Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the
fifth-most-populous city of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and the capital of
Fars Province, which has been historically known as
Pars () and
Persis
Persis ( grc-gre, , ''Persís''), better known in English as Persia ( Old Persian: 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿, ''Parsa''; fa, پارس, ''Pârs''), or Persia proper, is the Fars region, located to the southwest of modern-day Iran, now a province. T ...
.
As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 people, and its built-up area with
Sadra
The Iran Marine Industrial Company ( fa, شرکت صنعتی دریایی ایران), also known as SADRA, was founded in 1968 as a small ship repair yard in Bushehr. Since then, SADRA has established itself as the leading shipbuilding and shipr ...
was home to almost 1,800,000 inhabitants. A census in 2021 showed an increase in the city's population to 1,995,500 people. Shiraz is located in
southwestern Iran on the () seasonal river. Founded in the early Islamic period, the city has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years.
The earliest reference to the city, as ''Tiraziš'', is on
Elamite
clay tablets
In the Ancient Near East, clay tablets (Akkadian ) were used as a writing medium, especially for writing in cuneiform, throughout the Bronze Age and well into the Iron Age.
Cuneiform characters were imprinted on a wet clay tablet with a stylus ...
dated to 2000 BCE. The modern city was restored or founded by the
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by th ...
in 693 CE and grew prominent under the successive
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
Saffarid
The Saffarid dynasty ( fa, صفاریان, safaryan) was a Persianate dynasty of eastern Iranian origin that ruled over parts of Persia, Greater Khorasan, and eastern Makran from 861 to 1003. One of the first indigenous Persian dynasties to emer ...
and
Buyid dynasties in the 9th and 10th–11th centuries, respectively. In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, due to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of many
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 ...
scholars and artists. It was the capital of Iran during the
Zand dynasty
The Zand dynasty ( fa, سلسله زندیه, ') was an Iranian dynasty, founded by Karim Khan Zand (1751–1779) that initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later quickly came to expand to include much of the rest o ...
from 1750 until 1800. Two famous poets of Iran,
Hafez
Khwāje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
and
Saadi, are from Shiraz, whose tombs are located on the north side of the current city boundaries.
Shiraz is one of the top tourist cities Iran and it is known as the city of
poets,
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
, and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens due to the presence of many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen throughout the city, such as
Eram Garden
Eram Garden ( fa, باغ ارم, ''Bāgh-e Eram'') is a historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. The garden, and the building within it, are located at the northern shore of the Khoshk River in the Fars province.
History
It is unclear when cons ...
. Shiraz is also a famous tourist destination in the world. Every year many tourists come around the world visit Shiraz. Shiraz has historically had major
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
and
Christian communities. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid
mosaic
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
work of triangular design; silverware;
pile carpet
A knotted-pile carpet is a carpet containing raised surfaces, or piles, from the cut off ends of knots woven between the warp and weft. The Ghiordes/Turkish knot and the Senneh/Persian knot, typical of Anatolian carpets and Persian carpets, are ...
-weaving and weaving of
kilim
A kilim ( az, Kilim کیلیم; tr, Kilim; tm, Kilim; fa, گلیم ''Gilīm'') is a flat tapestry- woven carpet or rug traditionally produced in countries of the former Persian Empire, including Iran, the Balkans and the Turkic countries. Ki ...
, called and in the villages and among the tribes. Dominant industries in the city include the production of cement, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork, and
rugs
Rug or RUG may refer to:
* Rug, or carpet, a textile floor covering
* Rug, slang for a toupée
* Ghent University (''Rijksunversiteit Gent'', or RUG)
* Really Useful Group, or RUG, a company set up by Andrew Lloyd Webber
* Rugby railway station, N ...
. Shiraz also has a
major oil refinery and is a major centre for Iran's electronic industries: 53 percent of Iran's electronic investment has been centred in Shiraz. The city is home to Iran's first
solar powerplant. Recently, Shiraz's first
wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. Hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, now generate over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each yea ...
has been installed above
Mount Babakuhi near the city.
Etymology
![Shiraz from space](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Shiraz_from_space.jpg)
The earliest reference to the city is on
Elamite
clay tablets
In the Ancient Near East, clay tablets (Akkadian ) were used as a writing medium, especially for writing in cuneiform, throughout the Bronze Age and well into the Iron Age.
