Masouleh is a well-preserved traditional mountain village nestled in the Alborz Mountains in Gilan Province of Iran. It is one of the few outposts representing the old architecture and lifestyle of Iran in our rapidly modernizing world. The tide of globalization reaches even into this remote area fringing the southern part of the Caspian Sea.

Most of the young men and women of Masouleh live away from home in order to earn a living, leaving behind only the old men, women and children. Masouleh is now positioned towards the tourism industry in order to maintain its way of life. The empty rooms left behind by the working adults are rented out to tourists. Its pleasant summer weather, idyllic mountain settings and friendly people offer an ideal getaway from the hustle and bustle of city living. One of its attractions is the village architecture. It does not have the usual small winding alleys of normal old towns in Iran. Instead, because of the steepness of the mountainside where Masouleh is situated, the rooftops of houses on the lower level formed the walkways and corridors of the houses on the next higher level.

But with the influx of tourism, the lifestyle of the people of Masouleh is changing, bit by bit. Whether this beautiful little mountain village can survive in the new millennia remains to be seen.