Isfahan or
Esfahan (
Esfahān, Old Persian:
Aspadāna,
Middle PersianMiddle Persian is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as Western Iranian language...
:
Spahān), historically also rendered in English as
Ispahan or
Hispahan, is located about 340 km south of
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
and is the capital of Isfahan Province and
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
's third largest city (after
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
and
MashhadMashhad is one of the largest cities in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan...
). Isfahan city had a population of 1,583,609 and the Isfahan metropolitan area had a population of 3,430,353 in the 2006 Census, the second most populous metropolitan area in Iran after
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
.
The cities of
NajafabadNajafabad is a city in Isfahan Province, Iran. In 2006 it had an estimated population of 282,430 , . It is located west of Isfahan and is increasingly becoming a part of Isfahan Metropolitan area....
, Khaneh Esfahan,
Khomeini-shahrKhomeynishahr , formerly known as Homayunshahr and Sedeh is a city near Esfahan city in Iran. It had a population of over 287,285 in 2006 and is now a part of the Esfahan Metropolitan area....
, Shahin-shahr,
ZarrinshahrZarrinshahr , also known as Riz-e Lenjan, is a city in Isfahan Province, Iran. It is located in southwest of Isfahan and is the capital of Lenjan County.-Name:...
, Mobarakeh,
FalavarjanFalavarjan is a small township in Iran, to the west of the city of Eşfahān. The ancient name of this city was Barze which means the branch of a tree or cultivation. This name gradually changed to Varjan. During the Safavid period due to the construction of a bridge on the Zayandeh Rood , Varjan was...
and Fouladshahr all constitute the metropolitan city of Isfahan.
Isfahan is located on the main north-south and east-west routes crossing Iran, and was once one of the largest cities in the world. It flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th century under the Safavid dynasty, when it became the capital of Persia for the second time in its history. Even today, the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous for its Islamic
architectureFor a topical guide to this subject, see Outline of architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures for human shelter or use....
, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, mosques, and minarets. This led to the Persian proverb "'Esfahān nesf-e jahān ast" (Isfahan is half of the world).
The Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is one of the biggest
city squaresA town square is an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, Platz , plaza , piazza , place , and "maydan" A town square is an open area commonly...
in the world and an outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture. It has been designated by
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
as a
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
. The city also has a wide variety of historic monuments ranging from the Sassanid to the Safavid dynasties. Remaining
Islamic architecturalIslamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
sites were built from 11th to the 19th century, while older, pre-Islamic monuments date back to 1000 B.C.
Prehistory
The history of Isfahan can be traced back to the
PalaeolithicThe Paleolithic or Palaeolithic Age, Era, or Period, or Old Stone Age, is a prehistoric era distinguished by the development of the first stone tools, and covers roughly 99% of human technological history...
period. In recent discoveries,
archeologistsArchaeology or archeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material culture and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, and landscapes...
have found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic,
MesolithicThe Mesolithic or "Middle Stone Age" was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age. The term was introduced by John Lubbock in his work Pre-historic Times, published in 1865. The term was, however, not much used...
,
NeolithicThe Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age...
,
BronzeThe Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture utilised bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere...
and
Iron ageIn archaeology, the Iron Age is the prehistoric period in any area during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of iron or steel. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles.The...
s.
Elamite Empire
Ancient Isfahan was part of the Elamite Empire. Under the name of Aspandana, it became one of the principal towns of the
Median dynastyThe Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. This area is known as Media...
, when Iranian Medes settled there. Subsequently the province became part of the
Achaemenid EmpireThe Achaemenid Empire or Persian Empire was the successor state of the Median Empire, ruling over significant portions of what would become Greater Iran. The Persian and the Median Empire taken together are also known as the Medo-Persian Empire, succeeding the Neo-Assyrian Empire...
. After the liberation of Iran from Macedonian occupation by the Arsacids, it became part of
Parthian EmpireThe Parthian Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in the ancient Near East, and a counterweight to the Roman Empire in the region....
. Isfahan was the centre and capital city of a large province, which was administered by Arsacid governors. In the Sassanid era, Isfahan was governed by "Espoohrans" or the members of seven noble Iranian families who had important royal positions, and served as the residence of these noble families as well. Moreover, in this period Isfahan was a military centre with strong fortifications.
