Khonik Sofla

Southeastern Iran

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Around Qa'en you can find several old villages of low, domed, mud hovels, which have been almost entirely abandoned as folks moved to new, more sanitary villages nearby. A good example is Khonik Sofla, where some houses are used as animal pens, while others are just left to decay. It's 3.5km off the Qa'en–Taybad road, 13km east of Qa'en's Sorkh Sq.

The lane leading there also passes through smaller Khonik Olya, which has more of the same plus a disintegrating 'palace tower'. The backdrop of sharp, low peaks adds to the atmosphere.

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Nearby Southeastern Iran attractions

1. Bozajomehr's Tomb

9.96 MILES

Crouched on the lower slopes of Qa'en's abrupt southern mountains, this restrained but beautifully restored tomb is supposedly the last resting place of…

2. Anthropology Museum

10.44 MILES

Housed in the Zand-era Soltani House with its two mini mosque-like iwans, this seven-room museum is unusually well arranged – the mannequins have a degree…

3. Jameh Mosque

10.5 MILES

Although possibly 9th-century in origin, the main core of Qa'en's bulky central mosque predominantly dates from a 1394 rebuild funded by a Timurid…

4. Water Museum

10.52 MILES

A now-dry underground water cistern has been converted into a one-room museum of water technology demonstrating how desert cities like Qa'en traditionally…

5. Qa'en Castle Peak

10.54 MILES

Walking to and exploring this mountaintop fortress ruin is the highlight of a visit to Qa'en, especially if you time your descent to coincide with sunset,…

6. Afin

27.71 MILES

Old Afin is an extensive spread of ruined mud buildings on a series of knolls around a shattered former Jameh Mosque. With a backdrop of low triangular…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "iran/south-khorasan/attractions/khonik-sofla/a/poi-sig/1562122/1341828",
  "destination": "Southeastern-Iran",
  "continent": "Middle-East",
  "country": "Iran",
  "region": "Southeastern-Iran",
  "position": "superzone"
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