Shahrood ( fa, شاهرود, also
Romanized as Shâhrūd, and Shahroud; also known as Shârūd) is a city and capital of
Shahrood County,
Semnan 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 ...
.
Situated about an altitude of 1345 m, it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. The main launch site of the
Iranian Space Agency
The Iranian Space Agency (ISA, Persian: ''Sāzmān-e Fazāi-ye Irān'') is Iran's governmental space agency.
Iran became an orbital-launch-capable nation in 2009. Iran is one of the 24 founding members of the United Nations Committee on th ...
is near Shahrood. It is also well known for unique types of grapes which are cultivated specially in Shahrud. Consequently, Shahrood is known as the City of Grapes.
Although absent from earlier historical sources, Shahrud has become an important town since the 19th century because of its location on the road 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 ...
east to
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
.
It now also is on the railway.
A road runs from Shahrud across the
Alborz
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs nort ...
mountains to the
Caspian Caspian can refer to:
*The Caspian Sea
*The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea
*The Caspians, the ancient people living near the Caspian Sea
*Caspian languages, collection of languages and dialects of Caspian peopl ...
coastal plains in the north; it is accessible throughout winter.
Shahrud was renamed Imāmrūd after the
Iranian 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 ...
of 1979, but has since reverted to the old name.
It is located just south of the historical city of
Bastam
Bastam ( fa, بسطام, also romanized as Basṭām; also known as Busṭām and Bisṭām) is a city in and capital of the Bastam District of Shahrud County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 7,382, in 1,997 families ...
.
Geography
Some 410 kilometers to the east 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 ...
, halfway between the capital and
Mashad
Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the 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 Razavi Khorasan Province and has a po ...
, and at the junction with the
Gorgan
Gorgan ( fa, گرگان ; also romanized as ''Gorgān'', ''Gurgān'', and ''Gurgan''), formerly Esterabad ( ; also romanized as ''Astarābād'', ''Asterabad'', and ''Esterābād''), is the capital city of Golestan Province, Iran. It lies appro ...
road, sits the modern city of Shahrud, which has grown to absorb the historic town of
Bastam
Bastam ( fa, بسطام, also romanized as Basṭām; also known as Busṭām and Bisṭām) is a city in and capital of the Bastam District of Shahrud County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 7,382, in 1,997 families ...
situated in the hills a few kilometers to the north.
From the north, it is surrounded by the
Alborz
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs nort ...
mountains, and from the south by the arid salty deserts. The river of Tash, after crossing this town, reaches the south deserts. The weather on the mountainous areas is cold and it is somewhat temperate in other parts of the city.
Shahrud is located in the Damghan basin, a sub-basin of the Kavir basin which also contains the
Great Salt Desert
Dasht-e Kavir ( fa, دشت كوير, lit=Low Plains in classical Persian, from ''khwar'' (low), and ''dasht'' (plain, flatland)), also known as Kavir-e Namak () and the Great Salt Desert, is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian Plat ...
.
Climate
Shahrud 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 climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''BWk'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is very low, and mostly falls in winter (often as snow) and spring.
History
In 2006, traces of a prehistoric, 8000-year-old settlements were found in Shahrud. This is the pre-historical site of
Deh Kheyr, Semnan
Deh Kheyr ( fa, ده خير; also known as Dakhi) is a village in Kharqan Rural District, Bastam District, Shahrud County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 182, in 39 families.
It is located in Shahrud Plain, about ...
, located in Shahrud Plain, 15 kilometers from the city of Shahrud. The discoveries included ovens, craft workshops, and other evidence of settlements.
Archeological excavations in different parts of Shahrud Plain indicate the existence of villages in this area during 7-5 millennium BC.
Traces of Prehistoric Civilization Discovered in Shahrud (2006)
/ref>
As a modern city, the city of Shahrud was merely a village before 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 ...
of the Qajar dynasty, with two old castles and a small farm named "Shabdary". The surrounding areas however, such as Biarjomand, Miami and Bastam do have a distant history.
The old town of Bastam is located 6 km north of Shahrood. Its pre-Islamic history is not clear, but according to some historians, it was built during Shapur II
Shapur II ( pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 ; New Persian: , ''Šāpur'', 309 – 379), also known as Shapur the Great, was the tenth Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran. The longest-reigning monarch in Iranian history, he reigne ...
period (310-379 CE). During the Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
era, it was the second largest town (following Damghan
Damghan ( fa, دامغان, translit=Dāmghān) is the capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families. It is situated east of Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevat ...
) in the Qomis province.
The town was visited by Nasser Khosrow Qubadiani, the Iranian poet of the 12th century, and mentioned by him as the center of the Qomis province. Bastam declined during the Mongol era assaults, and Shahrud eventually took its place.
As of 1991, Shahrud had a population of 92,195.
