Kermanshah ( fa, کرمانشاه, Kermânšâh ), also known as Kermashan (; romanized: Kirmaşan), is the capital of
Kermanshah Province, located from
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
in the western part of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. According to the 2016 census, its population is 946,681 (2021 estimate 1,047,000). A majority of the people of Kermanshah are bilingual in
Southern Kurdish
Southern Kurdish ( ku, کوردی باشووری ,کوردی خوارگ, Kurdî Başûrî, Kurdî Xwarig) is one of the dialects of the Kurdish language, spoken predominantly in northeastern Iraq and western Iran. The Southern Kurdish-speaking r ...
and
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
, and the city is the largest Kurdish-speaking city in Iran. Kermanshah has a moderate and mountainous climate.
[روزنامه سلام کرمانشاه](_blank)
Persian (Kurdish)[آشنایی با فرهنگ و نژاد استان کرمانشاه](_blank)
(Persian)[سازمان میراث فرهنگی، صنایع دستی و گردشگری استان کرمانشاه]
بازدید 2010/03/11 Most of the inhabitants of Kermanshah are
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
Muslims, but there are also
Sunni Muslims,
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
,
and followers of
Yarsanism
Yarsanism, Ahl-e Haqq or Kaka'i ( ku, یارسان, translit=Yarsan or ; fa, اهل حق, ar, كاكائي), is a syncretic religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of followers of Yarsanism ...
.
Etymology
"Kermanshah" derives from the
Sasanian
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
-era title ''Kirmanshah'', which translates as "King of Kerman".
Famously, this title was held by the son of
Shapur III
Shapur III ( pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 ), was the Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 383 to 388. He was the son of Shapur II () and succeeded his uncle Ardashir II ().
His reign was largely uneventful; to the west, ...
, Prince Bahram, who was bestowed with the title upon being appointed governor of the province of
Kirman Kerman is the capital city of Kerman Province, Iran.
Kerman or Kirman may also refer to:
Places
*Kirman (Sasanian province), province of the Sasanian Empire
* Kerman Province, province of Iran
** Kerman County
*Kerman, California
People
* Jo ...
(present-day
Kerman Province).
Later, in 390, when he had already succeeded his father as
Bahram IV (388–399), he founded Kermanshah, and applied his former title to the new city, i.e. "(City of the) King of Kerman".
After the
revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
in 1979, the city was named Ghahramanshahr for a short period of time, and later the name of the city as well as the province changed to
Bakhtaran, apparently due to the presence of the word "
Shah
Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
" in the original name. Bakhtaran means western, which refers to the location of the city and the province within Iran. After the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Ba'athist Iraq, Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations S ...
, however, the city was renamed Kermanshah, as it resonated more with the desire of its residents, the
Persian literature
Persian literature ( fa, ادبیات فارسی, Adabiyâte fârsi, ) comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources h ...
, and the collective memory of the Iranians.
History
Prehistory
Because of its antiquity, attractive landscapes, rich culture and
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
villages, Kermanshah is considered one of the
cradles of prehistoric cultures. According to archaeological surveys and excavation, the Kermanshah area has been occupied by prehistoric people since the
Lower Paleolithic period, and continued to later
Paleolithic periods till late
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
period. The Lower Paleolithic evidence consists of some
handaxes
A hand axe (or handaxe or Acheulean hand axe) is a Prehistory, prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history, yet there is no academic consensus on what they were used for. It is made from stone, usually f ...
found in the Gakia area to the east of the city. The
Middle Paleolithic remains have been found in various parts of the province, especially in the northern vicinity of the city in Tang-e Kenesht,
Tang-e Malaverd and near
Taq-e Bostan
Taq-e Bostan ( fa, طاق بستان, ) is a site with a series of large rock reliefs from the era of the Sassanid Empire of Persia (Iran), carved around the 4th century CE.
This example of Persian Sassanid art is located 5 km from the ...
.
Neanderthal
Neanderthals (, also ''Homo neanderthalensis'' and erroneously ''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis''), also written as Neandertals, are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. While the ...
Man existed in the Kermanshah region during this period and the only discovered skeletal remains of this early human in Iran was found in three caves and
rockshelter situated in Kermanshah province. The known Paleolithic caves in this area are
Warwasi
Warwasi is a Paleolithic rockshelter site located at north of Kermanshah in western Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Tu ...
