Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its
ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in
middle Persian
Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle Per ...
, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the
Greater Isfahan Region
Greater Isfahan Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan region in Isfahan Province, central Iran. This region, although not having any official designation and recognition yet, is the second biggest one in Iran, behind the capital city Tehran (Greate ...
,
Isfahan Province,
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 south 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 ...
and is the capital of
Isfahan Province. The city has a population of approximately 2,220,000, making it the third-largest city in Iran, after
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 ...
and
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
, and the second-largest metropolitan area.
Isfahan is located at the intersection of the two principal routes that traverse Iran, north–south and east–west. Isfahan flourished between the 9th and 18th centuries. Under the
Safavid
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 ...
dynasty, Isfahan became the capital of
Persia
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 ...
, for the second time in its history, under Shah
Abbas the Great
Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid Shah (king) of Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son ...
. The city retains much of its history. It is famous for its Perso–Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian proverb ''Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast'' (Isfahan is half (of) the world).
Naqsh-e Jahan Square
Naqsh-e Jahan Square ( fa, میدان نقش جهان ''Maidān-e Naghsh-e Jahān''; trans: "Image of the World Square"), also known as the Shah Square (میدان شاه) prior to 1979, is a square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfah ...
in Isfahan is one of the
largest city squares in the world, and
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
has designated it a
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 h ...
.
Etymology
''Isfahan'' is derived from
Middle Persian
Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle Per ...
, which is attested to by various Middle Persian seals and inscriptions, including that of the
Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheistic on ...
magi
Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin ''magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius th ...
Kartir
Kartir (also spelled Karder, Karter and Kerdir; Middle Persian: 𐭪𐭫𐭲𐭩𐭫 ''Kardīr'') was a powerful and influential Zoroastrian priest during the reigns of four Sasanian kings in the 3rd-century. His name is cited in the inscriptions ...
. The present-day name is the Arabicized form of ''Ispahan'' (unlike
Middle Persian
Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle Per ...
, but similar to
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
,
New 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 ...
does not allow initial consonant clusters such as ''sp''). The region is denoted by the abbreviation ''GD'' (Southern
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 el ...
) on
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 ...
coins. In Ptolemy's ''
Geographia
The ''Geography'' ( grc-gre, Γεωγραφικὴ Ὑφήγησις, ''Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis'', "Geographical Guidance"), also known by its Latin names as the ' and the ', is a gazetteer, an atlas, and a treatise on cartography, com ...
'', it appears as (), which translates to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that derived from "the armies", the Old Persian plural of , from which is derived () 'army' and (, 'soldier', literally 'of the army') in Middle Persian. Some of the other ancient names include
Gey, Jey (old form Zi), Park, and Judea.
History
Human habitation of the Isfahan region can be traced back to the
Palaeolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
period.
Archaeologists
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
have recently found
artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic,
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
,
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 parts ...
,
Bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
, and
Iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
ages.
Bronze Age
What became the city of Isfahan likely emerged and gradually developed over the course of the
Elamite civilisation (2700–1600 BCE).
Zoroastrian era
![Isfahancitycenter museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Isfahancitycenter_museum.jpg)
Under
Median
In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
rule, a commercial entrepôt began to show signs of more sedentary urbanism, steadily growing into a noteworthy regional center that benefited from the exceptionally fertile soil on the banks of the
Zayandehrud River, in a region called Aspandana or Ispandana.
When
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia (; peo, 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 ), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian empire. Schmitt Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Under his rule, the empire embraced ...
unified Persian and Median lands into the
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...
, the religiously and ethnically diverse city of Isfahan became an early example of the king's fabled religious tolerance. It was Cyrus who, having just taken
Babylon
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
, made an edict in 538 BCE declaring that Jews in Babylon could return to Jerusalem. Later, some of the freed Jews settled in Isfahan instead of returning to their homeland. The 10th-century Persian historian
Ibn al-Faqih
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadani ( fa, احمد بن محمد ابن الفقيه الهمذانی) ( fl. 902) was a 10th-century Persian historian and geographer, famous for his ''Mukhtasar Kitab al-Buldan'' ("Concise Book of Land ...
wrote:
The
Parthians Parthian may be:
Historical
* A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran
* Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD)
* Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language
* Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...
(247 BCE–224 CE), continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the
Achaemenids
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest emp ...
, fostering a
Hellenistic
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
dimension within Iranian culture and the political organization introduced by
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
's invading armies. Under the Parthians,
Arsacid
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conqueri ...
governors administered the provinces of the nation from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to accommodate the needs of a capital city.
![Esfahan scheme middle ages fr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Esfahan_scheme_middle_ages_fr.png)
The next empire to rule Persia, the
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 ...
s (224 CE–651 CE), presided over massive changes in their realm, instituting sweeping agricultural reforms and reviving Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian religion. Both the city and region were then called by the name Aspahan or Spahan. The city was governed by a group called the Espoohrans, who descended from seven noble Iranian families. Extant foundations of some Sassanid-era bridges in Isfahan suggest that the Sasanian kings were fond of ambitious urban-planning projects. While Isfahan's political importance declined during this period, many Sassanid princes would study statecraft in the city, and its military role increased. Its strategic location at the intersection of the ancient roads to
Susa
Susa ( ; Middle elx, 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗, translit=Šušen; Middle and Neo- elx, 𒋢𒋢𒌦, translit=Šušun; Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼𒀭, translit=Šušán; Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼, translit=Šušá; fa, شوش ...
and
Persepolis
, native_name_lang =
, alternate_name =
, image = Gate of All Nations, Persepolis.jpg
, image_size =
, alt =
, caption = Ruins of the Gate of All Nations, Persepolis.
, map =
, map_type ...
made it an ideal candidate to house a standing army, which would be ready to march against
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
at any moment. The words "Aspahan" and "Spahan" are derived from the Pahlavi or Middle Persian meaning 'the place of the army'.
Although many theories have mentioned the origins of Isfahan, little is known of it before the rule of the Sasanian dynasty. The historical facts suggest that, in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, Queen
Shushandukht Shushandukht ( pal, 𐭱𐭩𐭱𐭩𐭭𐭲𐭥𐭤𐭲 ''Šīšīntūḥt''; New Persian: ''Šušanduxt'') was the wife of Yazdegerd I and mother of Bahram V. She was the daughter of a Jewish exilarch, Huna b. Nathan, Huna bar Nathan. She create ...
, the Jewish consort of
Yazdegerd I
Yazdegerd I (also spelled Yazdgerd and Yazdgird; pal, 𐭩𐭦𐭣𐭪𐭥𐭲𐭩) was the Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 399 to 420. A son of Shapur III (), he succeeded his brother Bahram IV () after the latter's assassination.
Yazde ...
(reigned 399–420), settled a colony of Jews in Yahudiyyeh (also spelled Yahudiya), a settlement northwest of the Zoroastrian city of Gabae (its Achaemid and Parthian name; Gabai was its Sasanic name, which was shortened to Gay (Arabic 'Jay') that was located on the northern bank of the
Zayanderud
Zayanderud ( fa, Zāyanderud, script=Latn, from "fertile" or "life giver", and "river"), also spelled as ''Zayandeh-Rood'' or ''Zayanderood'', is the largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran.
