Maku

Iranian border town in a mountain gorge, gateway to Qara Kelisa and Maku Fortress

Maku is a town in northwestern Iran, some 22 km from the Turkish border crossing at Bazargan. It is a useful overnight stop if you are crossing to or from Doğubayazıt in Turkey, and it is also the gateway to one of the most remarkable religious monuments in the Middle East.

The town is set in a spectacular mountain gorge, the cliffs rising steeply on both sides of the Zangmar River. The Maku Fortress, carved into the basalt overhang above the town, is worth climbing to for the views and for its unexpected connection to the origins of the Baha'i faith — the Bab, the religion's founding prophet, was imprisoned here for nine months in 1848. The Maku Palace, a 19th-century Qajar-era building in the town centre, is a quieter stop.

About 20 kilometres south of town, the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus (Qara Kelisa) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously venerated Christian sites in the world. Built in striking black basalt and white marble, it draws Armenian pilgrims from across the diaspora each July and is worth making the journey for even if you are not religious. Be careful hiking in the hills near the border — this is a sensitive frontier zone and straying inadvertently into Turkey or Azerbaijan would create serious complications.

Guide

Getting There

Maku is in the far northwest corner of Iran, about 22 kilometres from the Turkish border crossing at Bazargan and 275 kilometres from the regional capital Tabriz. The main road from Turkey (the D100 highway) passes through or close to Maku, making it a common first or last stop in Iran for overland travelers crossing from Turkey.

Buses connect Maku to Tabriz and Tehran; the journey to Tabriz takes around four hours. From the border crossing at Bazargan, shared taxis and buses run to Maku. There is no airport in Maku; the nearest is at Tabriz. If arriving from Turkey, note that Doğubayazıt — the Turkish town closest to the border — is itself an interesting stop, with Mount Ararat visible from the town and the Ishak Pasha Palace a short drive away.

Guide

Things to Do

Maku's most important sight is outside the town itself: the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus (Qara Kelisa), a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 20 kilometres south. This ancient Armenian monastery, built partly in dark basalt stone, is one of the most remarkable Christian monuments in the Middle East and draws pilgrims from across the Armenian diaspora each July.

Within the town, the Maku Fortress is carved into the overhanging basalt cliff above the gorge — a dramatic piece of medieval fortification with an unexpected connection to the origins of the Baha'i faith. The Maku Palace, a 19th-century Qajar-era mansion, is a more sedate attraction worth a look if you have time.

The mountain gorge in which the town sits is itself a sight: the cliffs rise steeply on both sides and the setting is unusually dramatic for a small border town. The area is worth exploring on foot, and the hills above the gorge offer good walking with views toward Turkey.