, Qobeh,
Malaverd and
Do-Ashkaft Cave. The region was also one of the first places in which human settlements including Asiab,
Qazanchi
Qazanchi ( fa, قزانچي, also Romanized as Qazānchī; also known as Farānchī and Khazānchī) is a village in Miyan Darband Rural District, in the Central District of Kermanshah County, Kermanshah Province, Iran
Iran, offici ...
, Sarab,
Chia Jani, and
Ganj-Darreh were established between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago.
This is about the same time that the first potteries pertaining to Iran were made in
Ganj-Darreh, near present-day
Harsin
Harsin ( ku, هەرسين, fa, هرسين; also Romanized as Harsīn) is a city and capital of Harsin County, Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 51,562, in 12,001 families. Harsin is situated 44 km east of K ...
. In May 2009, based on a research conducted by the university of
Hamadan
Hamadan () or Hamedan ( fa, همدان, ''Hamedān'') (Old Persian: Haŋgmetana, Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. At the 2019 census, its population was 783,300 in 230,775 families. The majority of people living in Ham ...
and
UCL, the head of Archeology Research Center of
Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization announced that the one of the oldest
prehistoric village in the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
dating back to 9800 B.P., was discovered in
Sahneh
Sahneh ( fa, صحنه; also Romanized as Şaḩneh and Sehneh; also known as Sahna) is a city in and the capital of Sahneh County, Kermanshah Province
Sahneh County ( fa, شهرستان صحنه) is located in Kermanshah province, Iran. The c ...
, located west of Kermanshah.
[ ]
Remains of later village occupations and early
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
are found in a number of mound sites in the city itself.
The city contains 4 archaeological mound sites: Chogha Kaboud,
Chogha Golan
Chogha Golan is an aceramic Neolithic archaeological site in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains in Iran, about from the right bank of the Konjan Cham River. Located in a semi-arid region about north of Mehran, Chogha Golan is one of the ear ...
, Morad Hasel, and
Tappa Gawri.
Sassanid Kermanshah
In ancient
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
, construction of the city is attributed to
Tahmuras
Tahmuras or Tahmures ( fa, تهمورث ,طهمورث, ; from Avestan ''Taxma Urupi'', meaning ''strong fox'') was the third Shah of the Pishdadian dynasty of Iran (Persia) according to Ferdowsi's epic poem, the ''Shahnameh''. He is considered th ...
, the third king of
Pishdadian dynasty. It is believed that the
Sassanids
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
have constructed Kermanshah and
Bahram IV (he was called Kermanshah, meaning king of
Kerman) gave his name to this city.
It was a glorious city in
Sassanid
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
period about the 4th century AD when it became the capital city of
Persian Empire and a significant
health center
A healthcare center, health center, or community health center is one of a network of clinics staffed by a group of general practitioners and nurses providing healthcare services to people in a certain area. Typical services covered are family pr ...
serving as the summer resort for
Sassanid
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
kings. In AD 226, following a two-year war led by the Persian Emperor,
Ardashir I, against "
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish languages
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern Kurdistan
**Eastern Kurdistan
**Northern Kurdistan
**Western Kurdistan
See also
* Kurd (dis ...
" tribes in the region, the empire reinstated a local "Kurdish" prince, Kayus of Medya, to rule Kermanshah. At the time, the term "
Kurd" was used as a social term, designating Iranian nomads, rather than a concrete ethnic group. The word became an
ethnic identity
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
in the 12th and 13th century.
[Martin van Bruinessen, "The ethnic identity of the Kurds," in: ''Ethnic groups in the Republic of Turkey'', compiled and edited by Peter Alford Andrews with Rüdiger Benninghaus Beihefte zum Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients, Reihe B, Nr.60 Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwich Reichert, 1989, pp. 613–21. excerpt: "The ethnic label "Kurd" is first encountered in Arabic sources from the first centuries of the Islamic era; it seemed to refer to a specific variety of pastoral nomadism, and possibly to a set of political units, rather than to a linguistic group: once or twice, "Arabic Kurds" are mentioned. By the 10th century, the term appears to denote nomadic and/or transhumant groups speaking an Iranian language and mainly inhabiting the mountainous areas to the South of Lake Van and Lake Urmia, with some offshoots in the Caucasus. ... If there was a Kurdish-speaking subjected peasantry at that time, the term was not yet used to include them]
Within the dynasty known as the
House of Kayus (also ''Kâvusakân'') remained a semi-independent kingdom lasting until AD 380 before
Ardashir II removed the dynasty's last ruling member.