Geography
The Zayandeh starts in ...
River (the colony's establishment was also attributed to
Nebuchadrezzar
Nebuchadnezzar II (Babylonian cuneiform: ''Nabû-kudurri-uṣur'', meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir"; Biblical Hebrew: ''Nəḇūḵaḏneʾṣṣar''), also spelled Nebuchadrezzar II, was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling ...
, though that's less likely). The gradual population decrease of Gay (Jay) and the simultaneous population increase of Yahudiyyeh and its suburbs, after the Islamic conquest of Iran, resulted in the formation of the nucleus of what was to become the city of Isfahan. The words "Aspadana", "Ispadana", "Spahan", and "Sepahan", all from which the word Isfahan is derived, referred to the region in which the city was located.
Isfahan and Gay were supposedly both circular in design, which was characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities. However, this reported Sasanian circular city of Isfahan has not yet been uncovered.
Islamic era
File:Persian-Potteries-17th-Century-Isfahan.jpg, Persian pottery from the city of Isfahan, 17th century
File:Vanderaa1725.jpg, Isfahan, capital of the Kingdom of Persia
File:Ispahan - Pont Alla - Werdie - Chan - Bruyn Cornelis De - 1725.jpg, Si-o-se-pol
The Allahverdi Khan Bridge ( fa, پل اللهوردی خان), popularly known as Si-o-se-pol ( fa, سیوسهپل, lit= hebridge of thirty-three pans}), is the largest of the eleven historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest riv ...
Bridge by Cornelis de Bruijn
Cornelis de Bruijn or Cornelius de Bruyn (; 16521726/7), also formerly known in English by his French name Corneille Le Brun, was a Dutch artist and traveler. He made two large tours and published illustrated books with his observations of peopl ...
, 1705
File: Isfahan to the south side by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Isfahan to the south side, drawing by Eugène Flandin
Jean-Baptiste Eugène Napoléon Flandin (15 August 1809 in Naples – 29 September 1889 in Tours),
French orientalist, painter, archaeologist, and politician. Flandin's archeological drawings and some of his military paintings are valued m ...
File:Ali minaret by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Ali minaret, 1840, drawing by Eugène Flandin
File:"Les Russes à Ispahan" by Eugène Damblans in Le Petit Journal, 23 April 1916.jpg, Russian army in Isfahan in the 1890s
When the Arabs captured Isfahan in 642, they made it the capital of
al-Jibal ("the Mountains") province, an area that covered much of ancient Media. Isfahan grew prosperous under the Persian
Buyid
The Buyid dynasty ( fa, آل بویه, Āl-e Būya), also spelled Buwayhid ( ar, البويهية, Al-Buwayhiyyah), was a Shia Iranian dynasty of Daylamite origin, which mainly ruled over Iraq and central and southern Iran from 934 to 1062. Coupl ...
(Buwayhid) dynasty, which rose to power and ruled much of Iran when the temporal authority of the Abbasid caliphs waned in the 10th century. The city walls of Isfahan are thought to have been constructed during the tenth century. The Turkish conqueror and founder of the
Seljuq dynasty
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
,
Toghril Beg
Abu Talib Muhammad Tughril ibn Mika'il ( fa, ابوطالب محمد تغریل بن میکائیل), better known as Tughril (; also spelled Toghril), was a Turkmen"The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
, made Isfahan the capital of his domains in the mid-11th century; but it was under his grandson
Malik-Shah I
Jalāl al-Dawla Mu'izz al-Dunyā Wa'l-Din Abu'l-Fatḥ ibn Alp Arslān (8 August 1055 – 19 November 1092, full name: fa, ), better known by his regnal name of Malik-Shah I ( fa, ), was the third sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire from 1072 to ...
(r. 1073–92) that the city grew in size and splendour.
After the fall of the Seljuqs (c. 1200), Isfahan temporarily declined and was eclipsed by other Iranian cities, such as
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
and
Qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
. During his visit in 1327,
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...
noted that "The city of Isfahan is one of the largest and fairest of cities, but it is now in ruins for the greater part."
In 1387, Isfahan surrendered to the Turko-Mongol warlord
Timur
Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
. Initially treated with relative mercy, the city revolted against Timur's punitive taxes by killing the tax collectors and some of Timur's soldiers. In retribution, Timur ordered the massacre of the city residents, his soldiers killing a reported 70,000 citizens. An eye-witness counted more than 28 towers, each constructed of about 1,500 heads.
Isfahan regained its importance during the
Safavid
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 ...
period (1501–1736). The city's golden age began in 1598 when the Safavid ruler
Abbas I of Persia
Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid dynasty, Safavid Shah (king) of Safavid Iran, Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavi ...
(reigned 1588–1629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest and most beautiful cities in the 17th-century world. In 1598, Abbas I moved his capital from
Qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
to the more central Isfahan. He introduced policies increasing Iranian involvement in the Silk Road trade.
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
,
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
, 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 ...
craftsmen were
forcefully resettled in the city to ensure its prosperity.
Their contributions to the economic vitality of the revitalized city supported the recovery of
Safavid
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 ...
glory and prestige, after earlier losses to the Ottomans and
Kızılbaş
Qizilbash or Kizilbash ( az, Qızılbaş; ota, قزيل باش; fa, قزلباش, Qezelbāš; tr, Kızılbaş, lit=Red head ) were a diverse array of mainly Turkoman Shia militant groups that flourished in Iranian Azerbaijan, Anatolia, t ...
tribes,
ushering in a golden age for the city, when architecture and Persian culture flourished.
As part of Abbas's forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, as many as 300,000 Armenians (primarily from
Jugha
Julfa ( az, Culfa)), formerly Jugha (Armenian: Ջուղա, also transliterated as ''Djugha''), is a city and the capital of the Julfa District of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan.
Julfa is separated by the Aras River from its na ...
) were resettled in Isfahan during Abbas' reign.
)
In Isfahan, he ordered the establishment of a new quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was named
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
(today one of the largest
Armenian quarters in the world).
In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and migrants from the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
settled in the city. Following an agreement between Shah Abbas I and his
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
subject
Teimuraz I of Kakheti
Teimuraz I ( ka, თეიმურაზ I) (1589–1663), of the Bagrationi Dynasty, was a Georgian monarch who ruled, with intermissions, as King of Kakheti from 1605 to 1648 and also of Kartli from 1625 to 1633. The eldest son of David I and ...
("Tahmuras Khan"), whereby the latter converted to Islam and submitted to Safavid rule in exchange for being allowed to rule as the region's ''wāli'' (governor), with his son serving as ''
dāruḡa'' (prefect) of Isfahan.
He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers,
some of whom were
Georgian Orthodox
The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...
Christians.
The royal court in Isfahan had a great number of Georgian ''ḡolāms'' (military slaves), as well as Georgian women.
Although they spoke both Persian and Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian.
Now the city had enclaves of those of
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
,
Circassian, and
Daghistani descent.
Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Persia in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000.