Islamic Era
Isfahan fell temporarily under the rule of Arabs until the
AbbasidThe Abbasid Caliphate was the third of the Islamic Caliphates of the Islamic Empire. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphs from all but Al Andalus....
era, only being attended to by
Al-MansurAl-Mansur, Almanzor or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur was the second Abbasid Caliph. He was born at al-Humaymah, the home of the 'Abbasid family after their emigration from the Hejaz in 687–688. "His father, Muhammad, was reputedly a great-grandson of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the...
. In the 10th century, under the
Buwayhid DynastyBuyid dynasty, also known as the Buyid Empire or the Buyids , also known as Buwaihids, Buyahids, or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Persian dynasty that originated from Daylaman...
, Isfahan regained its importance. In the reign of
Malik Shah IJalāl al-Dawlah Malik-shāh or simply Malik Shāh was the Seljuk sultan from 1072 to 1092....
of the Seljuk dynasty, Isfahan was again selected as capital and commenced another golden age. In this period, Isfahan was one of the most thriving and important cities of the world. The famous Persian philosopher
Avicenna, known as Abū Alī Sīnā or Ibn Sīnā , and commonly known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna , was a Persian polymath and the foremost physician and philosopher of his time...
lived and taught there in the 11th century.
In 1387, Isfahan surrendered to the Turko-Mongol warlord
TimurTimur , also known as Tamerlane , was a 14th-century conqueror of much of western and central Asia, and founder of the Timurid Empire and Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, which survived until 1857 as the Mughal...
. Initially treated with relative mercy, the city revolted against Timur's punitive taxes by killing the tax collectors and some of Timur's soldiers. In retribution, Timur ordered the massacre of the city residents and his soldiers killed a reported 70,000 citizens. An eye-witness counted more than 28 towers, each constructed of about 1,500 heads.
As the result of its suitable geographic situation, Isfahan flourished again especially during the
Safavid dynastyThe Safavids were one of the ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Iranian empires since the Islamic conquest of Persia and established the Ithnāˤashari school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the...
.
The Golden Age of Isfahan arrived in the 16th century under Shah Abbas the Great (1587-1629), who conquered it and made it the new capital of the Safavid dynasty. During the reign of Shah Abbas I, who unified Persia, Isfahan reached its pinnacle. Isfahan had parks, libraries and mosques that amazed Europeans, who had not seen their like on their continent.
The Persians called Isfahan,
Nesf-e-Jahan (half the world), meaning that to see it was to see half the world, and also referring to it as a point where many cultures and nationalities meet and mingled. In its heyday, Isfahan was one of the largest cities, with a population of over half a million; 163 mosques, 48 religious schools, 1801 shops and 263 public baths.
In 1722, following the defeat of the Safavids in the Battle of Gulnabad,
AfghansThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
raided Isfahan after a long siege, which left much of the city in ruins. Although the Afghans were a primary cause of Isfahan's decline, it can also be attributed to competition from maritime commerce developed by European merchants from such countries as the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
. Isfahan's wealth originated in its role as a chief waystation along the trans-Asia trade route (such as the
Silk RoadThe Silk Road is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe...
). Such land trade dwindled as the cheaper sea routes increased in popularity for transporting commodities between Asia and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
.
Modern age
Today Isfahan, the third largest city in Iran, produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, and handicrafts. Isfahan also has
nuclearA nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear chain reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a steady rate.The most significant use of nuclear reactors is as an energy source for the generation of electrical power and for the power in some ships...
experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear fuel (UCF). Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the entire region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys.
At Isfahan
uraniumUranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table that has the symbol U and atomic number 92. Besides its 92 protons, a uranium nucleus can have between 141 and 146 neutrons. The most common uranium isotopes are U-238 and U-235 . A uranium atom has...
is converted into
uranium hexafluorideUranium hexafluoride , referred to as "hex" in the nuclear industry, is a compound used in the uranium enrichment process that produces fuel for nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It forms solid grey crystals at standard temperature and pressure , is highly toxic, reacts violently with water...