Islamic era
Kermanshah was conquered by the
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
in 629 AD. Under
Seljuk rule in the eleventh century, it became the major cultural and commercial center in western
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and the southern
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish languages
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern Kurdistan
**Eastern Kurdistan
**Northern Kurdistan
**Western Kurdistan
See also
* Kurd (dis ...
-inhabited areas as a whole. The
Safavids
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
fortified the town, and the
Qajars
The Qajar dynasty (; fa, دودمان قاجار ', az, Qacarlar ) was an IranianAbbas Amanat, ''The Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896'', I. B. Tauris, pp 2–3 royal dynasty of Turkic origin ...
repulsed an attack by the
Ottomans during
Fath Ali Shah
Fath-Ali Shah Qajar ( fa, فتحعلىشاه قاجار, Fatḥ-ʻAli Šâh Qâjâr; May 1769 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah (king) of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irr ...
's rule (1797–1834). Kermanshah was occupied by
Ottomans between 1723–1729 and 1731–1732.
Modern history
Occupied by the
Imperial Russian army in 1914, followed by the
Ottoman army
The military of the Ottoman Empire ( tr, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun silahlı kuvvetleri) was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire.
Army
The military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the ...
in 1915 during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, it was evacuated in 1917 when the British forces arrived there to expel the Ottomans. Kermanshah played an important role in the
Iranian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...
during the
Qajar dynasty period and the Republic Movement in
Pahlavi dynasty period. The city was harshly damaged during the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Ba'athist Iraq, Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations S ...
, and although it was rebuilt, it has not yet fully recovered.
Climate
Kermanshah has a climate which is heavily influenced by the proximity of the
Zagros
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
mountains, classified as a hot-summer
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(''Csa''). The city's altitude and exposed location relative to westerly winds makes precipitation a little bit high (more than twice that of
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
), but at the same time produces huge diurnal temperature swings especially in the virtually rainless summers, which remain extremely hot during the day. Kermanshah experiences rather cold winters and there are usually rainfalls in fall and spring. Snow cover is seen for at least a couple of weeks in winter.
Main sights
Kermanshah sights include
Kohneh Bridge,
Behistun Inscription,
Taghbostan,
Temple of Anahita,
Dinavar
Dinavar (also spelled Dinawar and Daynavar; fa, دینور) was a major town between the 7th and 10th centuries, located to the northeast of Kermanshah in western Iran. The ruins of the town is now located in Dinavar District, in Sahneh Count ...
,
Ganj Dareh
Ganj Dareh ( Persian: تپه گنج دره; "Treasure Valley" in Persian,Smith, Philip E.LArchitectural Innovation and Experimentation at Ganj Dareh, Iran '' World Archaeology'', Vol. 21, No. 3 (February, 1990), pp. 323-335 or "Treasure Valle ...
,
Essaqwand Rock Tombs,
Sorkh Deh chamber tomb,
Malek Tomb
Malek Tomb is a tower-like, octagonal, probably Ilkhanid tomb located on a hill in the center of Sonqor Town in Kermanshah Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located ...
,
Hulwan
Hulwan ( fa, حلوان) was an ancient town on the Zagros Mountains in western Iran, located on the entrance of the Paytak Pass, nowadays identified with the town of Sarpol-e Zahab.
History
Later Arab tradition, as recorded by al-Tabari, co ...
,
Median dakhmeh (Darbad, Sahneh),
Parav cave,
Do-Ashkaft Cave,
Tekyeh Moaven al-molk, Dokan Davood Inscription, Sar Pol-e-Zahab, Tagh e gara, Patagh pass, Sarab Niloufar, Ghoori Ghale Cave, Khajeh Barookh's House, Chiyajani Tappe,
Statue of Herakles in Behistun complex, Emad al doleh Mosque, Tekyeh Biglarbeigi, Hunters cave, Jamé Mosque of Kermanshah,
Godin Tepe
Godin Tepe is an archaeological site in western Iran, located in the valley of Kangavar in Kermanshah Province. Discovered in 1961, the site was excavated from 1965 to 1973 by a Canadian expedition headed by T. Cuyler Young Jr. and sponsored by ...