Attractions
Shahrud's geographical characteristics are varied, with cloud forests in the north and from the south it meets the central desert of Iran. The most interesting geographical and historical attractions of Shahrud are as follows:
* Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests
The Hyrcanian forests ( fa, جنگل های هیرکانی) are a zone of lush lowland and montane forests covering about adjoining the shores of the Caspian Sea of Iran and part of that of Azerbaijan. The forest is named after the ancient reg ...
and High peaks of East-Alborz
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs nort ...
mountain range, lie in north of the city and shape a marvelous mixture of natural elements.
** Two or three hours left to the sunset, with temperature falls, clouds rush into the forest. Jangal-e Abr (Cloud Forest) is one of the oldest forests in Iran. It is the continuum of northern forests in the south of Alborz
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs nort ...
mountain range. It is located 30 km north east of Shahrud. The forest is full of steep hills, and a river runs with waterfalls.
** SHAHVAR peak, lies in 25 km north of Shahrud, from north near Negarman village and from south near Tash village, highest peak of East Elbruz mountain range with 4000 m high. Every year thousands of mountain climbers travel to this city to enjoy rock climbing and the surrounding landscapes.
* The Saljuki Mosque which is located in Bastam. Its construction dates to 1120 C.E.
* The Village of Kharaqan which is located 12 km from Bastam. It was a famous village during the 14th and the 15th centuries. The tomb of Abul-Hassan Kharaqani, who is one of the most famous ''Arefs'' (mystics
A mystic is a person who practices mysticism, or a reference to a mystery, mystic craft, first hand-experience or the occult.
Mystic may also refer to:
Places United States
* Mistick, an old name for parts of Malden and Medford, Massachusetts
* ...
) of the Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
groups of the 12th century, is located in this village. The brick building with its dome dates to the 12th century.
* The Byar Castle ruins, which is located on the south-eastern area of Bastam, and is near to the desert edge of Byarjomand. This castle has an old mosque and an old wall with three gates.
* Shahrud Museum: Dating from the later 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 ...
and early Pahlavi periods, originally belonging to the Shahrud Municipality and already located in the center of the town, this two-storied structure with brick facing was transformed into the present museum in 1988 after a series of major repair and renovation works. It houses both archaeological and ethnological sections.
Notable people
* Bayazid Bastami
Abū Yazīd Ṭayfūr bin ʿĪsā bin Surūshān al-Bisṭāmī (al-Basṭāmī) (d. 261/874–5 or 234/848–9), commonly known in the Iranian world as Bāyazīd Bisṭāmī ( fa, بایزید بسطامی), was a PersianWalbridge, John. "S ...
, (9th century) Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
* Abol-Hassan Kharaqani, (963-1033) Sufi
* Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq, surnamed al-Dibaj ("the handsome"), the younger full brother of Musa al-Kadhim, and son of Ja'far al-Sadiq appeared in Mecca in the year 200 A.H. / 815 C.E., in the aftermath of the revolt of Abu'l-Saraya, claiming tha ...
, (d.818 CE) historical personality
* Kourosh Yaghmaei, (born 1946) singer
* Mohammad Farhadi, (born 1949) politician
* Ali Farhadi, (born 1950) the first president of Shahrood University
* Ahmad Jalali, (born 1949) scholar
* Davoud Mirbagheri, (born 1958) film director
* Touka Neyestani
Touka Neyestani ( fa, توکا نیستانی) (born 1960) is an Iranian political cartoonist who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the brother of Mana Neyestani, who is also a cartoonist.
Life and career
Touka Neyestani was born in Tehra ...
, (born 1960) cartoonist
* Danial Hakimi, (born 1963) actor
* Zohreh Akhyani
Zohreh Akhyani ( fa, زهره اخیانی),(c. 1964) is the former Secretary General of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK). She was elected on 6 September 2011 to a two-year term.
Personal life
Akhyani is originally from Shahrud, Iran. She was ...
, (born 1964) MeK member and politician
* Anahita Nemati
Anahita Nemati ( fa, آناهیتا نعمتی; born July 11, 1977) also known as Ana Nemati is an Iranian actress and model.
She began acting in 1996. She first appeared on screen in a movie called Hiva and after that in a TV serial called ''Mos ...
, (born 1977) actress
* Laleh Eftekhari
Laleh Eftekhari ( fa, لاله افتخاری) is an Iranian conservative politician and former member of the Parliament of Iran
The Islamic Consultative Assembly ( fa, مجلس شورای اسلامی, Majles-e Showrā-ye Eslāmī), also call ...
, (born 1959) politician
* Abolfazl Fateh
Abolfazl Fateh ( fa, ابوالفضل فاتح; born 1966) is an Iranian journalist, medical doctor, and political activist, known as the founder of the state-run Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA).
Education
Abolfazl Fateh was born in Novembe ...
, politician
* Davood Mirbaqeri Director
Higher education
* Islamic Azad University of Shahrood
* Shahrood University of Medical Sciences
* Shahrood University of Technology
References
External links
Daily News Of Shahrood
{{Authority control
Populated places in Shahrud County
Cities in Semnan Province