During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became famous in Europe, and many European travellers, such as
Jean Chardin
Jean Chardin (16 November 1643 – 5 January 1713), born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweller and traveller whose ten-volume book ''The Travels of Sir John Chardin'' is regarded as one of the finest ...
, gave accounts of their visits to the city. The city's prosperity lasted until it was
sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722, during a marked decline in Safavid influence. Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in moving the capital to
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
and
Shiraz
Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As o ...
during the
Afsharid
Afsharid Iran ( fa, ایران افشاری), also referred as the Afsharid Empire was an Iranian empire established by the Turkoman Afshar tribe in Iran's north-eastern province of Khorasan, ruling Iran (Persia). The state was ruled by the ...
and
Zand Zand may refer to:
* Zend, a class of exegetical commentaries on Zoroastrian scripture
* Zand District, an administrative subdivision of Iran
* Zand Boulevard, in Shiraz, Iran
* Z And, a variable star
As a tribal/clan and dynastic name
* Zand trib ...
periods, respectively, until it was finally moved to
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 1775, by
Agha Mohammad Khan
Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar ( fa, آقا محمد خان قاجار, translit=Âqâ Mohammad Xân-e Qâjâr; 14 March 1742 – 17 June 1797), also known by his regnal name of Agha Mohammad Shah (, ), was the founder of the Qajar dynasty of Iran, rul ...
, the founder 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 ...
dynasty.
In the early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Isfahan's archeologically important buildings. The work was started by
Mohammad Hossein Khan
Hajji Mohammad Hossein Isfahani (born 1758, Isfahan - died 1823) was an architect and political leader in Isfahan, Persia under the rule of Qajar Persian emperor Fath Ali Shah.
Biography
In 1795 or 1796 he was named governor (''beglarbegi'') of ...
, during the reign of
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 ...
.
Modern age
File:Isfahan from above.jpg, Street from above
File:ETH-BIB-Rundblick von der Schahburg, Isfahan-Persienflug 1924-1925-LBS MH02-02-0159-AL-FL.tif, Isfahan in 1924
File:Foolad Mobarakeh49.jpg, Foolad Mobarakeh Steel Mill
File:General map of Isfahan by Pascal Coste.jpg, Map of Isfahan by Pascal Coste
In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by many people from southern Iran: especially during the population migrations at the start of the century, and in the 1980s, following the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and 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 Security Council ...
. During the war, 23,000 from Isfahan were killed; and there were 43,000 veterans.
Today, Isfahan produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods, including sweets. Isfahan is noted for its production of the
Isfahan rug
The Iranian city of Isfahan has long been one of the centres for production of the famous Persian carpet (or rug). Isfahani carpets are renowned for their high quality. The most famous workshop in Isfahan is ''Seirafian''. In Europe, they becam ...
, a type of
Persian rug
A Persian carpet ( fa, فرش ایرانی, translit=farš-e irâni ) or Persian rug ( fa, قالی ایرانی, translit=qâli-ye irâni ),Savory, R., ''Carpets'',(Encyclopaedia Iranica); accessed January 30, 2007. also known as Iranian ...
typically made of
merino wool
The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the breed ...
and
silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
. There are
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
* Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
*Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
experimental reactors as well as uranium conversion facilities (UCF) for producing nuclear fuel in the environs of the city. Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys. The
Mobarakeh Steel Company
Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC, fa, فولاد مبارکه, Foolad Mobarakeh) is an state owned Iranian steel company, located 65 km south west of Esfahan, near the city of Mobarakeh, Esfahan Province, Iran. It is the largest steel maker of ...
is the biggest steel producer in the whole of the Middle East and Northern Africa, and it is the biggest
DRI producer in the world. The
Isfahan Steel Company was the first manufacturer of constructional steel products in Iran, and it remains the largest such company today.
There is a major oil refinery and a large air-force base outside the city.
HESA, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant, is located just outside the city. Isfahan is also attracting international investment. Isfahan hosted the
International Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967.
Each national delegation is made up of at ...
in 2007. In 2020, the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Commission met in the city.
Geography
![1972 to 2009 abundance percentage percentage of years of drought and wet periods data isfahan atlas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/1972_to_2009_abundance_percentage_percentage_of_years_of_drought_and_wet_periods_data_isfahan_atlas.png)
The city is located on the plain of the ''
Zayandeh Rud
Zayandeh Rud ( fa, زاينده رود; formerly, Bābā Sheykh ‘Alī (Persian: بابا شیخ علی), also Romanized as Bābā Sheykh ‘Alī) is a city in the Central District of Lenjan County, Isfahan Province, Iran
Iran, ...
'' (Fertile River) and the foothills 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 Zāgro ...
mountain range. The nearest mountain is
Mount Soffeh
Mount Soffeh or Kuh-e Soffeh is a mountain that is situated just south of the city of Isfahan, southeast of Mount Donbeh and south of the Zayanderud River in Iran.
Etymology
The term "soffeh" in Persian is derived from an Arabic word "soffa" t ...
(Kuh-e Soffeh), just south of the city.
Hydrography
An artificial network of canals, whose components are called ''madi'', were built during the Safavid dynasty for channeling water from ''Zayandeh Roud'' river into different parts of the city. Designed by Sheikh Bahaï, an engineer of Shah Abbas, this network has 77 madis in the northern course, and 71 in the southern course of the Zayandeh Rud. In 1993, this centuries-old network provided 91% of agricultural water, 4% of industrial needs, and 5% of city needs. 70 emergency wells were dug in 2018 to avoid water shortages.
*
Ecological issues
![Zayanderud river dry with Si-o-se-pol on background](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Zayanderud_river_dry_with_Si-o-se-pol_on_background.jpg)
Towns and villages around Isfahan have been hit so hard by drought and water diversion that they have emptied out and people who lived there have moved. An anonymous journalist said that what's called drought is more often the mismanagement of water. The subsidence rate is dire, and the
aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...
level decreases by one meter annually. As of 2020, the city had the worst air quality between major Iranian cities.
Flora and fauna
![Rosa damascena0](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Rosa_damascena0.jpg)
The
Damask rose
Damask (; ar, دمشق) is a reversible patterned fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin ...
cultivar
''Rosa'' 'Ispahan' is named after the city.
*
Cows endemic to Isfahan became extinct in 2020.
Wagtail
Wagtails are a group of passerine birds that form the genus ''Motacilla'' in the family Motacillidae. The forest wagtail belongs to the monotypic genus ''Dendronanthus'' which is closely related to ''Motacilla'' and sometimes included therein. T ...
s are often seen in farmlands and parks.
The
mole cricket
Mole crickets are members of the insect family Gryllotalpidae, in the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets). Mole crickets are cylindrical-bodied, fossorial insects about long as adults, with small eyes and shovel-like fore ...
is one of the major pests of plants, especially grass roots.
Sheep and rams are symbols of Isfahan.
Climate
Situated at
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains, Isfahan has a
cold desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''BWk''). No geological obstacles exist within north of the city, allowing cool winds to blow from this direction. Despite its altitude, Isfahan remains hot during the summer, with maxima typically around . However, with low humidity and moderate temperatures at night, the climate is quite pleasant. During the winter, days are cool while nights can be very cold. Snow falls an average of 6.7 days each winter.