,
Bas relief of Gotarzes II of Parthia, and
Anobanini bas relief.
Taq-e Bostan
Taghbostan is a series of large
rock relief
A rock relief or rock-cut relief is a relief sculpture carved on solid or "living rock" such as a cliff, rather than a detached piece of stone. They are a category of rock art, and sometimes found as part of, or in conjunction with, ...
s from the era of
Sassanid Empire of Persia, the
Iranian dynasty which ruled
western Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...
from 226 to 650 AD. This example of
Sassanid art is located from the city center of Kermanshah in western
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. It is located in the heart of the
Zagros mountains
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
, where it has endured almost 1,700 years of wind and rain.
The carvings, some of the finest and best-preserved examples of Persian sculpture under the Sassanids, include representations of the investitures of
Ardashir II (379–383) and
Shapur III
Shapur III ( pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 ), was the Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 383 to 388. He was the son of Shapur II () and succeeded his uncle Ardashir II ().
His reign was largely uneventful; to the west, ...
(383–388). Like other Sassanid symbols,
Taghbostan and its relief patterns accentuate power, religious tendencies, glory, honor, the vastness of the court, game and fighting spirit, festivity, joy, and rejoicing.
Sassanid kings chose a beautiful setting for their rock reliefs along an historic
Silk Road caravan route
waypoint A waypoint is an intermediate point or place on a route or line of travel, a stopping point or point at which course is changed, the first use of the term tracing to 1880. In modern terms, it most often refers to coordinates which specify one's posi ...
and campground. The reliefs are adjacent a sacred spring that empties into a large reflecting pool at the base of a mountain cliff.
Taghbostan and its rock relief are one of the 30 surviving Sassanid relics of the
Zagros mountains
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
. According to
Arthur Pope
Arthur Upham Pope (February 7, 1881 – September 3, 1969) was an American scholar, art historian, and architecture historian. He was an expert on historical Persian art, and he was the editor of the ''Survey of Persian Art'' (1939). Pope was also ...
, the founder of Iranian art and archeology Institute in the US, "art was characteristic of the Iranian people and the gift which they endowed the world with."
One of the most impressive reliefs inside the largest grotto or ''ivan'' is the gigantic
equestrian
The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse".
Horseback riding (or Riding in British English)
Examples of this are:
* Equestrian sports
*Equestrian order, one of the upper classes i ...
figure of the Sassanid king
Khosrau II
Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; pal, 𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭣𐭩, Husrō), also known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian king (shah) of Iran, ruling fr ...
(591-628 AD) mounted on his favorite charger,
Shabdiz
Shabdiz ( fa, شبديز ''Shabdēz'', lit. "night-colored", "black") was the legendary black stallion of Khosrau Parvez, one of the most famed Sassanid Persian kings (reigned 590 to 628CE). Shabdiz, meaning "midnight", was reputedly the "world' ...
. Both horse and rider are arrayed in full battle armor. The arch rests on two columns that bear delicately carved patterns showing the tree of life or the sacred tree. Above the arch and located on two opposite sides are figures of two winged angels with
diadems. Around the outer layer of the arch, a conspicuous margin has been carved, jagged with flower patterns. These patterns are also found in the official costumes of Sassanid kings.
Equestrian relief panel measured on 16.08.07 approx. 7.45 m across by 4.25 m high.
Behistun
The Behistun inscription is considered as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
. The
Behistun Inscription (also ''Bisitun'' or ''Bisutun'',
Modern Persian
New Persian ( fa, فارسی نو), also known as Modern Persian () and Dari (), is the current stage of the Persian language spoken since the 8th to 9th centuries until now in Greater Iran and surroundings. It is conventionally divided into thre ...
: بیستون ;
Old Persian: ''Bagastana'', meaning "the god's place or land") is a multi-lingual inscription located on
Mount Behistun
Mount Bisotoun (or Behistun and Bisotun) is a mountain of the Zagros Mountains range, located in Kermanshah Province of western Iran. It is located west of Tehran.
Cultural history
It is well known for the famous Behistun Inscription and roc ...
