Shahinshahr
Encyclopedia
Shahin Shahr is a city in and the capital of Shahin Shahr and Meymeh County, Isfahan Province, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 126,070, in 33,515 families.
Shahin Shahr is Iran
's first master-planned satellite city, located approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north of Isfahan, Iran's second largest metropolitan area and its historic capital. The current population is approximately 180,000, with a high proportion of the residents being displaced Iran-Iraq war refugees originally from Khuzestan. The city is also home to many Armenian Iranians who located there before the revolution. The city's original plan envisioned 50,000 homes and a maximum population of 250,000. The city currently ranks among the 50 largest in Iran.
The name Shahin Shahr is translated as Falcon City, thought to be taken from the fact that it is Iran's first master-planned satellite city and as shaped like a falcon or eagle when viewed from above.
The city is located among the central mountain ranges of Iran to the east of the Zagros Mountains
. It has an altitude of 1662 on average with a slope of 16%. It has a dry climate with very little precipitation. When it rains, the water is quickly evaporated or sinks into the ground. The variation in temperature is about 50 degrees Celsius.
) began the process of developing the city's infrastructure, including its roads, sewers, water, and electricity. As development and construction progressed, the enterprise, under the supervision of Engineer Haj Abdolrashid Boroumand, employed in excess of 10,000 people including accountants, engineers, architects, and laborers, and proceeded to build over 10,000 affordable homes and to provide homes to over 50,000 residents. The masterplan for the expanded new town for 300,000 people was prepared by Peter Verity (PDRc) the international architect who also prepared the detailed designs for several of the planned residential areas and a range of public buildings.
(IUT), and gifted another 4 million square meters (4,000 acres) of land in the city to the Iranian government with the understanding that the government would build a manufacturing facility there (a helicopter manufacturing plant which was to have been built there prior to the Iranian Revolution, is now home to the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company
(HESA.))
In the 1970s, numerous American and other foreign expatriates working under contract to the Iranian government and the Iranian military resided in Shahinshahr in a walled and gated compound. The Toufanian High School building of the American school of Isfahan
(now a satellite campus of Malek Ashtar University) was located within the walled Shahinshahr compound during this period.
. In the 30 years since the Iranian Revolution, the Bonyad Mostazafan has continued to liquidate and sell portions of Shahinshahr without permission or consent and without any remuneration or compensation. A 1996 ruling by a judge Mirzai, addressing Najafabadi's fraudulent court order, was conveniently hidden from the owners in the files and ignored by the Bonyad Mostazafan.
, and a variety of educational organizations. The majority of the population is from a middle class background, and work in a range of industries including military, refineries, aerospace production as well as typical office and retail jobs. It is the most diverse city in Iran as a result of the large population of immigrants. It is also popular with non-muslim Iranians such as people following the Bahai religion and second generation Armenians
(Christians).
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 126,070, in 33,515 families.
Shahin Shahr is Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
's first master-planned satellite city, located approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) to the north of Isfahan, Iran's second largest metropolitan area and its historic capital. The current population is approximately 180,000, with a high proportion of the residents being displaced Iran-Iraq war refugees originally from Khuzestan. The city is also home to many Armenian Iranians who located there before the revolution. The city's original plan envisioned 50,000 homes and a maximum population of 250,000. The city currently ranks among the 50 largest in Iran.
The name Shahin Shahr is translated as Falcon City, thought to be taken from the fact that it is Iran's first master-planned satellite city and as shaped like a falcon or eagle when viewed from above.
The city is located among the central mountain ranges of Iran to the east of the Zagros Mountains
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of...
. It has an altitude of 1662 on average with a slope of 16%. It has a dry climate with very little precipitation. When it rains, the water is quickly evaporated or sinks into the ground. The variation in temperature is about 50 degrees Celsius.
