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Rasht () is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 and the largest city along the Caspian sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia
Caucasus

The Caucasus or Caucas is a geopolitical region located between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is home to Europe's highest mountain ....
, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali

Bandar-e Anzali , known as Bandar-e Pahlavi before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province of Gilan, close to Rasht....
. Rasht is also a major tourist center with the resort of Masouleh
Masouleh

Masul? is a village in the Gilan Province of Iran. Historical names for the village include Masalar and Khortab. It was founded in the 10th century AD, and its current population is estimated to be around 800 persons....
 in adjacent mountains and the beaches of Caspian the major attractions. Rasht had an estimated population of 560,123 in 2005.

Historically, Rasht was a major transportation field that connected Iran to the abroad and that was why the city was entitiled as the "Gate of Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, 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 , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
" meaning that Rasht is a path for travel and business toward the European countries.

It is said that the islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad

Muhammad Patronymic#Arabic Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib , is the founder of the Major religious groups of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as a Rasul and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of prophets....
 once traveled to Iran after being appointed as the prophet and then came to Rasht for being acquainted with the cultural and religious capacities of this ancient city, but there is no recorded document in this matter.

Rasht is well-known globally because of its famous martyr of freedom, Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mirza Kuchak Khan

Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
 who dedicated all of his age to fight against the occupation of Guilan by the Russian
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 troops during the chaotic periods of World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
.

The people of Rasht played a very important role in the Constitutional Revolution.






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Encyclopedia


Rasht () is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 and the largest city along the Caspian sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia
Caucasus

The Caucasus or Caucas is a geopolitical region located between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is home to Europe's highest mountain ....
, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali

Bandar-e Anzali , known as Bandar-e Pahlavi before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province of Gilan, close to Rasht....
. Rasht is also a major tourist center with the resort of Masouleh
Masouleh

Masul? is a village in the Gilan Province of Iran. Historical names for the village include Masalar and Khortab. It was founded in the 10th century AD, and its current population is estimated to be around 800 persons....
 in adjacent mountains and the beaches of Caspian the major attractions. Rasht had an estimated population of 560,123 in 2005.

Historically, Rasht was a major transportation field that connected Iran to the abroad and that was why the city was entitiled as the "Gate of Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, 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 , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
" meaning that Rasht is a path for travel and business toward the European countries.

It is said that the islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad

Muhammad Patronymic#Arabic Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib , is the founder of the Major religious groups of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as a Rasul and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of prophets....
 once traveled to Iran after being appointed as the prophet and then came to Rasht for being acquainted with the cultural and religious capacities of this ancient city, but there is no recorded document in this matter.

Rasht is well-known globally because of its famous martyr of freedom, Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mirza Kuchak Khan

Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
 who dedicated all of his age to fight against the occupation of Guilan by the Russian
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 troops during the chaotic periods of World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
.

The people of Rasht played a very important role in the Constitutional Revolution. Russian and British army as well as local rebels attacked Rasht City during the World War I (1914-1918). In 1920, Rasht became the arena of revolutionary movements again. When the Red Army conquered Baku
Baku

Baku , sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bak?, is the capital, the largest city, and the largest port of Azerbaijan....
 in 1918, the navy of White Army took asylum in the Anzali Port, which was under control of British army. The commander of the Red Navy chased them and conquered the Anzali Port and as the result the British Army retreated.

This event encouraged revolutionaries of Gilan to establish an anti-British government under the leadership of Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mirza Kuchak Khan

Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
. British forces evacuated the city and went to Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
. Finally, Iranian army defeated the movement and a treaty was signed with Russia after which they evacuated the city.