.
The inscription includes three versions of the same text, written in three different
cuneiform script languages:
Old Persian,
Elamite
Elamite, also known as Hatamtite and formerly as Susian, is an extinct language that was spoken by the ancient Elamites. It was used in what is now southwestern Iran from 2600 BC to 330 BC. Elamite works disappear from the archeological record ...
, and
Babylonian. A British army officer,
Henry Rawlinson, had the inscription transcribed in two parts, in 1835 and 1843. Rawlinson was able to translate the Old Persian cuneiform text in 1838, and the Elamite and Babylonian texts were translated by Rawlinson and others after 1843. Babylonian was a later form of
Akkadian: both are
Semitic languages
The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are spoken by more than 330 million people across much of West Asia, the Horn of Africa, and latterly North Africa, Malta, West Africa, Chad, and in large immigra ...
. In effect, then, the inscription is to
cuneiform
Cuneiform is a logo-syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedge-sh ...
what the
Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is a stele composed of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a decree issued in Memphis, Egypt, in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle texts are in Ancien ...
is to
Egyptian hieroglyphs: the document most crucial in the
decipherment of a previously lost
script
Script may refer to:
Writing systems
* Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire
* Script (styles of handwriting)
** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...
.
The inscription is approximately 15 metres high by 25 meters wide, and 100 meters up a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
cliff from an ancient road connecting the capitals of
Babylonia and
Media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...
(
Babylon and
Ecbatana). It is extremely inaccessible as the mountainside was removed to make the inscription more visible after its completion. The Old Persian text contains 414 lines in five columns; the Elamite text includes 593 lines in eight columns and the Babylonian text is in 112 lines. The inscription was illustrated by a life-sized bas-relief of
Darius, holding a
bow as a sign of kingship, with his left foot on the chest of a figure lying on his back before him. The prostrate figure is reputed to be the
pretender
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...
Gaumata. Darius is attended to the left by two servants, and ten one-metre figures stand to the right, with hands tied and rope around their necks, representing conquered peoples.
Faravahar
The Faravahar ( fa, فروهر), also known as the Foruhar () or the Farre Kiyâni ( fa, فر کیانی, label=none), is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism, an Iranian religion. There are various interpretations of what the Far ...
floats above, giving his blessing to the king. One figure appears to have been added after the others were completed, as was (oddly enough) Darius' beard, which is a separate block of stone attached with
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with Symbol (chemistry), symbol Fe (from la, Wikt:ferrum, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 element, group 8 of the periodic table. It is, Abundanc ...
pins and
lead
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
.
Qajar dynasty monuments
During the
Qajar dynasty (1794 to 1925),
Kermanshah Bazaar, mosques and
tekyeh
A takyeh ( fa, تکیه ''takye''; plural: ''takâyâ'') is a building where Shia Muslims gather to mourn Husayn's death in the month of Muharram. Such buildings are particularly found in Iran, where there are takyehs in almost every city. Teh ...
s such as
Tekyeh Biglarbeygi and
Moaven al-molk Mosque, and beautiful houses such as
Khajeh Barookh's House were built.
Tekyeh Biglarbeygi is well known for unique mirror decoration.
Tekyeh Biglarbeygi was made during Qajar dynasty by efforts of Abdullah khan Biglarbeygi.
Tekyeh Moaven al-molk is unique because it has many pictures on the walls that relate to
shahnameh
The ''Shahnameh'' or ''Shahnama'' ( fa, شاهنامه, Šāhnāme, lit=The Book of Kings, ) is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50 ...
, despite some of its more religious ones.
Khajeh Barookh's House is located in the old district of Faizabad, a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
neighborhood of the city. It was built by a Jewish merchant of the
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
period, named Barookh/Baruch. The house, an historical depiction of Iranian architecture, was renamed "Randeh-Kesh House", after the last owner, is a "daroongara"(inward oriented) house and is connected through a vestibule to the exterior yard and through a corridor to the interior yard. Surrounding the interior yard are rooms, brick pillars making the iwans(porches) of the house, and step-like column capitals decorated with brick-stalactite work. This house is among the rare Qajar houses with a private bathroom.