Cuneiform characters were imprinted on a wet clay tablet with a stylus ...
dated to 2000 BCE, found in June 1970, while digging to make a kiln for a brick factory in the south western corner of the city. The tablets written in ancient
Elamite
Elamite, also known as Hatamtite and formerly as Susian, is an extinct language that was spoken by the ancient Elamites. It was used in what is now southwestern Iran from 2600 BC to 330 BC. Elamite works disappear from the archeological record ...
name a city called ''Tiraziš''.
Phonetically
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds, or in the case of sign languages, the equivalent aspects of sign. Linguists who specialize in studying the physical properties of speech are phoneticians. ...
, this is interpreted as /tiračis/ or /ćiračis/. This name became Old Persian /širājiš/; through regular sound change comes the
modern Persian
New Persian ( fa, فارسی نو), also known as Modern Persian () and Dari (), is the current stage of the Persian language spoken since the 8th to 9th centuries until now in Greater Iran and surroundings. It is conventionally divided into thre ...
name ''Shirāz''. The name Shiraz also appears on clay sealings found at a 2nd-century CE
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 ...
ruin, east of the city. By some of the native writers, the name Shiraz has derived from a son of
Tahmuras
Tahmuras or Tahmures ( fa, تهمورث ,طهمورث, ; from Avestan ''Taxma Urupi'', meaning ''strong fox'') was the third Shah of the Pishdadian dynasty of Iran (Persia) according to Ferdowsi's epic poem, the ''Shahnameh''. He is considered th ...
, the third Shāh (King) of the world according to Ferdowsi's
Shāhnāma.
History
Pre-Islamic era
Though, there is no definitive record of its existence prior to the late 7th century CE, few archaeological finds dating from 1933 and beyond indicate that the site or vicinity of Shiraz was likely settled in the pre-Islamic era as early as the 6th century BCE.
[Berney and Ring, p. 644.] A number of
Sasanian
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
-era remains have been discovered around the city, including reliefs at
Barm-e Delak to the east and
Guyim to the northwest, and ruins of Sasanian fortresses at
Qasr-e Abu Nasr to the east and Fahandezh.
[Limbert, pp. 4–5.] The latter is identified with the fortress of Shahmobad mentioned as being in Shiraz by the 10th-century geographical work, ''
Hudud al-'alam''.
The names "Tirrazish" and "Shirrazish" were found on
Elamite tablets in
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 ...
, while Sasanian and early Islamic-era clay seals found at
Qasr-e-Abu Nasr mention the name "Shiraz" alongside the name of the Sasanian administrative district of the area,
Ardashir-Khwarrah
Ardashir-Khwarrah ( Middle Persian: ''Arđaxšēr-Xwarra'', meaning "glory of Ardashir") was one of the four (later five) administrative divisions of the Sasanian province of Pars. The other administrative divisions were Shapur-Khwarrah, Istakhr ...
.
[Limbert, p. 5.] According to the diplomat and academic
John Limbert, this indicates that the name "Shiraz" is traced back to the Elamite "Shirrazish" and that both refer to a settlement that existed at the site of Qasr-e-Abu Nasr.
Interpretations of what type of settlement ancient Shiraz was vary. According to Berney and Ring, the lack of references to Shiraz in early Persian sources suggests the city could not have been more than a way-station in the plain in which it lays.
On the other hand, according to
Abdolmajed Arfaee, Achaemenid-era Shiraz must have been one of the most important settlements in the area.
He bases this on its frequent appearance in the
Persepolis Administrative Archives
The Persepolis Fortification Archive and Persepolis Treasury Archive are two groups of clay administrative archives — sets of records physically stored together – found in Persepolis dating to the Achaemenid Persian Empire. The discover ...
(84 different tablets) as well as the number of workers present – in groups as large as 490.
Most textual references to Shiraz involve rations for workers; it is never mentioned as a travel destination.
Arfaee says that Sasanian Shiraz was relatively insignificant before its re-foundation in the early Islamic period.
According to John Limbert, however, Shiraz prospered between the 6th and 8th-centuries CE and was possibly the administrative center for the Shiraz plain until the modern city of Shiraz was founded.
Early Islamic era
The present city of Shiraz was founded or restored in 693 by
Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the brother of the
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...
viceroy of the eastern half of the
caliphate
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
,
al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, or the latter's kinsman
Muhammad ibn Qasim
Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim al-Thaqāfī ( ar, محمد بن القاسم الثقفي; –) was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh (part of modern Pakistan), inaugurating the Umayy ...