However, generally Isfahan's climate is extremely dry. Its annual
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
of is only about half 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 ...
or
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
and only a quarter that of more exposed
Kermanshah
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 ...
.
The
Zayande River starts in the Zagros Mountains, flowing from the west through the heart of the city, then dissipates in the
Gavkhouni
Gavkhouni ( fa, گاوخونی, Gāwxuni) also written as ''Gawkhuni'' or ''Batlaq-e-Gavkhuni'', located in the Iranian Plateau in central Iran, east of city of Isfahan, is the terminal basin of the Zayandeh River. Gavkhouni is a salt marsh with ...
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
. Planting olive trees in the city is economically viable, because such trees can survive water shortages.
The highest recorded temperature was on 11 July 2001 and the lowest recorded temperature was on 16 January 1996.
Transportation
Roads and freeways
Over the past decade, Isfahan's internal highway network has been undergoing a major expansion. Much care has been taken to prevent damage to valuable, historical buildings. Modern freeways connect the city to Iran's other major cities, including the capital Tehran, to the north, and Shiraz, to the south. Highways also service satellite cities surrounding the metropolitan area.
The
Isfahan Eastern Bypass Freeway
Isfahan Eastern Bypass Freeway ( fa, آزادراه کنارگذر شرقی اصفهان) is a freeway in Greater Isfahan Region, Isfahan, central Iran, bypassing the city of Isfahan
Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaeme ...
is under construction.
In 2021, a new
AVL system was deployed in the city.
Bridges
The bridges over the Zayanderud comprise some of the finest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest is the
Shahrestan Bridge
The Shahrestan bridge is the oldest bridge on the Zayandeh River in Iran. The foundations date back to the Sasanian era (3rd to 7th century C.E.), but the top was renovated twice, first in the 10th century by the Buyids, then during the 11th centur ...
, whose foundations were built during the
Sasanian Empire
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 History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...
(3rd–7th century
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 ...
era); it was repaired during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the
Khaju Bridge
The Khaju Bridge ( fa, پل خواجو, ) is one of the historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran. Serving as both a bridge and a weir, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zo ...
, which Shah Abbas II built in 1650. It is long, with 24 arches; and it also serves as a sluice gate.
Another bridge is the
Choobi (Joui) Bridge, which was originally an aqueduct to supply the palace gardens on the north bank of the river. Further upstream again is the
Si-o-Seh Pol or bridge of 33 arches. It was built during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great by Sheikh Baha'i and connected Isfahan with the
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
suburb of
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
. It is by far the longest bridge in Isfahan at .
Another notable bridge is the
Marnan Bridge
Marnan Bridge is a historical bridge in Isfahan, Iran. The current structure of the bridge dates back to the Safavid era, but its foundations are older and possibly as old as the Shahrestan bridge, which dates back to the Sasanian
The Sasa ...
.
Ride sharing
Snapp!
Snapp! () is an Iranian vehicle for hire company, headquartered in Tehran that launched in February 2014. Users can request a ride via the iOS, Android, or web application, by indicating their location and destination. The price of the trip is ...
and Tapsi are two of the carpooling apps in the city.
The city has built 42 bicycle-sharing stations and of paved bicycle paths. As part of Iran's religious laws, women are forbidden to use the public bicycle-sharing network, as decreed by the representative of the Supreme Leader in Isfahan, Ayatollah
Yousef Tabatabai Nejad
(Seyyed) Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (sometimes spelled as Tabatabaei-Nejad) is an Iranian Shia cleric and Friday leading prayer that represents the Isfahan Province in Iran's Assembly of Experts.
Views
In 2015, he said women should be denied worki ...
, and General Attorney Ali Esfahani.
Mass transit
The
Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company
Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company ( fa, شرکت واحد اتوبوسراني اصفهان و حومه) is a public transport agency running Transit buses in Isfahan city and surrounding satellite cities and settlements in the Greater Isfahan Regi ...
operates transit buses in the city. East-West BRT Bus Rapid Transit Line buses carry up to 120,000 passengers daily.
The municipality has signed a memorandum with
Khatam-al Anbiya to construct a
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
network in the city.
The
Isfahan Metro
Isfahan Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Isfahan, 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 wes ...
was opened on 15 October 2015. It currently consists of one north–south line with a length of , and two more lines are currently under construction, alongside three suburban rail lines.
The city is served by a
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
, with the
Islamic Republic of Iran Railways
, majoroperators =RAI, Tooka rail, Samand rail
, ridership =21 million
, passkm =13 billion
, freight =31 million tonnes
, tonkm =22 billion tonnes
, infrastructure =
, length =
, doublelength = 142 ...
running trains to
Bandarabbas
Bandar Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās ( fa, , , ), is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz (just across from Musand ...
and
Mashhad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...
. The first high-speed railway in Iran, the
Tehran-Qom-Isfahan line is currently being constructed and will connect Isfahan to Tehran and Qom.
Airports
Isfahan is served by
Isfahan International Airport
Isfahan Shahid Beheshti International Airport ( fa, فرودگاه بینالمللی شهید بهشتی اصفهان) is an international airport serving the city of Isfahan, Iran.
Overview
The airport is named in honor of Shahid Behesh ...
, which in 2019 was the 7th busiest airport in Iran.
Economy
![Esfhan market(1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Esfhan_market%281%29.jpg)
In 2014, industry, mines, and commerce in Isfahan province accounted for 35% to 50% (almost $229 billion) of the Iranian
Gross Domestic Product
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a money, monetary Measurement in economics, measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjec ...
. In 2019, Isfahan province's governorate said that tourism is the number one priority.
According to Isfahan province's administrator for
Department of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare
The Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare ( fa, وزارت تعاون، کار و رفاه اجتماعی پهلوی ) is an Iranian government body responsible for the oversight of Cooperative business, regulation and implementa ...
, Iran has the cheapest labor workforce anywhere in the world; and this attracts foreign investors. The labor force has continually grown over the last three decades. However, in 2018 the unemployment rate was 15%.
The , established in 1992, maintains a privatized power grid in the city.
As of September 2020, the handicrafts industry of Isfahan Province was contributing $500 million annually to the economy.
The municipality has implemented internet payment software.
Isfahan Fair, a exhibition center aimed at increasing tourism, is under construction.
Aquaculture and agriculture
Isfahan city produces 1,300 tons of salmon. More than 28% of the country's ornamental fish is supplied from Isfahan province, from 780 farms, which in 2017 farmed 65.5 million fish.
Opium was produced and exported from Isfahan from 1850 until it became illegal, and was an important source of income. Isfahan has a large number of aqueducts, farmers having to divert water from the river to farms by canal. Niasarm is one of the largest
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
s.
From 2012 to 2013 there were large protests by farmers against the Isfahan-Yazd water tunnel. In 2019, eastern city farmers demanded water, otherwise they would sabotage water transfer pipes.
Fruits and vegetables central market is where farmers sell their product wholesale, selling 10,000 tons a day.