Bazaars
Kermanshah is home to at least one
bazaar dating back to the Qajar period. Kermanshah Grand Bazaar or ''Tarike Bazaar'' was built around 1820 when
Prince Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatshah of
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
dynasty governed over Kermanshah, and used to be the largest grand bazaar of
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
during its time.
Economy
Kermanshah is one of the western agricultural core of Iran that produces grain, rice, vegetable, fruits, and oilseeds, however Kermanshah is emerging as a fairly important industrial city; there are two industrial centers with more than 256 manufacturing units in the suburb of the city. These industries include
petrochemical
Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable so ...
refinery,
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
manufacturing,
food processing, carpet making, sugar refining, and the production of electrical equipment and tools.
Kermanshah Oil Refining Company (KORC) established in 1932 by British companies, is one of the major industries in the city.
After recent changes in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
, Kermanshah has become one of the main importing and exporting gates of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
.
Education
Higher education
More than 49 thousands students are educating in 9 governmental and private universities in the city. Established in 1968 as the ''Kermanshah Graduate School of Nursing'', the
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences was inaugurated as the Nursing High School in 1968, and became a medical college in 1975. After the Islamic Revolution, it was further developed into the Medical University in 1985. The University has ...
was the first university in the west part of Iran. The medical school as a division of ''Razi University'' was established in 1976 and admitted some students in general practice.
Razi University
Razi University ( fa, دانشگاه رازی, ''Daneshgah-e Razi'') is a public university based in Kermanshah, Iran. The school's Science and Engineering Departments attract many Iranian high school graduates as well as many graduate school appl ...
established in 1972 was the second university in the west part of Iran and is the most-prominent higher education institute in Kermanshah province and also west part of the country. In 2020, Razi University ranked 24th in Iran and 1300th in the world by the
U.S. News
''U.S. News & World Report'' (USNWR) is an American media company that publishes news, consumer advice, rankings, and analysis. It was launched in 1948 as the merger of domestic-focused weekly newspaper ''U.S. News'' and international-focused ...
in universities of all countries of the world based upon 13 factors.
Some of Kermanshah universities are:
*
Islamic Azad University of Kermanshah
*
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences was inaugurated as the Nursing High School in 1968, and became a medical college in 1975. After the Islamic Revolution, it was further developed into the Medical University in 1985. The University has ...
*
Kermanshah University of Technology
Kermanshah ( fa, کرمانشاه, Kermânšâh ), also known as Kermashan (; romanized: Kirmaşan), is the capital of Kermanshah Province, located from Tehran in the western part of Iran. According to the 2016 census, its population is 946,68 ...
*
Payame Noor University
Payame Noor University (PNU; Persian: Dāneŝgāhe Payāme Nur) is a large public university in Iran, with its headquarters in Tehran. Established in 1988, is a legal body under the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. ''Payame Noor'' ...
*
Razi University
Razi University ( fa, دانشگاه رازی, ''Daneshgah-e Razi'') is a public university based in Kermanshah, Iran. The school's Science and Engineering Departments attract many Iranian high school graduates as well as many graduate school appl ...
Schools
Mohtashamiyeh (Persian: محتشمیه), established in 1899, was the first modern school in Kermanshah founded by Husseinali-Khan Mohandes-e Guran. Khalq Study Hall (Persian: قرائتخانۀ خلق) was the first study hall in Kermanshah and also an adult school founded in 1909.
Alliance Israélite school of Kermanshah founded by the
Alliance Israélite Universelle
The Alliance Israélite Universelle (AIU; he, כל ישראל חברים; ) is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 with the purpose of safeguarding human rights for Jews around the world. It promotes the ideals of Jew ...
in 1904.
The Azodiyeh State School for Misses (Persian: مدرسه دولتی دوشیزگان عضدیه) was the first girls' school, founded in 1922. The first private school in Kermanshah was founded in 1991.
Notable people
Arts
*
Ali Mohammad Afghani, novelist
*
Seyed Khalil Alinezhad,
Tanbour
The term ''Tanbur'' ( fa, تنبور, ) can refer to various long-necked string instruments originating in Mesopotamia, Southern or Central Asia. According to the '' New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', "terminology presents a comp ...
master
*
Mahshid Amirshahi
Mahshid Amirshahi ( fa, مهشید امیرشاهی; surname also Romanized as Amir-Shahy or Amirshahy; born 9 April 1937) is an Iranian novelist, short story writer, humorist, literary critic, journalist, and translator.
