| Kandolus | |
| Native Name: | fa|كندلوس |
| Native Name Lang: | fa |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Iran |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [1] |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Mazandaran |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Nowshahr |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Kojur |
| Subdivision Type4: | Rural District |
| Subdivision Name4: | Zanus Rastaq |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Total: | 1092 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | IRST |
| Utc Offset: | +3:30 |
Kandolus (fa|كندلوس) [2] is a village in Zanus Rastaq Rural District of Kojur District, Nowshahr County, Mazandaran province, Iran.[3] The village is located in the Alborz mountain range in the along the Zanos valley in North of Iran .[4]
Kandolus is recognized as one of the oldest human settlements in the Mazandaran province.[5] The village also has a Qajar era bathhouse[6] .The Museum of Anthropology, abundant waterfalls, the Museum of Medicinal Plants, the old bathhouse that dates back to the Qajar era, and handicrafts and souvenirs are among the other attractions that have caused this village to be nominated for registration on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.[7]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the village had a population of 115 individuals in 45 households.[8] There were 915 people in 273 households in the following 2011 census.[9] The 2016 census recorded a population of 1,092 residents in 378 households. It was the most populous village in its rural district.[10]
The Kandolus Anthropology Museum Anthropology Museum is one of the non-governmental museums of Mazandaran province, which was established between 1981 and 1988.[11] The museum is the result of the efforts of Dr. Ali Asghar Jahangiri, a resident of this village who spent his childhood in Kandolus
It houses diverse collection of artifacts such as agricultural tools, paintings, pottery, and utensils dating from the second millennium BCE to the Qajar period.[12] Additionally, the museum preserves written materials, such as manuscripts, books, copies of the Qur'an, poetry collections, marriage contracts, and various official decrees.
Founded in 1986 by the Kandolus Agricultural Complex, the Museum of Medicinal Plants (also known as the Botanical Garden) was established in order to cultivate, breed, produce, and package medicinal and aromatic plants and extract plant essences and oils.
In 2023, Mehdi Bahvarand, an official from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, announced that Kandolus was nominated as one of the eight Iranian villages being considered for the title of Global Village, awarded by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).[13] This recognition highlights a village's cultural and historical value.
Mohammad Valipour, head of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Department of Noshahr, has confirmed that the village's dossier has been submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage site.[14]