institutes will also be featured in this section,“ he added.
Rostami pointed to holding training workshops for children as another activity of the festival.
“In the tourism section of the festival, two sections on meetings with artistic and cinematic personalities, as well as visiting cultural and recreational centers will be included,“ he added.
The official stated that in the counseling section a number of issues such as music and tourism will be dealt with.
“A total of 10,000 people visit the festival daily and it is anticipated that the number will increase to over 20,000 in the last days of the festival,“ he said.
Rostami contended that leisure programs for children began before the summer and two weeks have passed since the start of the programs in Tehran and suburbs.
Meanwhile, deputy head of Cultural-Artistic Organization (affiliated to Tehran Municipality), Mohsen Aboutaleb, said that mobile culture centers have been set up for providing recreation to children and young adults.
“A total of five camps have also been set up in several regions of Iran to serve the people,“ Aboutaleb added. He further said that although summer is the peak leisure time for young people, the program is not restricted to summer only.
“Filling the leisure time needs planning at the macro level and it should not be neglected,“ he said.
The festival provides the people with an opportunity to become familiar with programs arranged by institutes to fill up the leisure time of young people.
The festival began on July 5 and will continue until July 12.