Biography
Amirshahi was b ...
, writer
*
Nozar Azadi, actor
*
Ali Ashraf Darvishian
Ali Ashraf Darvishian ( fa, علیاشرف درویشیان; 25 August 1941 – 26 October 2017) was an Iranian story writer and scholar of Kurdish descent. After finishing teacher-training college, he would teach at the poverty-stricke ...
, novelist and writer
*
Pouran Derakhshandeh
Pourān Derakh'shandeh ( fa, پوران درخشنده) (born 27 March 1951 in Kermanshah, Iran) is an Iranian film director, producer, screen writer, and researcher.
Career
Derakh'shandeh graduated in film directing in 1975 from Advanced School ...
, film director, producer, screenwriter
*
Reza Shafiei Jam, actor
*
Mirza Mohammad Reza Kalhor, calligrapher
*
Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi
Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi ( fa, میرجلالالدین کزازی; born 19 January 1949) is a professor of Persian literature and an Iranist.
Kazzazi is a professor of literature at Allameh Tabatabaii University in Tehran. He is known for his ...
, writer
*
Rahim Moeini Kermanshahi
Rahim Moeini Kermanshahi ( fa, رحیم معینی کرمانشاهی, February 6, 1923 – November 17, 2015) was an Iranian poet and lyricist. He is one of the pioneering songwriters in the history of Persian traditional music.
Biography
Mast ...
, poet, lyricist
*
Alexis Kouros, writer, documentary-maker, director, and producer
*
Abolghasem Lahouti, poet
*
Doris Lessing, writer, 2007 winner of the
Nobel Prize in Literature (born in Kermanshah to British parents)
*
Aref Lorestani, actor, comedian
*
Shahram Mokri
Shahram Mokri ( fa, شهرام مکری)(born 1978) is an Iranian filmmaker. He graduated from Soore University. Mokri started his filmmaking training in the Young Cinema Association and entered the professional world of cinema with his short fil ...
, film director
*
Nicky Nodjoumi, modern painter
*
Reza Fieze Norouzi, actor
*
Guity Novin, painter & graphic designer
*
Mohammad Salemy, artist, curator, writer
*
Rashid Yasemi, one of the
Five-Masters of
Persian Literature
Persian literature ( fa, ادبیات فارسی, Adabiyâte fârsi, ) comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources h ...
Music
*
Evin Agassi, singer
*
Kayhan Kalhor
Kayhan Kalhor ( fa, کیهان کلهر, ku, کەیھان کەڵھوڕ, translit=Keyhan Kelhur, born 24 November 1964) is an Iranian-Kurds, Kurdish kamancheh and setar player and vocalist composer and master of Art music, classical Iranian tradi ...
, musician
*
Mojtaba Mirzadeh
Mojtaba Mirzadeh ( fa, مجتبی میرزاده) (18 March 1946 – 17 July 2005) was a renowned Kurdish Iranian Violin, Kamancheh, and Setar player who was influential in Persian classical music. He played, composed and arrangement music for ...
, master of violin and setar
*
Roknoddin Mokhtari, violin player
*
Ali Akbar Moradi, musician and tanbour player
*
Shahram Nazeri
Shahram Nazeri ( ku, شارام نازری, translit=Şaram Nazirî, ; born 18 February 1950) is a contemporary Iranian tenor of Kurdish origin from Kermanshah, Iran, who sings Sufi music, classical and traditional Kurdish and Persian music. H ...
, vocalist and musician
*
Sohrab Pournazeri
Sohrab Pournazeri is an Iranian musician and composer. He plays Kamancheh and Tanbour.
Career
Sohrab Pournazeri currently plays with Shams Ensemble which was established in 1980 and is focused on Persian classical music. Pournazeri's primary pe ...
, musician
*
Sousan (Golandam Taherkhani), singer
*
Marganita Vogt-Khofri, pianist, classical musician, and vocalist
Politics and military
*
Ebrahim Azizi, member and spokesman of the Guardian Council
*
Abdol Ali Badrei, commander of the
Imperial Iranian Army
, founded =
, current_form = ( Islamic Republic)
, disbanded =
, branches =
, headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran
, website =
, commander-in-chief = Maj. Ge ...
and the
Imperial Guard
An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the Emperor or Empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial forces, i ...
