Located in southern Iran, Hormozgan province has 14 islands in the Persian Gulf and 1000 kilometers of coastline. The province is known to have been a settlement area during the Achaemenid dynastic era (550-330 BC). Hormozgan is said to have been particularly prosperous between 241 and 211 BC, but is said to have grown even further in trade and commercial significance after the arrival of the Islamic era (651 AD).

Marco Polo visited the port of Bandar Abbas, capital city of Hormozgan province in 1272 and 1293 and reported widespread trading in Persian jewelry, the ivory and silk of IndoChina, and pearls from Bahrain in the Bazaars in the port of Hormuz.

Lashtan fortress located 6 kilometers east of Lengeh port, which is believed to date back to the Achaemenid era, is one of Hormozgan historical sites which ICHHTO experts are trying to prepare its file for being inscribed in list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Give your wedding a personal touch

If you're like most brides-do-be, you've been dreaming about your wedding day since you were a young girl. Whether it's a lavish gala or an intimate affair, it will be one of the most important days in your life. To the tiniest detail, it must be perfect. If your big day is looming on the horizon, consider personal touches to make your dream wedding a reality. Start when considering the décor for the location of the actual wedding as well as the reception or party to be held afterwards.

"Instead of hiring someone to do the decorating for you, do it yourself. It will mean more, and you'll be amazed at what you can do," suggests Laura Byrne of Michaels Arts and Crafts stores, one of the nation's leading suppliers of wedding accessories.

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