High tech and heavy industries
The industrialization of Isfahan dates from the Pahlavi period, as in all of Iran, and was marked by the strong growth of the textile industry, which earned the city the nickname "Manchester of Persia". There are 9,200 industrial units in the city; 40% of the Iranian textile industry is in Isfahan.
The Telecommunication Company of Iran and the Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran provide 4G, 3G, broadband, and
VDSL
Very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) and very high-speed digital subscriber line 2 (VDSL2) are digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies providing data transmission faster than the earlier standards of asymmetric digital subscriber line ...
.
The Isfahan Scientific and Research Town started in 2001, to act as a mediator between government, industry, and academia in establishing a knowledge-based economy.
Isfahan is the third-largest medicine manufacturing hub in Iran.
Recreation and tourism
In 2018–2019 some 450,000 foreign nationals visited the city. Some 110 trillion
rials (over $2 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials in 2020) have been invested in the province's tourism sector.
Nazhvan Park hosts a reptile zoo with 40 aquariums.
There are the Saadi water park and the Nazhvan water park for children.
There are many luxury party gardens and wedding halls.
Medical tourism
The
Isfahan Healthcare city complex, built on a site near the Aqa Babaei Expressway, is intended to boost the city's medical tourism revenues.
Shopping
The city is served by
Refah Chain Stores Co.
Refah Supermarkets is an Iranian supermarket chain based in Tehran. The establishment has currently 730 branches across the nation. Refah is carrying a wide assortment of goods in the lines of Food & Beverages Fresh Produce, Hygienic & Cosmetics ...
,
Iran Hyper Star
Iran Hyper Star is an Iranian subsidiary of French multinational retailer Carrefour in Iran
History
Iran HyperStar Was Founded By Majid Al Futtaim And Carrefour.
Branches
Iran Hyperstar Currently has Fifteen branches in Tehran, Shiraz, Is ...
,
Isfahan City Center
Isfahan City Center is a large commercial and entertainment complex in Isfahan, Iran. As of November 2012, it was the second largest shopping mall (after Iran Mall ) in Iran, and one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
History
The mall ...
,
Shahrvand Chain Stores Inc.
Shahrvand department stores is an Iranian chain based in Tehran. The establishment currently has 35 branches in Tehran. Shahrvand, along with Refah supermarket, and Carrefour-owned Hyperstar Market, create the bulk of the Iranian retail industry ...
,
Kowsar Market,,
Ofoq Kourosh chain store and the Isfahan Mall.
Cinemas
There are nine cinemas. Historically, cinemas in old Isfahan were entertainment for the worker class while religious people considered cinema to be mostly an impure place and going to the cinema to be ''
haram
''Haram'' (; ar, حَرَام, , ) is an Arabic term meaning 'Forbidden'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowle ...
''. During the
1979 revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
, many cinemas in Isfahan were burned down. Cinema Iran, now a ruin, was one of the oldest cinemas in the city. Great filmmakers such as
Agnès Varda
Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...
and
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual who also distinguished himself as a journalist, novelist, translator, playwright, visual artist and actor. He is considered one of ...
shot scenes from their films in Isfahan.
Sports
![Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Naghsh-e-Jahan_Stadium3.jpg)
Isfahan has three
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
clubs that play professionally. These are:
*
Sepahan S.C.
Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club ( fa, باشگاه فرهنگی ورزشی فولاد مبارکه سپاهان اصفهان, ''Bâšgâh-è Varzeši-ye Fulâd-è Mobârake-ye Sepâhân''), commonly known as Sepahan S.C., are an Iranian spor ...
*
Zob Ahan Isfahan F.C.
Zob Ahan Esfahan Football Club ( fa, باشگاه فرهنگى ورزشى ذوبآهن اصفهان, ''Bâšgâhé Futbâlé Zobâhané Esfahân'') is an Iranian football club based in Fuladshahr, Iran. It competes in the Persian Gulf Pro Le ...
*
Sanaye Giti Pasand F.C.
*
Polyacryl Esfahan F.C. (historic)
Sepahan has won the most league football titles among Iranian clubs (2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2014–15). The Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan handball team plays in the
Iranian handball league. Sepahan has a youth women running team that became national champions in 2020.
Giti Pasand has a
futsal Futsal is a football-based game played on a hardcourt, hard court smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors. It has similarities to five-a-side football and Indoor soccer, indoor football.
Futsal is played between two teams of five players ...
team,
Giti Pasand FSC, which is one of the best in Asia. They won the
AFC Futsal Club Championship
The AFC Futsal Club Championship is the current highest Asian futsal club competition, hosted by the Asian Football Confederation. It is futsal equivalent to AFC Champions League.
For the inaugural edition, AFC Futsal Committee decided to make ...
in 2012 and were runners-up in 2013. Giti Pasand also fields a women's volleyball team,
Giti Pasand Isfahan VC Sanaye Giti Pasand Isfahan Volleyball Club ( fa, باشگاه والیبال صنایع گیتی پسند اصفهان) was an Iranian professional volleyball team based in Isfahan, Iran. The team is owned by Sanaye Giti Pasand Company . They compet ...
, that plays matches in the Iranian Women's Volleyball League.
Basketball clubs include
Zob Ahan Isfahan BC
Zob Ahan Basketball Club ( fa, باشگاه بسکتبال ذوبآهن اصفهان, ''Bashgah-e Beskâtbal-e Zubâhen Esfehan'') is an Iranian professional basketball club based in Isfahan, Iran. They compete in the Iranian Basketball Super L ...
and
Foolad Mahan Isfahan BC
Foolad Mahan Isfahan Basketball Club ( fa, باشگاه بسکتبال فولاد ماهان سپاهان اصفهان, ''Bashgah-e Beskâtbal-e Fulâd Mahan Sipahan Esfehan'') was an Iranian professional basketball club based in Esfahan, Iran. Th ...
.
There are
Pahlevani zoorkhanehs in the city.
Demographics
In 2019, the mean age for first marriages was 25 years for females and 30 years for males.
There are almost 500,000 people living in slums, including in the northern part, and especially in the eastern sector of the city.
Esfahani is one of the main dialects of
Western Persian
Iranian Persian, Western Persian or Western Farsi, natively simply known as Persian (, ), refers to the varieties of the modern Persian language spoken in Iran and by minorities in neighboring countries, as well as by Iranian communities throu ...
.
Jewish districts speak a unique dialect.
Religion
There are many churches and synagogues in the city, with the churches being for the most part in
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
.
Mosques
*
Agha Nour mosque (16th century)
*
Hakim Mosque
*
Ilchi mosque
*
Jameh Mosque
A congregational mosque or Friday mosque (, ''masjid jāmi‘'', or simply: , ''jāmi‘''; ), or sometimes great mosque or grand mosque (, ''jāmi‘ kabir''; ), is a mosque for hosting the Friday noon prayers known as ''jumu'ah''.*
*
*
*
*
*
*
...