(UF
6). In its gaseous form it is spun at high speed in the centrifuges to extract the fissile isotope. Isfahan is Iran's only domestic source of UF
6. According to
IAEAThe International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. It was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
in 2006, Iran was building hardened bunkers under Isfahan to protect UF
6 production.
The cities of
NajafabadNajafabad is a city in Isfahan Province, Iran. In 2006 it had an estimated population of 282,430 , . It is located west of Isfahan and is increasingly becoming a part of Isfahan Metropolitan area....
, Khaneh Esfahan,
Khomeini-shahrKhomeynishahr , formerly known as Homayunshahr and Sedeh is a city near Esfahan city in Iran. It had a population of over 287,285 in 2006 and is now a part of the Esfahan Metropolitan area....
, Shahin-shahr,
ZarrinshahrZarrinshahr , also known as Riz-e Lenjan, is a city in Isfahan Province, Iran. It is located in southwest of Isfahan and is the capital of Lenjan County.-Name:...
, Mobarakeh, Fouladshahr and Falavarjan constitute the metropolitan city of Isfahan. The city has an
international airportIsfahan International Airport is an international airport located at the city of Isfahan in the Isfahan Province of Iran.Named in honor of Shahid Beheshti. The international airport is a one level building with limited services...
and is in the final stages of constructing its first
MetroA rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
line.
Over 2000 companies are working in the area using Isfahan's economic, cultural, and social potentials. Isfahan contains a major oil refinery and a large airforce base.
HESAIran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company was established in 1976 and belongs to the Iran Aviation Industries Organization . The company is located at Shahin Shahr, Isfahan...
, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant (where the
IR.AN-140The HESA IrAn-140 or Iran-140 is a short-range twin-turboprop airliner based on the Antonov An-140 and built under license by HESA of Iran. The Iran-140 is able to seat 52 passengers, land on a dirt airstrip and fly almost 3,000 km before refueling...
aircraft is made), is located nearby.
Isfahan hosted the
International Physics OlympiadThe International Physics Olympiad is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967....
in 2007.
Geography and climate
The city is located in the lush plain of the Zayandeh River, at the foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The city enjoys a temperate climate and regular seasons. No geological obstacles exist within 90 km north of Isfahan, allowing cool northern winds to blow from this direction. Situated at 1590 meters above sea level, Isfahan is still very hot during the summer with maxima typically around . However, with low humidity and moderate temperatures at night, the climate can be very pleasant. During the winter, days are mild but nights can be very cold and
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
is not unknown. However, on the whole Isfahan's climate is extremely dry. Its annual
precipitationIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel...
of is only about half that of
TehranTehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia...
or
MashhadMashhad is one of the largest cities in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan...
and only a quarter that of more exposed
KermanshahKermanshah , is the capital city of Kermanshah Province, located 525 km from Tehran in the western part of Iran and about 120 km from the border of Iraq. Kermanshah has a continental climate. The estimated population of the city is 822,921 and the majority of the inhabitants speak...
.
Architecture and landmarks
The architecture of Isfahan is made up of eight traditional forms which taken together form the foundation in the same way that music was once based on a finite number of notes. These are modulated by the use of colors and textures to leaven the surfaces and are held together in an overall construction akin to that of a sonata in which connection leads to culmination through a transition space. To appreciate the skill of the architects and designers fully, it is necessary to have an appreciation of these fundamental concepts, i.e., garden, platform, porch, gateway, dome, arched chamber, and minaret, although in the geometry and architecture of the buildings they are woven together to present a seamless whole.
A full discussion of the underlying principles can be found in the paper entitled "The Alchemy of the Mosque", given to a joint meeting of the School of Architecture and the Islamic Society of the University of Manchester in 1997.
Historical sites
Squares and Streets
- Naqsh-e Jahan Square
Naghsh-e Jahan Square , officially known as Imam Square , formerly known as Shah Square , situated at thecenter of Isfahan city, Iran...
also known as "Shah Square" or "Imam Square" - 1602.
- Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
- Shahshahan Square
- Chaharbagh Boulevard - 1596.
- Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard
Palaces
- Ali Qapu
Ālī Qāpū is a grand palace in Isfahan, Iran. It is located on the western side of the Naghsh-i Jahan Square opposite to Sheikh lotf allah mosque, and had been originally designed as a vast portal. It is forty-eight meters high and there are seven floors, each accessible by a difficult spiral...
(The Royal Palace) - Early 17th Century.
- Talar Ashraf (The Palace of Ashraf) - 1650.
- Hasht-Behesht (The Palace of Eight Paradises)
Hasht Behesht , is a Safavid era palace in Isfahan, Iran.It was built in 1669 and is today protected by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization.-Links:*...
- 1669.
- Chehel Sotoun
Chehel Sotoun is a pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool, in Isfahan, Iran, built by Shah Abbas II to be used for his entertainment and receptions...
(The Palace of Forty Columns) - 1647.
Old schools (Madresse);
- Madreseye Sadr.
- Madreseye Shah (Chahar Bagh School).
- Madreseye Khajoo.
Mosques
- Shah Mosque
The Imam Khomeini Mosque or Shah Mosque is a mosque in Isfahan , Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square....
- Hakim Mosque Isfahan
- Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque
Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque is one of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture, standing on the eastern side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan, Iran....
- Esfahan Jame (Congregative) mosque
Caravanserais
Bazaars
- Grand Bazaar, Isfahan
- Shahi Bazaar
Bridges
The Zayandeh Rud (river) starts in the Zagros Mountains, flows from west to east through the heart of Isfahan, and dries up in the Kavir desert.
The bridges over the river include some of the nicest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest bridge is the "Pol-e Shahrestan," which was probably built in the 12th century during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the "Pol-e Khaju," which was built by Shah Abbas II in 1650. It is 123 metres long with 24 arches, and it also serves as a sluice gate.
The next bridge is the "Pol-e Jubi". It was originally built as an aqueduct to supply the palace gardens on the north bank of the river. Further upstream again is the
Si-o-Seh PolThe Si-o-se Pol , also called the Allah-Verdi Khan Bridge, is one of the eleven bridges of Esfahan, Iran...
or bridge of 33 arches. Built during the rule of Shah Abbas the Great, it linked Isfahan with the Armenian suburb of Jolfa. It is by far the longest bridge in Isfahan at 295m.
- Pol-e Shahrestan (The Shahrestan bridge
thumb|200pxShahrestan bridge near Isfahan is one of the oldest surviving bridges in Iran, built in the 14th Century . It crosses the Zayanderood River at the village of Sharestan.-External links:* - with photo*...
) - 11th Century.
- Marnan bridge
- Pol-e Khaju(Khaju Bridge) - 1650.
- Si-o-Seh Pol
The Si-o-se Pol , also called the Allah-Verdi Khan Bridge, is one of the eleven bridges of Esfahan, Iran...
(The Bridge of 33 Arches) - 1602.
- Pol-e-Joui
Joui Bridge , also called the Choobi Bridge, is a bridge in Isfahan, Iran. It is one of Isfahan's oldest bridges and was built in 1665, during the Safavid era....
or Choobi (Joui bridge).
Churches and Cathedrals
- Vank Cathedral
Holy Savior Cathedral , also known as Vank Cathedral and The Church of the Saintly Sisters, is the most visited cathedral in Isfahan, Iran...
- 17th century.
- Kelisaye Maryam (Maryam Church).
Bathhouses (Hammam)
- Khosro Agha
- Ali Gholi Agha
- Khajouha
- Shahzadeha
- Bigdeli
- Sheikh Bahaei
Houses
Other sites
- Atashgah
The Atashgah of Isfahan is a Sassanid-era archaeological complex located on a hill of the same name about eight kilometers west of city center of Isfahan, Iran....
- a ZoroastrianA Zoroastrian is an adherent to Zoroastrianism, the first monotheistic religion that is based on the teachings and philosophies of Zoroaster....
fire temple.
- Buqe'h-ye Ibn-Sina (Avicenna's Dome) - 12th Century.
- The Tombs of Nizam al-Mulk & Malek Shah - 12th & 18th Century.
- New Julfa
New Julfa is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the river Zayandeh River....