Geography and climate


Language


Gileki is spoken by more than 3 million people. The vast majority of the speakers live in the Gilan Province
Gilan Province

Gilan is one of the provinces of Iran of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil province, north of the provinces of Zanjan province and Qazvin province....
 of Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
. Gileki belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages
Iranian languages

The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages and its subfamily, Indo-Iranian languages. These languages are mainly spoken by the Iranian Peoples....
. The Iranian languages form a top-level constituent of the Indo-European
Indo-European languages

The Indo-European languages are a Language family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau , Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent ....
 language family. It is closely related to Mazanderani and is subdivided into two main dialects: Bie-pas and Bie-pish. Bie-pas dialect is mainly spoken in west of Sefidrud including Rasht and Fuman while Bie-pish dialect belongs to eastern part of Gilan including Lahijan and Langrud.

Gileki is an oral dialect and has no official status in Iran.

Mirza Kuchak Khan


Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mirza Kuchak Khan

Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
 was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national legend in modern Iranian history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 that became known as the Nehzat-e Jangal (Forest movement)
Constitutionalist movement of Gilan

The Jangal movement, in Gilan, was a rebellion against the monarchist rule of the Qajar central government of Iran. It is considered as the extension of Constitutional Revolution of Iran and lasted from 1914 to 1921....
. This uprising started in 1914 and remained active against internal and foreign enemies until 1921 when the movement was defeated.

Unfortunately, given the shortcomings of the advanced social thinkers and activists of the time on one hand and the stronger establishment of the old autocracy on the other hand, again the same privileged class and their political representatives took control of the new regime. The freedom fighters were not satisfied and in fact were disarmed, in some cases using force. Meanwhile the direct and indirect manipulation of the country's internal politics by Tsarist Russians
Russian Empire

File:Russian Emperor Flag.jpgFile:Romanov Flag.svgThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917....
 and the British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 added to the sufferings of the people and resulted in social unrest.

It was during such tumultuous period that Mirza Kuchak Khan, in collaboration with the Society of Islamic Union, started his uprising in the northern forests (Southern Caspian
Alborz

Alborz , also written as Alburz or Elburz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan....
). Mirza Kuchak Khan's return to Rasht was not easy since he had been expelled from Gilan by the Russian consulate for five years. His cause seems to have been a mixture of that of the newly emerging national bourgeoisie and downtrodden peasants and therefore gained momentum soon after it started. The Jangal forces (locally referred to as 'Jangalis' i.e., 'forest people' in Persian) defeated the local governmental and Russian troops which added to their reputation as potential saviors of the ideas of the constitutional revolution.

On June 12, 1918 Manjil
Manjil

Manjil is a historical town in Gilan Province in the southern basin of Caspian in Northern Iran....
 was the site of a battle between the Jangali troops and the joint British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and White Russian
White movement

The White movement , whose military arm is known as the White Army or White Guard and whose members are known as Whites comprised some of the Russian forces, both political and military, which opposed the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution and fought against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War from 1917 to 1923...
 forces. The latter force (led by General Dunsterville and Kernel Bicherakhov) although formally just trying to organize the return of Russian soldiers back home, in reality was planning to pass through Manjil as the only passage to the Caspian in order to reach Baku
Baku

Baku , sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bak?, is the capital, the largest city, and the largest port of Azerbaijan....
 and fight against the newly formed Baku
Baku

Baku , sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bak?, is the capital, the largest city, and the largest port of Azerbaijan....
 commune (led by Stepan Shahumian). General Dunsterville's private diaries and notes, including those kept during his command of the Dunsterforce Mission to North Persia and Baku, are transcribed from the original by General Dunsterville's great granddaughter, and are co-located on the Great War Primary Documents Archive . Mirza Koochek Khan's troops were defeated in this war because of the use of artillery, armored car and airplanes by the joint forces. Mirza's field commander was a German officer (Major Von Pashen) who had joined the Jangal movement after being released by them from the British prison in Rasht.

