Arak is located in middle of the interior foothills of the Zagros mountains range with the height of 1708 m above the sea level .This city enjoys the cold and humid winter, warm and arid summer. The mountains around the city, Miqan lagoon and Farahan plain have a significant impact on the weather of this region. Arak consists of 3 parts “Markazi”, “Saroq”, “Masoumieh”, 6 cities and 11 rural districts.

Arak is newer than many cities in Iran. Arak transportation situation has been the most important factor in the development of the city in recent years. Arak is one of Iran’s industrial centers, according to a variety of industrial products, firstly the existence of the primary industries, secondly its position as the fourth industrial center.

This city is known to be the industrial capital of Iran via Iran’s energy equipment, the world’s largest aluminum manufacturer and the place of largest sodium sulfate mine. Machine Sazi Arak is one of the oldest factories in this city which is the largest producer of petrochemical and refinery equipment, oil and gas, transportation, cement and mining in Iran. Some handicrafts as carpet weaving industry are famous in all around the world as a major export product of the city. The people who live in Arak speak in Farsi with Araki dialect. Arak’s people are mostly Muslim and Shia followers. Also, minorities of Christian live in this city.

The Persian Qanat

Qanat is a symbol of civilization, tradition and culture in desert regions with arid climate and an outstanding example of using architectural complicated systems in Iran. In fact, Qanat is a tunnel-like channel underground which collects water from a main water source naming “mother well” in order to conduct water along tunnels and finally enable settlement and agriculture. The place where the water of Qanat exits from the surface is named Mazhar.

There are Eleven Persian Qanats which represent the rest areas for workers, water reservoirs, and watermills; they are located in six provinces and have been registered as the twentieth cultural heritage of Iran, due to their unique technology, antiquity, architectural style, length and other characteristics:

Qasabeh Qanat in Gonabad city, Khorasan Razavi province: The oldest and deepest Qanat in Iran dated back to Achaemenid era.

Zarch Qanat in Yazd city, Yazd province: The longest Qanat in Iran with 100 km length, dated back to 2-3 thousand years ago.

Hasan Abad Qanat in Mehriz city, Yazd province: With 700 years history (8th century AH) in Pahlavanpour garden and next to Mirza Nasr Allah mill.

Moon Qanat in Ardestan city, Isfahan province: The only double-deck Qanat in the world and the most surprising Qanat in Iran established about 800 years ago.

Baladeh Qanat in Ferdows city, South Khorasan province: Related to Sassanid era irrigating huge parts of agricultural lands.

Vazvan Qanat in Vazvan city, Isfahan province: With 2500 to 3000 years history and Mozd Abad Qanat in Meymeh city, Isfahan province with underground dams as the most important characteristic.

Akbar Abad and Qasem Abad Qanat in Baravat, Bam county, Kerman province: the twin Qanats full of water, with more than 100 years history, supplying the water of agricultural lands in the region.

Goharriz Qanat in Jupar city, Kerman province: dated back to Safavid period about 750 years ago.

Ebrahim Abad Qanat in Arak city, Markazi province: related to 800 years ago (6th and 7th century AH).

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Arak Bazaar

Arak bazaar, an enclosed complex in an old area and in the center of Arak, was built by Mohamad Yousef Khan Gorji Sepahdari in the early Qajar era in the Fathali Shah reign in 1228 HA. This bazaar had always been one of the economic and trade center of Carpet the main crops of this city, in the center of Iran (Sarouq Carpet) and the west of country. Arak bazaar has many stores for buy and sell, Timche (an enclosed place with a few shops), mosque, bath, cistern, passages, inns and historical school of Sepahdari (Imam Khomeini Seminary).

Bazaar architecture is interesting with domed arches and brick design on their facades. The bazaar domed ceiling is covered with cob and the inner surface of the dome has decorated by Rasmi Bandi style (a kind of Iranian architecture decoration) and bricklayer. There are two fantastic Chahar Souqs at the intersection of two major directions of bazaar; the Chahar Souq dome is the tallest and most massive domed roof. At the center of each dome, a trapdoor is embedded for corridor lighting and air conditioning. Nozari, Booksellers and Kashani corridors are the most important corridors in the bazaar.

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