(The Armenian Quarter).
- The Bathhouse of Sheikh Bahai.
- Pigeon Towers - 17th Century.
- Manar Jonban
Manar Jonban or the swinging minaret is the mausoleum of "Amu Abdoullah Ebne Mohammad Ebne Mahmmoud" one of the mystic men in 7th and 8th centuries of lunar Hejira who died in 716 in the period of Öljaitü, . This building includes two minarets and they are 17 meters high from the ground level and...
, a famous minaret
Art
Mina
Ghalam Zani
Rug manufacture
Isfahan has long been one of the centers for production of the famous
Persian RugThe Persian carpet is an essential part of Persian art and culture. Carpet-weaving is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished manifestations of Persian culture and art, and dates back to ancient Persia. In 2008, Iran’s exports of hand-woven carpets was $420 million...
. Weaving in Isfahan flourished in the Safavid era. But when the Afghans invaded Iran, ending the Safavid dynasty, the craft also became stagnant.
Not until 1920s, between two world wars, was weaving again taken seriously by the people of Isfahan. They started to weave Safavid designs and once again became one of the most important nexus of the Iranian rug weaving industry. Esfahani carpets today are among the most wanted in world markets, having many customers in western countries.
Esfahani rugs and carpets usually have ivory backgrounds with blue, rose, and indigo motifs. Rugs and carpets often have very symmetrical and balanced designs. They usually have a single medallion that is surrounded with vines and palmettos and are of excellent quality.
Food
- Fesenjan
Khoresht-e fesenjān , or simply fesenjān , is a dish in Persian cuisine. It is a thick, tart stew made from pomegranate juice and ground walnuts . It is traditionally made with poultry ; but variants using balls of ground meat, ghormeh cut meat, fish, or no meat at all are not unusual...
- a casserole type dish with a sweet and tart sauce containing the two base ingredients, pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts cooked with chicken, duck, lamb or beef and served with rice.
- Gaz
Gaz is the traditional name of Persian nougat originating from the city of Esfahan, located in the central plateau of Iran.The name gaz is associated with gaz-angebin which translates to "sap of angebin"; a desert plant member of the Tamarisk family and native to the Zagros mountain range located...
- the name given to Persian Nougat using the sap collected from angebin, a plant from the tamarisk family found only on the outskirts of Isfahan. It is mixed with various ingredients including rose water, pistachio and almond kernels and saffron.
- "Khoresht-e mast" (yoghurt stew) is a traditional dish in Isfahan. Unlike other stews despite its name, it is not served as a main dish and with rice; Since it is more of a sweet pudding it is usually served as a side dish or dessert. The dish is made with yogurt, lamb/mutton or chicken, saffron, sugar and orange zest. Iranians either put the orange zest in water for one week or longer or boil them for few minutes so the orange peels become sweet and ready for use. People in Iran make a lot of delicate dishes and jam with fruit rinds. This dish often accompanies celebrations and weddings.
- Isfahan is famous for its Beryooni. This dish is made of baked mutton & lungs that are minced and then cooked in a special small pan over open fire with a pinch of cinnamon. Beryooni is generally eaten with a certain type of bread, "nan-e taftton".
See also BiryaniBiryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat/chicken/vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted".Biryani was brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants...
.
Famous people
Artists
- Jalal al din Taj Esfahani,1903-, one of the best vocalists of classical music of Iran
- Hasan Kasaie,1928-, greatest ney player of Iran (ney is a musical instrument used in Iran's classical music)
- Jalil Shahnaz
Jalil Shahnaz is an Iranian master musician and renowned tar player.He studied under the supervision of Abdolhossein Shahnazi and Hossein Shahnaz. Foremost Iranian vocalist, Shajarian named his new group in honor of Masetro Shahnaz....
, 1921-, greatest TarA tar is a single-headed frame drum. The tar comes from North Africa and the Middle East. Depictions of these frame drums date back thousands of years....
player of Iran
- Freydoon Rassouli
Freydoon Rassouli is an Iranian-born American painter, who derived his Fusionart painting style from mysticism, Near-Eastern spirituality, and a foundation in European painting technology...