The Jangal movement was further boosted and gained gravity after the victory
Russian Revolution of 1917

The Russian Revolution is the series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union....
 of the Bolsheviks in Russia. In May 1920 the Soviet Navy led by Fyodor F. Raskolnikov and accompanied by Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze
Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze

File:Sergo ordzhonikidze.jpgGrigoriy Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze , generally known as Sergo Ordzhonikidze was a member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, and close friend to Stalin....
 entered the Caspian port of Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali

Bandar-e Anzali , known as Bandar-e Pahlavi before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province of Gilan, close to Rasht....
. This mission was declared to be only in pursue of the Russian vessels and ammunition taken to Anzali by the White Russian
White movement

The White movement , whose military arm is known as the White Army or White Guard and whose members are known as Whites comprised some of the Russian forces, both political and military, which opposed the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution and fought against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War from 1917 to 1923...
 counter-revolutionary general Denikin, who had been given asylum by British forces in Anzali.

Modern day

Rasht is growingly turning into an industrialized town such as most of the Iranian large cities and province capitals. Enjoying the Kadus International Hotel and hundreds of tourist attractions, Rasht receives thousands of foreign tourists annually, most of them from Austria
Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , 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, and the Netherlands....
, Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 and African countries like Senegal
Senegal

Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the S?n?gal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south....
 and Cameroon
Cameroon

The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary state of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south....
.

The head consulate of Russian Federation government is located in Rasht and some of the other Caspian region countries are also keen to establish representative headquarters in Rasht alongside their embassies in Tehran
Tehran

Tehran 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 Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
.

Due to the high amount of humidity in Rasht which damages and destroys the aged buildings, the primitive and worn-out architectural texture of Rasht is gradually being removed and replaced with the modern skyscrapers and apartments, mostly designed and constructed by European contractors and engineers.

There are lots of commercial centers, big malls and financial institutions in Rasht including one branch of [Exports Development Bank of Iran] which is an international bank dealing with the Iranian exports to different countries.

Rasht is also renowned for its famous building of municipality located in a square named "Meidaane Shahrdari" meaning "the square of municipality. This building was constructed almost 100 years ago but being renovated each year.

The people of Rasht were always regular fans of football which is the prominent beloved sport in the city. Most of them are the fans of Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan

Pegah Gilan Football Club was an Iranian Football club based in Rasht, Gilan Province, Iran....
 which is a professional football club playing in the Iranian premier football league, Persian Gulf Cup.

Pegah FC is the newer version of former Esteghlal Rasht football club that belonged to the municipality of Rasht, but purchased later by the Bulgaria
Bulgaria

The state of Bulgaria , Scientific transliteration Balgarija, officially the Republic of Bulgaria has played a significant role in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe for over fourteen centuries....
-based factory of Pegah and changed its name and properties to Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan

Pegah Gilan Football Club was an Iranian Football club based in Rasht, Gilan Province, Iran....
.

The home stadium of Pegah (meaning dawn in Persian language) is Sardar Jangal Stadium
Sardar Jangal Stadium

Sardar Jangal Stadium is a sports stadium located in Rasht, Iran. It is used by Damash Gilan F.C. in Iran's Premier Football League as of the start of the Persian Gulf Cup ....
 which was established in September 2007 and holds more than 15,000 audiences. This number is increasable to 20,000 and more.

This stadium is the second largest stadium of Rasht after the Azodi Stadium which is an old one dating back to almost 40 years ago and needs basic renovation.

Following football, Wrestling
Wrestling

Wrestling is part of the martial arts. A wrestling match consists of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over, or control of, the opponent....
, Judo
Judo

, meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either Throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling manoeuvre, or force an opponent...
 and Weightlifting
Weightlifting

Weightlifting, also called Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics or Olympic-style weightlifting, is a sport in which participants attempt a maximum weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates....
 are the most popular sports of youth in Rasht and that is due to the enchanting appearance of Iranian wrestlers and weightlifters in the international competitions like Olympics.