*
Jarchi mosque (1610)
*
Lonban mosque
*
Maghsoudbeyk mosque (1601)
*
Mohammad Jafar Abadei mosque (1878)
*
Rahim Khan mosque (19th century)
*
Roknolmolk mosque
*
Seyyed mosque (19th century)
*
Shah Mosque (1629) - It was damaged in 2022
*
Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque ( fa, مسجد شیخ لطف الله) is one of the masterpieces of Iranian architecture that was built during the Safavid Empire, standing on the eastern side of Naqsh-i Jahan Square, Esfahan, Iran. Construction of the ...
(1618)
Imamzadehs (shrine tombs)
*
Imamzadeh Ahmad
Imamzadeh Ahmad ( fa, امامزاده احمد) is an imamzadeh in Isfahan, Iran. The Imamzadeh comprises a tomb, to the north and west of which are two ''iwans''; the tomb faces a vast yard where several famous people, like Amir Kabir's daughter ...
*
Imamzadeh Esmaeil and Isaiah mausoleum
Emamzadeh Esmaeil ( fa, امامزاده اسماعيل) is a historical complex in Isfahan, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Ir ...
*
Imamzadeh Haroun-e-Velayat
The Imamzadeh Haroun-e-Velayat ( fa, امامزاده هارون ولایت), or the Harun-i Vilayat Mausoleum, is an imamzadeh in Isfahan, Iran. It is located opposite the Ali minaret in Dardasht and belongs to the Ismail I era. There are many ...
*
Imamzadeh Ja'far
*
Imamzadeh Shah Zeyd
Imamzadeh Shah Zeyd ( fa, امامزاده شاه زید) is an imamzadeh in Isfahan, Iran. It belongs to the early Safavid era. It is well known for paintings on its walls. These paintings are about the Battle of Karbala. Cavalries are in most of ...
Churches and cathedrals
Churches are mostly located in the New Julfa region. The oldest is St. Jakob Church (1607). Some other historically important ones are
St. Georg Church
Saint George Church of New Julfa or Gharib Church, (Armenian: , Persian: ), is an Armenian Apostolic church in New Julfa, Iran. It is the second-oldest church in New Julfa.
History
Saint George Church was built in 1611. It is a famous place o ...
(17th century),
St. Mary Church (1613),
Bedkhem Church
Holy Bethlehem Church of New Julfa or Bedkhem Church, (Armenian: , Persian: ), is an Armenian Apostolic church in the Julfa quarter in Isfahan, Iran. One of the most important historical churches of the city, it belongs to the Abbas I era. The ...
(1627), and
Vank Cathedral
The Holy Savior Cathedral ( hy, Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Վանք – ''Surb Amenaprkich Vank''; fa, کلیسای آمناپرکیچ – ''Kelisā ye Āmenāperkič''), also known the Church of the Saintly Sisters, is a cathedral located in ...
(1664).
Pacifique de Provins Pacifique de Provins (1588 in Provins – 1648) was a French Capuchin Father of the 17th century. He established a French mission in Isfahan in 1627 with the agreement of Cardinal de Richelieu and Pėre Joseph, and the benevolence of Shah Abba ...
established a French mission in the city in 1627.
Synagogues
*
Kenisa-ye Bozorg (Mirakhor's kenisa)
*
Kenisa-ye Molla Rabbi
*
Kenisa-ye Sang-bast
*
Mullah Jacob Synagogue
*
Mullah Neissan Synagogue
*
Kenisa-ye Keter David
Civic administration
![Isfahan city greenspace share atlas data 2020](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Isfahan_city_greenspace_share_atlas_data_2020.png)
Isfahan has a smart city program, a unified human resources administration system, and a transport system.
In 2015, the comprehensive atlas of the Isfahan metropolis, an online statistical database in Farsi, was made available, to help in planning.
In 2020, the municipality directly employed 6,250 people with an additional 3,000 people in 16 subsidiary organizations.
In 2020, the municipality created a document outlining future development programs for the city.
The color theme for the city has been turquoise for some time.
Municipal government
The mayor is Ghodratollah Noroozi.
The chairman of the city council is Alireza Nasrisfahani. There is also a leadership council within the city council.
The representative of the
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran ( fa, رهبر ایران, rahbar-e irān) is the List of heads of state of Iran, head of state of the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran. The Supreme Leader directs the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, executiv ...
, as well as the representative from Isfahan in the
Assembly of Experts
The Assembly of Experts ( fa, مجلس خبرگان رهبری, majles-e khobregân-e rahbari), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme ...
, is
Yousef Tabatabai Nejad
(Seyyed) Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (sometimes spelled as Tabatabaei-Nejad) is an Iranian Shia cleric and Friday leading prayer that represents the Isfahan Province in Iran's Assembly of Experts.
Views
In 2015, he said women should be denied worki ...
.
The city is divided into 15 municipal districts.
Public works
City waste is processed and recycled at the Isfahan Waste Complex.
The is responsible for piping water, waterworks installation and repair, maintaining sewage equipment, supervising sewage collection, and treatment and disposal of sewage in the city.
Human resources and public health
As of June 2020, 65% of the population of Isfahan province has social security insurance.
Isfahan is known as the
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
capital of the world due to the presence of polluting industries.
In 2015, almost 15% of the people suffered from depression, from being cut off from the Zayandeh River, due to severe drought.
Armed forces base
The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air and Space Force (IRGCASF; fa, نیروی هوافضای سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, niru-ye havâfazây-e sepâh-e pâsdârâ ...
(IRGC AF) has an airbase in the city
and has undertaken a
cloud seeding
Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification that aims to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical p ...
contract project using
UAV
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
s in Isfahan. The
(IRIAF) has an airbase, the 8th Predator Tactical Fighter Base (TFB.8), which is the home base for Iranian
F-14
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the ...
s. The local
Sepah Pasdaran is named "Master of the Era" ("Saheb al zaman" in Arabic and Farsi), after the
Mahdi
The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a Messianism, messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the Eschatology, end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a de ...
. The
Amir Al-Momenin University of Military Sciences and Technology is based in the city.
Education and science
The first elementary schools in the city were
maktabkhanehs. In
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Evacuation of Polish civilians from the USSR in World War II, Polish children sought refuge in the city; eight primary and technical trade schools were established. Between 1942 and 1945, approximately 2,000 children passed through, with Isfahan briefly gaining the nickname "City of Polish Children". In 2019, there were 20 schools for trainees attended by 5,000 children.
Notable schools
* Chahar Bagh School (early 17th century)
* Harati
* Kassegaran school (1694)
* Khajoo Madrasa
* Nimavar School (1691)
* Sadr Madrasa (19th century)
In total, there are more than 7,329 schools in Isfahan province.
Colleges
In 1947, the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences was established; it now has almost 9,200 students and interns. In 1973, the American School of Isfahan was built; it closed during the 1978–79 revolution. In 1974, the first technical university in Iran, the Isfahan University of Technology, was established in the city. It focuses on science, engineering, and agriculture programs. In 1977, the Isfahan University of Art was established. It was temporarily closed after the Iranian revolution, 1979 revolution, and was reopened in 1984, after the Iranian Cultural Revolution.
Aside from seminaries and religious schools, the other public, private major universities of the Isfahan metropolitan area include: the Mohajer Technical And Vocational College of Isfahan, Payame Noor University, the Islamic Azad University of Isfahan, the Islamic Azad University of Najafabad, and the Islamic Azad University of Majlesi.