, famous artist and Founder of Fusionart movement
- Master Ahmad Archang famous artist and designer of Isfahan rug patterns
- Alireza Eftekhari
Alireza Eftekhari is an Iranian vocalist of Iranian classical as well as popular music.He learnt music from several well known Iranian musicians, such as Taj Esfahani and Ali Tajvidi. Eftekhari is one of the most prolific Iranian vocalists....
, 1956-, vocalist of popular and classical music
- Mohammad Esfahani
Mohammad Esfahani is an Iranian pop music singer.He graduated from The Medical University of Iran in 1997, while learning Iranian music from the famous Iranian singer Mohammad-Reza Shajarian and one of his best students,...
, popular music
- Moein
Nasrollah Moein known as Moein is a famous Iranian singer who is well known for his love songs.-Early life:Moein was born in Najafabad in 1951, Isfahan, considered by many to be Iran's "City of Artists"...
, 1951-, popular and classical music
- Hassan Shamaie zade, music composer
Actors & Movie Directors
- Reza Arhamsadr-, 1923-2008, a famous father of Persian comic cinema and theater, popular actor
- Nosratolah Vahdat,1925, a famous & popular actor
- Mohamad Ali Keshvarz-, 1930-, a famous & popular actor
- Hassan Aklili, 1953-, famous actor in theater and popular director
- Kiumars Poorahmad, 1949-, a famous & popular director
Painters
- Sumbat Der Kiureghian, 1913-1999, سمبات دِركي وُرقيان, the best Isfahanian Armenian painter
- Hossein Mosaverolmolki,1889-1969, حسين مصورالملكي, one of the best painters and miniaturists
- Yervand Nahapetian, 1917-, يرواند نهاپطيان, Isfahanian Armenian painter
- Freydoon Rassouli
Freydoon Rassouli is an Iranian-born American painter, who derived his Fusionart painting style from mysticism, Near-Eastern spirituality, and a foundation in European painting technology...
, An American painter born and raised in Isfahan
- Ostad Javad Rostamshirazi, 1919-, Isfahanian painter
- Mahmuod Farshchian, 1930-, the best miniaturist of Iran
Political figures
- Shapour Bakhtiar
Shapour Bakhtiar was an Iranian political scientist, writer, pro-democracy activist and the last Prime Minister of Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi...
, Ex Prime Minister of Iran
- Ahmad Amir-Ahmadi
Sepahbod Ahmad Amir-Ahmadi was a military leader and cabinet Minister of Iran.Born in 1906 in Isfahan, he is one of the planners of the coup d'état of Reza Pahlavi and Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee against the Qajar dynasty...
, 1906-1965, military leader and cabinet minister of Iran
- Hossein Kharrazi
Major General Hosein Kharrazi was an Iranian commander of "Imam Hosein 14th Division" during Iran-Iraq War. He supported Islamic revolution and after its victory, served and helped safeguarding it...
, chief of army in the Iran & Iraq war
- Abdollah Noori
Abdollah Noori is an Iranian reformist politician and cleric. Despite his "long history of service to the Islamic Republic," he became the most senior Islamic politician to be sentenced to prison since the Iranian revolution when he was sentenced to five years in prison for political and religious...
, ?-, reformist politician and cleric
- Mohsen Nourbakhsh
Seyed Mohsen Nourbakhsh was an Iranian economist, most famous as Governor of the Central Bank of Iran and the former Minister of Economic and Finance of Iran...
, 1948-2003, economist, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran
- Hossein Fatemi
Hossein Fatemi, PhD, was a famous politician of Iran, born in 1919 in Nain and was executed on 10 November 1954. He proposed the thesis of nationalization of Iranian oil and gas assets to Premiere Mossadegh.-Career:...
, 1919-1954, PhD, politician
Religious figures
- Salman Farsi(Rouzbe Piranestani)
- Allamah al-Majlisi
Muhammad Baqir Majlesi, known as Allamah Majlesi or Majlesi-ye Thani , was a renowned and very powerful Iranian Twelver Shi'a cleric, during the Safavid era...