The outstanding figure of world weightlifting and the two-time olympics Gold medal winner Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh

Hossein Rezazadeh is an Iranian former weightlifter and the current world record holder in the sport....
 is a main inspirer of Rasht youth to try Weightlifting
Weightlifting

Weightlifting, also called Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics or Olympic-style weightlifting, is a sport in which participants attempt a maximum weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates....
 as their professional job. Asghar Ebrahimi
Asghar Ebrahimi

Asghar Ebrahimi Farbod Kamachali is an Iranian Weightlifter. He was born in Rasht.References...
 who was the squad captain of Iranian weightlifting team at 2008 Olympics is from Rasht
Rasht

Rasht is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran and the largest city along the Caspian sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasus, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali....
 and a successful example of those youth from Rasht who tried this national field of sport after Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh

Hossein Rezazadeh is an Iranian former weightlifter and the current world record holder in the sport....
.

The culture of Consumerism
Consumerism

Consumerism is the equation of personal happiness with Consumption and the purchase of material possessions.The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen....
 is more prevalent among the people of Rasht as a cultural and civilized city which was historically engaged in close commercial and political ties with UK, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 and France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
.

Some evidences are the University of Guilan
University of Guilan

The University of Guilan is a major institute of higher education in Gilan, Iran located in Rasht, a large city bordering to the Caspian Sea in the northern Iran....
 which was constructed jointly by the governments of Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 and West Germany
West Germany

West Germany was the common English name for the Germany , from its formation in May 1949 to German reunification in October 1990, when East Germany was dissolved and its States of Germany became part of the Federal Republic, ending the more than 40-year division of Germany....
 for about 40 years ago, the building of IRIB representatives in Rasht which was constructed jointly by the Iranian and Belgian
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
 engineers.

However, due to this internationalized culture which makes the people of Rasht
Rasht

Rasht is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran and the largest city along the Caspian sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasus, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali....
 more familiar with the industrial, cultural and political developments, the finance and credit institutions are more willing to open representative offices and bureaus in Rasht and it made the city a center of different banks and financial organizations.

The organizers and directors of national Iranian or non-Iranian banks afford to spend considerable amounts of budgets to construct attractive and modern buildings for their offices in Rasht in order to impress new customers and find new investment opportunities.

Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, there were always requests and applications on behalf of Russian, Turkish and Azeri banks to open branches in Rasht and that is why the city is endowed as the "gate of Europe" in Iran.

The dominant cuisine of Rasht people is the various types of Fish
Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
 and Rashti people are said to spend much on Books, Cloths and Food
Food

Food is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be Eating or Drinking by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure....
.

They spend the leisure times going to cinemas, art exhibitions, music concerts and international book fairs that are being held in the city most of times in a year. Also the municipality kicks off sports, cultural or IT-related competitions to involve the youth in healthy and constructive activities. The most beloved competition is the annual blogging competition which awards the top young bloggers each year.

City of Firsts


  • First Public Library of Iran
  • First Branch of the First Iranian Bank (Sepah Bank) was located in Rasht


International airport


The Rasht International airport is the only airport in the small province of Guilan and was established in 1969 with an approximate area of 220 hectares. At first, the airport just handled domestic flights to Tehran
Tehran

Tehran 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 Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
 and Mashhad
Mashhad

Mashhad is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country city in Iran and one of the Holiest sites in Islam in the Shia world....
 but after renaming to the Sardar Jangal International airport in 2007 which was committed in honor of Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mirza Kuchak Khan

Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
, some air routes to the following countries have been established:

  • Flag of Saudi Arabia
    Saudi Arabia
    Saudi Arabia

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south....
  • Flag of Azerbaijan
    Azerbaijan Republic
  • Flag of Syria
    Syria
    Syria

    Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
  • Flag of Lebanon
    Lebanon
    Lebanon

    Lebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic , is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea....
  • Flag of the United Arab Emirates
    United Arab Emirates
    United Arab Emirates

    The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia....


The airport is a in close affiliation with hundreds of national and international airlines including Mahan Air
Mahan Air

Mahan Air is a private airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East, Middle East, and Europe....
, EaseOn Air
EaseOn Air

EaseOn Air is upcoming airline in Iran. It was established in 2005 and plans to launch services using Boeing 737...
, Iran Aseman Airlines
Iran Aseman Airlines

Iran Aseman Airlines is an airline based in Tehran, Iran, Operates air taxi services and scheduled domestic and regional flights to the Persian Gulf area, as well as charter services....
 and Kish Air
Kish Air

Kish Air is an airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates international, domestic and charter services as a scheduled carrier. Its main base is Mehrabad Airport, Tehran....
 and receives more than 2000 flights annually.

