Ilam

Ilam is the centre of Ilam province in the west of Iran. It is the third-largest Kurdish city in Iran after Kermanshah and Sanadaj.

The locals wear traditional Kurdish clothing.

Most of the people of Ilam province speak Kurdish, the old occupation of the people is agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture and so on. The climate of the province is excellent and beautiful in spring, this province is one of the most important habitats of oak trees in the whole country.

Like many other regions of Iran, the architecture in Ilam includes traditional and contemporary periods. Although easy access to fossil fuels and electricity may have aided the transition in Iranian architecture in other regions of Iran from its traditional to modern styles, in Ilam the increasing population has also played a role.

The Governor (Vali) Castle, Falahaty Mansion and The Mirgholam Castle are examples of some surviving traditional buildings in Ilam. The courtyard dwelling is the main type of buildings of this period. This type of building was accepted as the main building type overall Iran for both climatic and cultural reasons. Brick is the main constructional material in these buildings. The passive thermal techniques indicated for the Iranian traditional buildings are commonly used in these buildings.

The Governor Castle of Ilam was built in type of courtyard. Adding shade and moisture by using a green landscape, high trees and a pond, were the main passive techniques used in this building to reduce the temperature in summer. The Mirgholam Castle of Ilam presents a classic Iranian courtyard. The garden and the pound were the main elements of this type of buildings. The Falahaty Mansion used a pitched roof as it was regular beside the flat roofs in the traditional buildings in Ilam earlier.