Khonik Sofla Southeastern Iran

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.