The Rasht International airport also has direct flights to PSEEZ which is the largest gas field of the world along the seashores of Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes Persian Gulf naming dispute referred to as the Arabian Gulf by certain Arab countries or simply The Gulf, although nei...
.

People and culture

The first national library of Iran was established in Rasht under the Qajar dynasty. Furthermore, Nasime Shomal as the first modern newspaper of Iran after the constitutional revolution has been published in Rasht, but later moved its headquarters to Qazvin
Qazvin

Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Qazvin province in Iran with an estimated population of 331,409 in 2005. ...
.

Due to the special climate and high measure of humidity in Rasht which is mostly being accompanied by heavy rains, the people are truly calm and tranquil with peaceful approach toward complexities and controversies.

They are well-known internationally for their exclusive manner of hospitiality and reception of guests with delicious local foods and cuisines.

The people of Rasht speak Gileki as the maternal language and Persian
Persian language

name=Persian|nativename=|pronunciation=[f??r'si]|image=|caption=Farsi in Perso-Arabic script |states= Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Bahrain....
 as the national language. In some rural areas near the Rasht, school teachers give their courses in Gileki rather than Persian.

Colleges and universities


    1. University of Gilan (??????? ?????)
    2. Islamic Azad University of Rasht
      Islamic Azad University of Rasht

      Islamic Azad University of Rasht is an Iranian university in Rasht, Gilan Province. It was founded on 1 September 1982....
    3. Gilan University of Medical Sciences
      Gilan University of Medical Sciences

      Gilan University of Medical Sciences , is a medical school in Gilan Province of Iran.Located in the city of Rasht, the university fell under the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 1986, the same year it was established....
    4. Institute of Higher Education for Academic Jihad of Rasht (????? ????? ???? ?????????? ???? ???????? ???)
    5. Guilan Technical & Vocational Training Organization ????? ?? ????? ??? ? ???? ?? ????? ?????

    History

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the region, see the history
    Gilan Province

    Gilan is one of the provinces of Iran of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil province, north of the provinces of Zanjan province and Qazvin province....
     section of Gilan
    Gilan Province

    Gilan is one of the provinces of Iran of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil province, north of the provinces of Zanjan province and Qazvin province....
    .

    Rasht Mosque
    Rasht was first mentioned in historical documents in 682 CE, but it is certainly older than this. It has seen the Sassanid era, the armies of Peter the Great
    Peter I of Russia

    Peter I the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov ruled Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly half-brother, Ivan V of Russia....
     and later Russian rulers, and British colonialism. The people of Rasht also played a major role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.

    Timeline

    • 682: Rasht is first mentioned in historical documents.
    • 1669: Stenka Razin
      Stenka Razin

      Stepan Timofeyevich Razin was a Cossack leader who led a major uprising against the nobility and Tsar's bureaucracy in South Russia....
      , a Cossack
      Cossack

      The term Cossacks is applied to specific militaristic communities of various ethnicities living in the southern steppe regions of Ukraine and Russia....
       warlord, plundered the city.
    • 1714: Rasht destroyed by earthquake.
    • 1722 - 1734: Occupied by Peter the Great
      Peter I of Russia

      Peter I the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov ruled Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly half-brother, Ivan V of Russia....
       during the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723
      Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723

      Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723, known in Russian historiography as the Persian campaign of Peter the Great, was a war between Russia and Persian Empire , triggered by the tsar's attempt to expand Russian influence in the Caspian Sea and South Caucasus regions and to prevent its rival, Ottoman Turkey, from territorial gains in the region a...
      .
    • 1901: A major epidemic plague devastates the city.
    • 1907: First Municipality Council of Rasht.
    • 1917 - 1920: The Russian and British armed forces fight in the port city of Bandar-e Anzali
      Bandar-e Anzali

      Bandar-e Anzali , known as Bandar-e Pahlavi before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province of Gilan, close to Rasht....
       and Rasht. The British retreat and the Russians occupy the area. In 1920 Bolshevik Russians set a great fire in the bazaar, causing many citizens to go into temporary exile.
    • 1920 - 1921 - short-living Persian Soviet Socialist Republic was established with its capital in Rasht
    • 1937: A revolt, sparked by the desire to collect a "road tax" from the Russians, was suppressed.
    • 1974: First university established in Rasht.