.
[Limbert, p. 4.] The Arab Muslim army had conquered the wider region of
Fars, where the site of Shiraz is located, in several expeditions launched from their garrison town of
Basra
Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is han ...
between 640 and 653, and specifically captured the immediate area around Shiraz early on, in 641. This area did not possess any cities, though there were a number of forts which were forced to pay tribute to the Arabs.
[Limbert, p. 6.] The Sasanians held firm in
Istakhr
Istakhr (Middle Persian romanized: ''Stakhr'', fa, اصطخر, translit=Istakhr also spelt استخر in modern literature) was an ancient city in Fars province, north of Persepolis in southwestern Iran. It flourished as the capital of the Per ...
, their capital in Fars, until the Arabs captured it in a heavy battle in 653, during which the plain of Shiraz had been utilized as an Arab campground.
Because of Istakhr's deep association with the Sasanian Empire and 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 ...
religion, the
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
sought to establish in nearby Shiraz a rival cultural and administrative center.
Thus, during its initial founding in 693, the city was planned to be much larger than
Isfahan.
However, the initial ambitions were not realized and Shiraz remained a "provincial backwater" in the shadow of Istakhr until at least the late 9th century, according to Limbert.
This is partly attributed to the reticence of the largely Zoroastrian population of Fars to inhabit the Islamic Arab city.
As the population gradually shifted to Islam from Zoroastrianism and Istakhr concurrently declined, Shiraz grew into the practical center of Fars.
According to Muslim traditional sources, Shiraz was used as a hideout by three of the brothers of the
Shia Muslim
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...
imam
Ali al-Ridha
Ali ibn Musa al-Rida ( ar, عَلِيّ ٱبْن مُوسَىٰ ٱلرِّضَا, Alī ibn Mūsā al-Riḍā, 1 January 766 – 6 June 818), also known as Abū al-Ḥasan al-Thānī, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the ...
following the latter's death in 817/18 and later by one of the brothers' sons, Ali ibn Hamza ibn Musa, until he was found and executed by 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 ...
authorities in circa 835. As Abbasid authority waned during this period, regional dynasties emerged with considerable autonomy.
In the late 9th century, the Iranian Muslim
Saffarid dynasty
The Saffarid dynasty ( fa, صفاریان, safaryan) was a Persianate dynasty of eastern Iranian origin that ruled over parts of Persia, Greater Khorasan, and eastern Makran from 861 to 1003. One of the first indigenous Persian dynasties to eme ...
under
Ya'qub ibn al-Layth made Shiraz the capital of their autonomous state, which encompassed most of modern-day Iran.
[Lambton, p. 473.] In 894, Ya'qub's brother and successor,
Amr, founded the city's first
congregational mosque, today known as the
Atigh Jame' Mosque
Jameh Mosque of Atigh is a 9th-century mosque in Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province, Iran, Atigh Jameh mosque (Atiq Mosque) the oldest mosque of Shiraz was built in celebration of the conquest of Shiraz by Saffarid Amroleiss in the year 276 AH ...
.
The Iranian
Buyid dynasty
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 ...
under
Imad al-Dawla Ali ibn Buya ousted the Saffarids in 933 and his nephew and successor,
'Adud al-Dawla Fana Khusraw, took over and ruled Fars between 949 and 983, and added Iraq, the seat of the Abbasid Caliphate, to his Shiraz-based domains in 977;
the Abbasids thenceforth became a puppet state of the Shiraz-based dynasty.
Shiraz developed into the largest and most prosperous city of Fars and an important economic and cultural center of the caliphate.
[Limbert, p. 9.] Adud al-Dawla had a large library, a hospital and several mosques,
bazaars,
caravanserais, palaces and gardens built in the city, while south of it he erected a fortified camp for his troops, known as Kard Fana Khusraw, in 974.
One of the congregational mosques built by Adud al-Dawla has survived until the present day.
Two Zoroastrian
fire temples also existed in Shiraz,
catering to the Persians who had not converted to Islam.
One of Adud al-Dawla's palaces stretched out for nearly three miles and consisted of 360 rooms.
Under the Buyids, Shiraz was divided into twelve quarters and had eight gates.
