Meshkinshahr

Meshgin Shahr ( fa, مشگين شهر, also Romanized as Meshgīn Shahr; also known as Meshkīn Shahr or simply Mishgin; formerly Khiav ( fa, خياو), also Romanized as Kheyāv, Khīāv, Khiov, Khīyāv, and Khiyov) is a city and capital of Meshgin Shahr County, in Ardabil Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 74,109, in 21,906 families.

History

The 14th-century author Hamdallah Mustawfi mentioned the city, as ''Khiyāv'', as one of the seven cities in the '' tuman'' of Pishkin, or Mishkin. He distinguished between the cities of Khiyav and Pishkin — according to him, Khiyav lay to the south of Mount Sablan and had a warm climate, while Pishkin (which he said had formerly been called "Varāvī") was to the north of Mount Sablan and had a damp climate because the mountain shielded it from the sun. Both cities drew their water from the streams coming down from the mountain. The district of Pishkin, he wrote, grew both grain and fruit in abundance, while Khiyav mostly grew grain. Pishkin was assessed for a tax value of 5,200 dinars, while Khiyav was assessed at 2,000. Mustawfi wrote that Pishkin's population was mostly Shafi'i Sunnis, with Shi'i and Hanafi Sunni minorities. He said nothing about Khiyav's religious makeup, but instead described its population as mostly "boot-makers and cloth-workers".

References

Sources

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External links

Meshgin Shahr Tourism WebsiteMeshgin Shahr Municipality WebsiteMeshgin Shahr Government WebsiteMeshgin Shahr Travel Guide

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Towns and villages in Meshgin Shahr County
Cities in Ardabil Province