Foundation
The city was founded in the mid to late 1960s when six brothers, from a highly regarded and well-respected local family, decided that it was more economical for them to transform the 40 million square meter (40,000 acre) Amirabad farm that they had inherited from their father, Mohammad Boroumand, from agricultural usage to a mix of residential development and agricultural usage. The main drivers for this decision were the proximity of their farm to Esfahan, the availability of plentiful water from the "qanat", or underground canal system that their father had salvaged and upgraded during his lifetime, and the demand for affordable housing. The Boroumand brothers proceeded to incorporate the Sherkat Omran Shahinshahr, and with initial funding from the Bank Taavoni Va Tozie (now a part of Bank MellatBank Mellat
Bank Mellat is a Private Iranian bank. Its name means "Bank of the Nation". Bank Mellat was established in 1980, with a paid of capital of Rials 33.5bn as a merger of ten pre-revolution private banks comprising: Tehran, Dariush, Pars, Etebarat Taavoni & Tozie, Iran & Arab, Bein-al-melalie-Iran,...
) began the process of developing the city's infrastructure, including its roads, sewers, water, and electricity. As development and construction progressed, the enterprise, under the supervision of Engineer Haj Abdolrashid Boroumand, employed in excess of 10,000 people including accountants, engineers, architects, and laborers, and proceeded to build over 10,000 affordable homes and to provide homes to over 50,000 residents. The masterplan for the expanded new town for 300,000 people was prepared by Peter Verity (PDRc) the international architect who also prepared the detailed designs for several of the planned residential areas and a range of public buildings.
Growth
To further attract residents, the Boroumand brothers gifted over 4 million square meters (4,000 acres) of land in close proximity to the city to the Daneshgah Sanati Esfahan, Isfahan University of TechnologyIsfahan University of Technology
Isfahan University of Technology is one of the most prestigious engineering universities in Iran. It is 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...
(IUT), and gifted another 4 million square meters (4,000 acres) of land in the city to the Iranian government with the understanding that the government would build a manufacturing facility there (a helicopter manufacturing plant which was to have been built there prior to the Iranian Revolution, is now home to the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company was established in 1976 and belongs to the Iran Aviation Industries Organization . The company is located at Shahinshahr, Isfahan...
(HESA.))
In the 1970s, numerous American and other foreign expatriates working under contract to the Iranian government and the Iranian military resided in Shahinshahr in a walled and gated compound. The Toufanian High School building of the American school of Isfahan
American school of Isfahan
Located in and around the Isfahan metro area, Iran, the American School Of Isfahan was an international K-12 grade American School from 1973 through the end of 1978. Many of the school's teachers were from the United States or Europe...
(now a satellite campus of Malek Ashtar University) was located within the walled Shahinshahr compound during this period.
Iranian Revolution
With the advent of the Iranian Revolution of 1979, a compromised religious judge, named Omid Najafabadi, who was himself subsequently executed as a criminal by Hojatoleslam Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri on a variety of charges, including that of "corruption on earth", decided to take advantage of his newly found power and position, and the country's general state of lawlessness. Najafabadi proceeded to convene a sham trial and bring false charges against members of the Boroumand family. The result of that fraudulent trial was an order calling for the seizure, confiscation and sale of all of the Boroumand family's possessions, including Shahinshahr, by a newly formed entity named the Bonyad-e Mostazafen va JanbazanBonyad-e Mostazafen va Janbazan
The Mostazafen Foundation of Islamic Revolution formerly Bonyad-e Mostazafen va Janbazan is a charitable bonyad, or foundation, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the second-largest commercial enterprise in Iran behind the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company and biggest holding company in the...
. In the 30 years since the Iranian Revolution, the Bonyad Mostazafan has continued to liquidate and sell portions of Shahinshahr without permission or consent and without any remuneration or compensation. A 1996 ruling by a judge Mirzai, addressing Najafabadi's fraudulent court order, was conveniently hidden from the owners in the files and ignored by the Bonyad Mostazafan.
Shahinshahr now
Shahinshahr is renowned in Iran for its excellent educational facilities and system, ranking 2nd in the whole country, a legacy of the first class schools originally built. Shahinshahr is currently home to many employees of governmental organizations, such as the National Iranian Oil CompanyNational Iranian Oil Company
The National Iranian Oil Company , a government-owned corporation under the direction of the Ministry of Petroleum of Iran, is an oil and natural gas producer and distributor headquartered in Tehran. It was established in 1948...
, and a variety of educational organizations. The majority of the population is from a middle class background, and work in a range of industries including military, refineries, aerospace production as well as typical office and retail jobs. It is the most diverse city in Iran as a result of the large population of immigrants. It is also popular with non-muslim Iranians such as people following the Bahai religion and second generation Armenians
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(Christians).