, 1616-1698, Safavid cleric, Sheikh ul-IslamSheikh ul-Islam is a title of superior authority in the issues of Islam....
in Isfahan
- Ayatollah Yousef Sanei
Grand Ayatollah Yousef Sanei is an Iranian scholar, renowned theologian and Islamic philosopher. He is known as a senior reformist cleric and a Grand Marja of Shia Islam.-Biography:...
, 1927-, reformist cleric
- Ayatollah Rahim Arbab
Ayatollah-al-ozma Haj Agha Rahim Arbab was born in Chermaheen in Iran, near Shahre Kord, to a family of scholars.Ayatollah-al-ozma is the highest rank in traditional Twelver Shi'a studies. Ayatollah Arbab is among three Ayatollahs who never wore the traditional turban...
, 1847-?, cleric, Ayatollah-al-ozma rank
- Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti
Ayatollah Dr. Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Beheshti , was an Iranian scholar, writer, jurist and one of the main architects of the constitution of the Islamic Republic in Iran. He was the secretary-general of the Islamic Republic Party, and the head of the Islamic Republic's judicial system...
, 1928-1981, cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran
Sportspeople
- Moharram Navidkia
Moharram Navidkia is an Iranian football player who currently plays for and is captain of Sepahan in Iran's Premier League football and Iran national football team. He usually plays in the midfield position....
, Captain of the SepahanSepahan is an Iranian football club based in Esfahan, Iran. They compete in the Iran Pro League and became IPL Champions in the 2002-03 season, the first league champion outside of Tehran....
Football Club
- Ehsan Haj Safi, youth phenomenon of the Sepahan
Sepahan is an Iranian football club based in Esfahan, Iran. They compete in the Iran Pro League and became IPL Champions in the 2002-03 season, the first league champion outside of Tehran....
Football Club
Writers and poets
- mohamad ali jamalzadeh,1891-1977, father of story writing of Iran
- Mokrame Esfahani, anti-superstition poet
- Hatef Esfahani,1198(died) moral poet
- Houshang Golshiri
Houshang Golshiri was an Iranian fiction writer, critic and editor.- Biography :Golshiri was born in Isfahan in 1938 and raised in Abadan. He came from a large family of modest circumstances...
, 1938-2000, writer and editor
- Mirza Abbas Khan Sheida
Mirza Abbas Khan Sheida, or Sheida-ye-Esfahani , was an Iranian sufi, poet and Journalist.Sheida was born in 1873 in Shahre-Kord near Isfahan. His father Mirza Eshagh Dehkordi, was the governor-general of Shahre Kord and the province of Chahar Mahaal o Bakhtiari...
, 1880-1949, poet and publisher
- Hamid Mosadegh
Hamid Mossadeq Persian Poet, born in Isfahan, Iran.WorksThe Kavian Banner, Kaveh, Blue, Gray, Black, At the Passage of Wind and... Two Collections, From Separations, Years of Patience, .... Until Liberation and Red Lion.See...
, 1939-1998, poet and lawyer
- Hassan Safdari, poet and writer
Others
- Nasser David Khalili
Nasser David Khalili, KSS, KCFO is a British-Iranian property developer, art collector and philanthropist based in London. He holds both United Kingdom and United States citizenship....
, 1945-, property developer, art collector, and philanthropist
- Arthur Pope
Arthur Upham Pope , was an American archaeologist and historian of Persian art.Born in Phoenix, Rhode Island, graduated from Worcester Academy in 1899, and taught at Amherst College and the University of California. He married fellow Persian art historian, Phyllis Ackerman, in 1920. In 1923, Pope...
, 1881-1969, American archaeologist, buried near Khaju BridgeKhaju Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in Isfahan, Iran and has roused the admiration of travellers since the 17th century. Shah Abbas II built it on the foundations of an older bridge around 1650. It has 23 arches and is 105 metres long and 14 metres wide. It links the Khaju quarter on...
Education
Aside from the seminaries and religious schools, the major universities of the Isfahan metropolitan area are:
- Universities
- Islamic Azad university of Shahreza
- Islamic Azad University of Khomeini Shahr
- Islamic Azad University
Islamic Azad University is a private chain of universities in Iran.Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.3 million students...