    Sister cities


    Rasht has signed the treaty of city twinning with the following cities:

    • Flag of Turkey
      Trabzon
      Trabzon

      Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast, Russia and the Caucasus to the northeast....
      , Turkey
      Turkey

      Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
    • Flag of Tajikistan
      Rasht district
      Rasht district

      Sorry, no overview for this topic
      , Tajikistan
      Tajikistan

      Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and People's Republic of China to the east....
    • Flag of Georgia
      Kutaisi
      Kutaisi

      Kutaisi is Georgia 's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi....
      , Georgia
      Georgia (country)

      Georgia is a transcontinental country in the Caucasus region, located at the dividing line between Europe and Asia. It is bordered by the Russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Armenia to the south, and Turkey to the southwest....
    • Flag of Tatarstan
      Kazan
      Kazan

      Kazan is the capital types of inhabited localities in Russia of the Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russia's largest cities. It is a major industrial, commercial and cultural center, and remains the most important center of Tatar culture....
      , Tatarstan
      Tatarstan

      Republic of Tatarstan is a federal subjects of Russia of the Russian Federation . Its size is 68,000 km? with a population of 3,800,000. Its capital is Kazan....


    But it has also major, close contacts with the following cities to carry out its financial, architectural, political, cultural and academic projects:

    • Flag of Germany
      Berlin
      Berlin

      Berlin is the Capital of Germany city and one of sixteen States of Germany of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is the country's largest city....
      , Germany
      Germany

      Germany , 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, and the Netherlands....
    • Flag of Russia
      Moscow
      Moscow

      Moscow is the capital and the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia of the Russian Federation. It is also the largest European cities and metropolitan areas, with the Moscow metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world....
      , Russia
      Russia

      Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
    • UK, Leeds
      Leeds

      Leeds is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England. It is the urban core and administrative centre of the wider metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds....
    • Flag of France
      France
      France

      France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
      , Marseille
      Marseille

      "Marseille" is the second-largest city of France and forms the third-largest aire urbaine, after those of Paris and Lyon, with a population recorded to be 1,516,340 at the 1999 census and estimated to be 1,605,000 in 2007....
  • Flag of the Philippines
    Philippines
    Philippines

    The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
    , Manila
    Manila

    The 'City of Manila' , or simply 'Manila', is the Capital of the Philippines and one of the 17 cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila....
  • Flag of Iraq
    Iraq
    Iraq

    Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
    , Baghdad
    Baghdad

    Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
  • Flag of the Netherlands
    Netherlands
    Netherlands

    The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
    , Amsterdam
    Amsterdam

    Amsterdam is the Capital of the Netherlands and List of cities in the Netherlands with over 100,000 people of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands of North Holland in the west of the country....


    • Notables of Rasht

    • Khosrow Golsorkhi
    • Hushang Ebtehaj
      Hushang Ebtehaj

      Hushang Ebtehaj , with the pen name of H. E. Sayeh is an eminent Iranian poet of the 20th century, whose life and work spans many of Iran's political, cultural and literary upheavals....
       The intellectual poet of 20th century in Iran
    • Mahmoud Behzad
      Mahmoud Behzad

      Professor Mahmoud Behzad , born in Rasht, the Capital city of Gilan province, is known as the father of new Biology science in Iran. He has written more than 100 books in Persian language and participated in the authorship process of more than 200 books in Iran....
       The father of modern biology of Iran
    • Aydin Aghdashloo
      Aydin Aghdashloo