There are also more than 50 technical and vocational training centres in the province, under the administration of the Isfahan Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO), that provide free, non-formal, workforce-skills training programs. As of 2020, 90% of workforce-skills trainees are women.
Notable philosophers
Major philosophers include Mir Damad, known for his concepts of time and nature, as well as for founding the School of Isfahan, and Mir Fendereski, who was known for his examination of art and philosophy within a society.
Culture
Ancient traditions included Tirgan, Sepandārmazgān festivals, and historically, men used to wear the Kolah namadi.
The Isfahan School of painting flourished during the Safavid era.
The annual Isfahan province theatre festival takes place in the city. Theater performances began in 1919 (1297 AH), and currently there are 9 active theaters.
The awarding of an Isfahan annual literature prize began in 2004.
Since 2005, November 22 is Isfahan's National Day, commemorated with various events.
New Art Paradise, built in District 6 in 2019, has the biggest open-air amphitheatre in the country.
Based on a statue creators' symposium in 2020, the city decided to add 11 permanent art pieces to the city's monuments.
The Isfahan international convention center is under construction.
Cuisine
![Beryane isfahan 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Beryane_isfahan_1.jpg)
Gosh-e fil and Doogh are famous local snacks. Other traditional breakfasts, desserts, and meals include Khoresht mast, Beryani, and meat with beans and pumpkin aush. Gaz (candy), Gaz & Poolaki are two popular Iranian candies types that originated in Isfahan.
Teahouses are supervised and allowed to offer Hookah until 2022. As of 2020, there are almost 300 teahouses with permits.
Music
The Bayat-e Esfahan is one of the Mode (music), modes used in Iranian traditional music.
On 12 and 13 January 2018, the Iranian singer Salar Aghili performed in the city without the female members of his band, due to interference by local officials at the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance.
News media
During the Qajar Iran, Qajar era, ''Farhang'', the first newspaper publication in the city, was printed for 13 years. Iran's Metropolitan News Agency (IMNA), formerly called the Isfahan Municipality News Agency, is based in the city.
The state-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting system (IRIB) has a TV network and radio channel in the city.
Cultural sites
![Esfahan armenian Barry Kent](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Esfahan_armenian_Barry_Kent.JPG)
The city centre consists of an older section centered around the
Jameh Mosque
A congregational mosque or Friday mosque (, ''masjid jāmi‘'', or simply: , ''jāmi‘''; ), or sometimes great mosque or grand mosque (, ''jāmi‘ kabir''; ), is a mosque for hosting the Friday noon prayers known as ''jumu'ah''.*
*
*
*
*
*
*
...
, and the Safavid expansion around
Naqsh-e Jahan Square
Naqsh-e Jahan Square ( fa, میدان نقش جهان ''Maidān-e Naghsh-e Jahān''; trans: "Image of the World Square"), also known as the Shah Square (میدان شاه) prior to 1979, is a square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfah ...
, with nearby palaces, bazaars, and places of worship, which is called Seeosepol.
Baths
Ancient baths include the Jarchi hammam and the bathhouse of Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī; a public bath called "Shaykh Bahai hammam, Garmabeh-e-shaykh" in Isfahan, which for many years was running and providing hot water to the public without any visible heating system which would usually need tons of wood, was built by Baha' al-din al-'Amili. The Khosro Agha hammam was demolished by unknown persons in 1992. The Ali Gholi Agha hammam is another remaining bathhouse. Chardin writes that the number of baths in Isfahan in the Safavid era was 273.
Bazaars
The Grand Bazaar, Isfahan, and its entrance, the Qeysarie Gate, were built in the 17th century. Social hubs were opium dens and coffeehouses clustered around the Charbagh, Chahar bagh and the Chehel Sotoun. The best-known traditional coffeehouse is Qahva-ḵāna-ye Golestān.
There is also the Honar Bazaar.
Cemeteries
The Bagh-e Rezvan Cemetery is one of the biggest and most advanced in the country. Other cemeteries include the New Julfa Armenian Cemetery and the Takht-e Foulad.
Gardens and parks
The Pardis Honar Park, in District 6, has cost 30 billion Iranian toman, toman as of 2018. Some other zoological gardens and parks (including public and private beach parks, and non-beach parks) are: Birds Garden, Flower Garden of Isfahan, Nazhvan Recreational Complex, Moshtagh, amusement park, and the East Park of Isfahan.
Historical houses
* Alam's House
* Amin's House
* Malek Vineyard
* Qazvinis' House
* Sheykh ol-Eslam's House
* Constitution House of Isfahan
Mausoleums and tombs
* Al-Rashid Mausoleum (12th century)
* Baba Ghassem Mausoleum (14th century)
* Mausoleum of Safavid Princes
* Nizam al-Mulk Tomb (11th century)
* Saeb Mausoleum
* Shahshahan mausoleum (15th century)
* Soltan Bakht Agha Mausoleum (14th century)
Minarets
Menar Jonban was built in the 14th century. The tomb is an Iwan measuring high. Other menars include Ali minaret (11th century), Bagh-e-Ghoushkhane minaret (14th century), Chehel Dokhtaran minaret (12 century), Dardasht minarets (14th century), Darozziafe minarets (14th century), and Sarban minaret.
Museums
* Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan, Museum of Contemporary Art (17th-century building)
*
Isfahan City Center
Isfahan City Center is a large commercial and entertainment complex in Isfahan, Iran. As of November 2012, it was the second largest shopping mall (after Iran Mall ) in Iran, and one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
History
The mall ...
museum (mall established 2012)
* Museum of Decorative Arts, Isfahan, Museum of Decorative Arts (1995)
* Natural History Museum of Isfahan (1988, 15th-century building)
Palaces and caravanserais
* Ālī Qāpū, Ali Qapu (Imperial Palace, early 17th century)
* Chehel Sotoun (Palace of Forty Columns, 1647)
* Hasht Behesht (Palace of Eight Paradises, 1669)
* Talar-e-Ashraf (Palace of Ashraf) (1650)
* Shah Caravanserai
Squares and streets
![Aghigh Square esfahan 201312 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Aghigh_Square_esfahan_201312_06.jpg)
* Chaharbagh Boulevard (1596)
* Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard
* Kohneh Square, Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
* Naghsh-e Jahan Square, Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as Shah Square or Imam Square (1602)
* Amadegah
* Taleghani Street (Shah Street)
Other sites
![Gavart village pigeon towers 129](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Gavart_village_pigeon_towers_129.jpg)
* Atashgah of Isfahan, Atashgah – a Zoroastrian agiary, fire temple
*
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
(1606)
* Dovecote#Isfahan`s Ancient Dovecotes, Pigeon Towers that are placed all around the city namely 22 towers inside Gavart, Hase – 17th century
* Isfahan Observatory
* Asarkhane Shahi
International relations
There is a plan to create a diplomatic district next to the Isfahan international convention center, Imam Khamenei international convention center where foreign countries would locate their consulates.
The Chinese have expressed readiness to be the first country that opens a consulate in a diplomatic zone in the central city.