*
Hanif Bali, member of
Swedish Riksdag
The Riksdag (, ; also sv, riksdagen or ''Sveriges riksdag'' ) is the legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral legislature with 349 members (), elected proportionally and se ...
*
Karim Sanjabi
Karim Sanjabi ( fa, کریم سنجابی; 11 September 1905 – 4 July 1995) was an Iranian politician of National Front.
Early life
He was born in Kermanshah in September 1905 to the chief of the Kurdish Sanjâbi tribe. He studied law and ...
, Iran's attorney during oil nationalization movement, former foreign minister
*
Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, minister of Petroleum
*
Mohammad Reza Jahansooz, ministry of agriculture
Sciences
*
Shahram Amiri
Shahram Amiri ( fa, شهرام امیری ''Šahrâm Amiri''; 8 November 1978 – 3 August 2016) was an Iranian nuclear scientist who disappeared from Iran during 2009–2010 under disputed circumstances, and was executed by the Iranian government ...
, nuclear scientist
*
Massoud Azarnoush, archaeologist
*
Al-Dinawari
Abū Ḥanīfa Aḥmad ibn Dāwūd Dīnawarī ( fa, ابوحنيفه دينوری; died 895) was a Persian Islamic Golden Age polymath, astronomer, agriculturist, botanist, metallurgist, geographer, mathematician, and historian.
Life
Dina ...
, botanist, historian, geographer, astronomer and mathematician
*
Fereidoun Biglari, archaeologist
Sports
*
Makwan Amirkhani
Makwan Amirkhani ( fa, ماکوان امیرخوانی; born November 8, 1988) is an Iranian-born Finnish mixed martial artist , mixed martial artist,
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
fighter
*
Kourosh Bagheri, world weightlifting champion
*
Homa Hosseini,
rower
Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using oarlocks, while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is ...
*
Ali Mazaheri,
2006 Asian Games
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
gold medalist, Asian champion & Olympic boxer
*
Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi, light heavyweight
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling i ...
& Iran's national team coach
*
Mohammad Hossein Mohebbi,
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling i ...
*
Yadollah Mohebbi, 125 kg
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling i ...
and nephew of
Mohammad Hossein Mohebbi and
Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi
*
Mohammad Ranjbar, former
Iran national football team
) ''(the national team)' other nicknames''
, Badge = Flag_of_Iran.svg
, Badge_size = 190px
, Association = Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran
, FIFA Trigramme = IRN
, FIFA Rank ...
player and head coach
*
Kianoush Rostami, world weight lifting champion
*
Neda Shahsavari, table tennis champion
*
Mohammad Torkashvand, volleyball champion
*
Mehran Shahintab, Basketball champion & head coach of the Iranian national team
Iran Basketball Federation
*
Peter Warr
Peter Eric Warr (18 June 1938, Kermanshah, Iran – 4 October 2010, Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, France) was a British businessman, racing driver and a manager for several Formula One teams, including Walter Wolf Racing, Fittipaldi Automotive, and Team ...
, businessman, racing driver and a manager for several Formula One teams
*
Saeid Ahmadi, world champion gold and silver medalist in karate
Gallery
Twin towns – sister cities
*
Roseburg, Oregon, United States of America
*
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
, Italy (2010)
*
Gaziantep
Gaziantep (), previously and still informally called Aintab or Antep (), is a major city and capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Mediterranean Region, approxi ...
, Turkey (2010)
*
Split
Split(s) or The Split may refer to:
Places
* Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia
* Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay
* Split Island, Falkland Islands
* Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua
Arts, entertai ...
, Croatia (2011)
See also
*
Kalhor
*
Visual Art High school of Kermanshah
Footnotes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
External links
Pictures of Inscription and Bas relief of Darius the Great - Free Pictures of IRA
irantooth.com- From Online Photo Gallery O
Aryo.ir- From Online Photo Gallery O
Aryo.ir- From Online Photo Gallery O
Aryo.ir
{{Authority control
Kermanshah,
Populated places in Kermanshah County
Cities in Kermanshah Province
Iranian provincial capitals
Populated places along the Silk Road
Kurdish settlements in Kermanshah Province
Sasanian cities