      Aydin Aghdashloo is an Iranian Painting, author, art critic, art historian and graphic designer.He currently lives in Tehran, Iran and lectures in different List of Iranian Universities besides his professional work....
       (Born 1940)
    • Dr. Heshmat
    • Mirza Kuchak Khan
      Mirza Kuchak Khan

      Mirza Kuchik Khan was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian people history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan....
       One of the prominent martyrs of freedom in Iran
    • Mahmoud Namjoo The world's weightlifting champion
    • Mohammad Moin
      Mohammad Moin

      Mohammad Moin was a prominent Iranian scholar of Persian literature and Iranology.Mohammad Moin obtained his Bachelor of Arts in literature and philosophy from University of Tehran in 1934....
       A famous linguistics and literature researcher
    • Prof. Majid Samii
      Majid Samii

      Majid Samii is a distinguished Iranian neurosurgeon and medical scientist.Professor Samii, an Iranian physician residing in Germany, was born in Rasht, Gilan Province, in 1937 and got his professor degree in neurosurgery at the age of 33....
       President of The World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
    • Ebrahim Poordavood
      Ebrahim Poordavood

      Ebrahim Poordavood , was born in Rasht, Iran, to a mother who was the daughter of a clergyman and a father who was a reputable merchant and landlord....
       (Born 1885)
    • Fazlollah Reza
      Fazlollah Reza

      Fazlollah M. Reza is an Iranian university professor....
       Former Iran's ambassador to UNICEF
    • Arsen Minasian
      Arsen Minasian

      Arsen Minasian was an Armenian-Iranian who was born in Rasht, Iran. He was the founder of Gilan sanatorium in 1954 which is the first modern sanatorium in Iran....
       The Armenian founder of the first modern sanatorium in Iran
    • Ardeshir Mohassess
      Ardeshir Mohassess

      Ardeshir Mohassess was an Iranian illustrator and cartoonist, residing in New York City....
       A world-renowned cartoonist from Rasht
    • Prof. Akbar Zadeh
    • Prof. Nasiri
    • Dr. Moien (Astaneh, a city near Rasht)
    • Delara Darabi
      Delara Darabi

      Delara Darabi born September 29, 1986, is an Iranian girl at the risk of imminent execution for a murder which took place when she was 17 years old....
    • Dr. Ataollah Fereidouni
    • Dr. Masih Farhangi
    • Susan Taslimi
      Susan Taslimi

      Susan Taslimi is an Iranian actress, film director, theatre director, and screenwriter. She emigrated from Iran in 1989, now living and working in Sweden....
    • Sheevan Foomani The outstanding folklore poet
    • Panjeei Alireza (Poet and jornalist, born 1961)
    • Pegah Nosrati (A part-time citizen who loves Iran)
    • Marjane Satrapi
      Marjane Satrapi

      Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian and France contemporary graphic novelist, illustrator, 80th Academy Awards-nominated Animation film director, and Children's literature author....
       World award-winning film director
    • Mohammad Raeeszadeh Ziabari past master of theatre stage managering in Guilan


    Suburbs



    • ChalleKhaneh
    • Masjad Safi
    • Chomarsara
    • Golsar
      Golsar

      Golsar, pronounced gols?r , is a suburb of Rasht, the capital of the northern Iranian province of Gilan, south of Caspian sea.Golsar is a high-class district with many shops, restaurants, boutiques, and coffee-shops, and is a very popular neighborhood for teenagers and young adults to meet and socialize with peers, particularly on Thursday...
    • Lakaan Shahr
    • Manzariyeh
    • Noghredasht
    • Ostadsara
    • Pirsara
    • Rashtian
    • Sagharisazan
    • Andisheh Complex
    • Park Shahr
    • Takhti
    • Tazeh Abad
    • Sabzemeydan
    • Lakani
    • Ziabari
    • Sam
    • Moalem
    • Estakhr
    • Hamidian
    • Bisotun


    External links and Sources