The ancient city of Bushehr on the Persian gulf, also known as “Bushire” in English, used to be a prosperous and active port for centuries, especially during the 19th century. But by the 1930s the city declined in importance, and many of its buildings were abandoned.

The photos here, taken in the early 1970s, show the last remains of Bushehr’s traditional architecture. According to the photographer, Kaveh Bahar, “These photos are from the last days of the isolation era.” He further states, “Two years later a new highway connected the city to modernity. The navy and air force opened huge bases there. When, in the late 1970s, I visited the city as a naval officer these old ruins had mostly disappeared.”

* Above Photos by Kaveh Bahar

✤ Also available in: Persian