, Majlesi Branch
- Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Healthcare , is a large medical school of Iran.Located in south-central Isfahan, the university was established in 1946 under the name "The Higher Institute of Health" , operating under the Tehran University of Medical Sciences...
- Isfahan University of Technology
Isfahan University of Technology is one of the best engineering schools in Iran. It's located 15 Kilometers north west of Isfahan and is one of the major universities and research poles in Iran in the fields of science, engineering and agriculture...
- University of Isfahan
University of Isfahan is a state operated university in Iran. It is one of the most prominent science and engineering schools in Iran and is the largest university in Isfahan Province in Iran. The university is located in the southern section of the city of Isfahan...
- Isfahan University of Art
Isfahan University of Art is in Isfahan, Iran. It was operated under the name of Farabi University before 1978, then it became a campus of the University of Art . It was separated and became independent in 1999...
- High schools
- Harati High School
Harati High School is located in Esfahan, Iran. The school is regarded as a good school and a well known landmark. It is located on Kamal Esmaeel Avenue beween the Khadjoo and the 33 pol bridges....
- Adab High School
Adab High School in Isfahan, Iran, was established in early 1900s by British Anglican missionaries as an all boys school. It was later converted to a secular school under the direction of Isa Sadiq and under the administration of Sayyid Yahya DowlatAbadi...
There are also more than 50 Technical and Vocational Training Centers under the administration of Isfahan TVTO which provide non-formal training programs freely throughout the province.
Sports
Isfahan has two football (soccer) clubs that have been title contenders in
Iran's Premier Football LeagueThe Iran Pro League is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system....
. These are:
- Sepahan Isfahan
Sepahan is an Iranian football club based in Esfahan, Iran. They compete in the Iran Pro League and became IPL Champions in the 2002-03 season, the first league champion outside of Tehran....
(Official website)
- Sepahan-Novin Isfahan (Official website)
Twin towns — Sister cities
A town is
twinnedSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
with:
Kuwait CityKuwait City , is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. It has an estimated population of 63,600 within city limits and 2.38 million in the metropolitan area...
, KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...
BeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2.1 million as of 2007. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan Area, which...
, LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon [Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
, SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. [The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
, EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
FlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
, ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
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VeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy, the capital of the region Veneto, a population of 271,367 . Together with Padua, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area . The city historically was an independent nation...
, ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
FreiburgFreiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Located in the extreme south-west of the country, Freiburg straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
HavanaHavana is the capital city, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city is one of the 14 Cuban provinces. The city/province has 2.4 million inhabitants, and the urban area over 3.7 million, making Havana the largest city in both Cuba and the Caribbean region...
, CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
YerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. It is situated on the Hrazdan River, and is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
IaşiIaşi , is a city and municipality in Moldavia, in north-eastern Romania...
, RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
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Istanbul Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.6 million. Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province...
, TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur , is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of , has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
, PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd and Leningrad...
, RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Xian, People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
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External links
Governmental websites
Other websites
- Esfahan on Iran Chamber Society (www.iranchamber.com)
- Isfahan Cultural Heritage Organization
- Isfahan Architecture (Quicktime
QuickTime is a multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, media clips, sound, text, animation, music, and interactive panoramic images. It is available for Mac OS classic , Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows operating systems...
required)
- Isfahan (a video documentary)
- Esfahan, half the world
- Shapour Bahrami, Esfahan, Iran, Photo Set, flickr
- HORIZON, Isfahan, Photo Set, flickr
Note: This is an outstanding photo set of which almost all photographs have been provided with explanatory captions. The set also contains a brief history of Esfahan and its magnificent architecture. For details, one should view the expanded set: flickr.
- Ali Attār, Isfahan's Ancient Pigeon Towers, Jadid Online, 2008, link .
Slide Show, with a Persian narration and English subtitles, Jadid Online, 2008:5 min 21 sec.
- Isfahan History in carpets and rugs
- Hamid-Rezā Hosseini, Persian Bath (Hammam-e Irāni), in Persian, Jadid Online, December 19, 2008, http://www.jadidonline.com/story/19122008/frnk/aligholi_bath .
A slide show of the Ali-Qoli Āqā bath in Esfahan:5 min 57 sec.