The building housing the Consulate General of Russia, Isfahan, General Consulate of the Russian Federation in Isfahan is a registered cultural heritage site.
The residence of Afghans in Iran, Afghan nationals is allowed in Isfahan city.
Since 1994, Isfahan has been a member of the League of Historical Cities and a full member of Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network.
The Isfahan municipality created a citizen diplomacy service program to boost Public diplomacy of Iran, establishing connections with sister cities around the world.
Twin towns – sister cities
![Isfahankualalumpur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Isfahankualalumpur.jpg)
Isfahan is Sister city, twinned with:
* Baalbek, Lebanon (2010)
* Dakar, Senegal (2009)
* Florence, Italy (1998)
* Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (2000)
* Havana, Cuba (2001)
* Iași, Romania (1999)
* Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1997)
* Kuwait City, Kuwait (2000)
* Lahore, Pakistan (2004)
* Saint Petersburg, Russia (2004)
* Yerevan, Armenia (2000)
* Xi'an, Shaanxi, China (1989)
Cooperation agreements
Isfahan cooperates with:
* Barcelona, Spain (2000)
* Gyeongju, South Korea (2013)
In addition, the
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
quarter of Isfahan has friendly relations with:
* Issy-les-Moulineaux, France (2018)
Notable people
;Music
* Jalal Taj Esfahani (1903–1981)
* Alireza Eftekhari (1956–), singer
* Leila Forouhar (1959–), pop singer
* Hassan Kassai (1928–2012), musician
* Hassan Shamaizadeh, songwriter and singer
* Jalil Shahnaz (1921–2013), tar (drum), tar soloist, a traditional Persian instrument
;Film
* Rasul Sadr Ameli (1953–), director
*Sara Bahrami (1983–), actor
* Homayoun Ershadi (1947–), Hollywood actor and architect
* Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (1956–2001), the former princess of Iran and actress
* Bahman Farmanara (1942–), director
* Jahangir Forouhar (1916–1997), actor and father of Leila Forouhar (Iranian singer)
* Mohamad Ali Keshvarz (1930–2020), actor
*Mahdi Pakdel (1980–), actor
*Nosratollah Vahdat (1925–2020), actor
;Craftsmen and painters
* Mahmoud Farshchian (1930–), painter and miniaturist
* Bogdan Saltanov (1630s–1703), Russian icon painter of Isfahanian Armenian origin
;Political figures
* Ahmad Amir-Ahmadi (1906–1965), military leader and cabinet minister
* Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981), cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran
* Nusrat Bhutto, Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party from 1979 to 1983; wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto; mother of Benazir Bhutto
* Hossein Fatemi, PhD (1919–1954), politician; foreign minister in Mohamed Mossadegh's cabinet
* Mohammad-Ali Foroughi (1875–1942), a politician and Prime Minister of Iran in the World War II era
* Dariush Forouhar (August 1928 – November 1998), a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran (Nation of Iran Party)
* Hossein Kharrazi, chief of the army in the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and 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 Security Council ...
* Mohsen Nourbakhsh (1948–2003), economist, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran
* Mohammad Javad Zarif (1960–), Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
;Religious figures
* Lady Amin, Lady Amin (Banou Amin) (1886–1983), Iran's most outstanding female jurisprudent, theologian and great Muslim mystic (‘arif), a ''Lady Ijtihad, Mujtahideh''
* Amina Bint al-Majlisi, Amina Begum Bint al-Majlisi was a female Safavid Ijtihad, mujtahideh
* Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981), cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran
* Allamah al-Majlisi (1616–1698), Safavid cleric, Sheikh ul-Islam in Isfahan
* Salman the Persian
* Ibn Manda, Muhammad Ibn Manda (d. 1005 / AH 395), Sunni Hanbali scholar of hadith and historian
* Abu Nu`aym, Abu Nu'aym Al-Ahbahani Al-Shafi'i (d. 1038 / AH 430), Sunni Shafi'i Scholar
* Seyyed Ali Qazi Askar (1954) Iran's supreme leader representative, in Haj
;Sportspeople
* Mohammad-Ali Asgari (1954–), Iranian football administrator
* Abdolali Changiz, football star of Esteghlal FC in the 1970s
* Mansour Ebrahimzadeh, former player for Sepahan FC, former head coach of Zob Ahan FC, Zobahan
* Ghasem Haddadifar, captain of Zobahan FC
* Arsalan Kazemi, forward for the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team and the Iran national basketball team
* Rasoul Korbekandi, goalkeeper of the Iranian National Team
* Moharram Navidkia, captain of Sepahan FC
* Mohammad Talaei, world champion wrestler
* Mahmoud Yavari (1939–), football player, coach of Iranian National Team
* Sohrab Moradi (1988–), Olympic weightlifting gold medalist, world record holder of 105 kg category
* Milad Beigi (1991–) Olympic taekwando bronze medalist, world champion
* Sina Karimian, K-1 cruiserweight kickboxing champion
;Writers and poets
* Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani (1892–1997), author
* Hatef Esfehani, Persian Moral poet in the Afsharid Era
* Kamal ed-Din Esmail (late 12th century – early 13th century)
* Houshang Golshiri (1938–2000), writer and editor
* Hamid Mosadegh (1939–1998), poet and lawyer
* Mirza Abbas Khan Sheida (1880–1949), poet and publisher
* Saib Tabrizi
;Others
* Ispahani family, Persian people, Perso-Bangladeshi business family
* Abd-ol-Ghaffar Amilakhori, 17th-century noble
* Adib Boroumand (1924–), poet, politician, lawyer, and leader of the National Front (Iran), National Front
* George Bournoutian, professor, historian, and author
* Jesse of Kakheti, king of Kingdom of Kakheti, Kakheti in eastern Georgia (country), Georgia from 1614 to 1615
* Simon II of Kartli, king of Kingdom of Kartli, Kartli in eastern Georgia from 1619 to 1630/1631
* David II of Kakheti, king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1709 to 1722
* Constantine II of Kakheti, king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1722 to 1732
* Nasser David Khalili (1945–), property developer, art collector, and philanthropist
* Arthur Pope (1881–1969), American archaeologist, buried near
Khaju Bridge
The Khaju Bridge ( fa, پل خواجو, ) is one of the historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran. Serving as both a bridge and a weir, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zo ...
* Alexandre de Rhodes (1591–1660), French Jesuit, designer of Vietnamese alphabet, buried in the city's Armenian cemetery
See also
* 15861 Ispahan
* Acid attacks on women in Isfahan
* Courts of Isfahan
* Isfahan National Holy Association
* Isfahan Seminary
* Islamic City Council of Isfahan
* List of the historical structures in the Isfahan province
*
New Julfa
New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River.
Established and named after the old ...
* Prix d'Ispahan
References
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Street viewPublic libraries atlas(Persian)
Digital Library of Isfahan Municipality
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Isfahan,
Populated places in Isfahan County
Cities in Isfahan Province
Former capitals of Iran
Iranian provincial capitals
Achaemenid cities
Seleucid colonies
Parthian cities
Sasanian cities