It owed its economic prosperity to the booming agricultural trade of Fars.
The city largely consumed the agricultural products of the province, including grapes, linen, wool, cotton,
collyrium In eye care, collyrium is an antique term for a lotion or liquid wash used as a cleanser for the eyes, particularly in diseases of the eye. The word ''collyrium'' comes from the Greek , eye-salve. The same name was also given to unguents used fo ...
, rose, violet and palm-blossom water.
It was also a market for rug weavers and painters to sell their pricey products, a testament to the residents' wealth.
At the time, wine, grains, gold and silver were exported from the Farsi port cities of
Siraf
Bandar Siraf ( fa, بندر سیراف), also Romanized as Bandar-e Sīraf; also known as Sīraf, Ṭāherī, and Tāhiri; as well as Bandar-e Ṭāherī and Bandar-i Ṭāhirī ( fa, بندر طاهری, Bandar-e Ṭāherī), is a city in the Ce ...
and Najairam.
Adud al-Dawla patronized scientific, medical and Islamic religious research in Shiraz.
The city was spared destruction by the invading
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
, when its local ruler offered tributes and submission to
Genghis Khan. Shiraz was again spared by
Tamerlane
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 ...
, when in 1382 the local monarch, Shah Shoja agreed to submit to the invader.
In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, thanks to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of many Persian scholars and artists. For this reason the city was named by classical geographers ''Dar al-'Elm'', the House of Knowledge. Among the Iranian poets, mystics and philosophers born in Shiraz were the poets
Sa'di[Persian Language & Literature: Saadi Shirazi, Sheikh Mosleh al-Din](_blank)
Iran Chamber Society. and
Hafiz,
the mystic
Ruzbehan, and the philosopher
Mulla Sadra
Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī, more commonly known as Mullā Ṣadrā ( fa, ملا صدرا; ar, صدر المتألهین) (c. 1571/2 – c. 1635/40 CE / 980 – 1050 AH), was a Persian Twelver Shi'i Islamic mystic, philosopher, the ...
.
[Rizvi, Sajjad (2002), ''Reconsidering the life of Mulla Sadra Shirazi'', Pembroke College, pp. 181] Thus Shiraz has been nicknamed "The Athens of Iran".
As early as the 11th century, several hundred thousand people inhabited Shiraz. In the 14th century Shiraz had sixty thousand inhabitants. During the 16th century it had a population of 200,000 people, which by the mid-18th century had decreased to only 55,000.
Safavid era
![76 Chardin Shiraz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/76_Chardin_Shiraz.jpg)
In 1504, Shiraz was captured by the forces of
Ismail I
Ismail I ( fa, اسماعیل, Esmāʿīl, ; July 17, 1487 – May 23, 1524), also known as Shah Ismail (), was the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Safavid Iran, Iran, ruling as its King of Kings (''Shahanshah'') from 1501 to 1524. His re ...
, the founder of the
Safavid dynasty. Throughout the
Safavid empire (1501–1722) Shiraz remained a provincial capital and
Emam Qoli Khan, the governor of Fars under
Shah Abbas I
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 so ...
, constructed many palaces and ornate buildings in the same style as those built during the same period in
Isfahan, the capital of the Empire.
After the fall of the Safavids, Shiraz suffered a period of decline, worsened by the raids of the
Afghans and the rebellion of its governor against
Nader Shah; the latter sent troops to suppress the revolt. The city was besieged for many months and eventually sacked. At the time of
Nader Shah's murder in 1747, most of the historical buildings of the city were damaged or ruined, and its population fell to 50,000, one-quarter of that during the 16th century.
Shiraz soon returned to prosperity under the rule of
Karim Khan Zand
Mohammad Karim Khan Zand ( fa, محمدکریم خان زند, Mohammad Karīm Khân-e Zand; ) was the founder of the Zand Dynasty, ruling from 1751 to 1779. He ruled all of Iran (Persia) except for Khorasan. He also ruled over some of the Ca ...
, who made it his capital in 1762. Employing more than 12,000 workers, he constructed a royal district with a fortress, many administrative buildings, a mosque, and one of the finest covered bazaars in Iran.
He had a moat built around the city, constructed an irrigation and drainage system, and rebuilt the city walls.
However, Karim Khan's heirs failed to secure his gains. When
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 dynasty, eventually came to power, he wreaked his revenge on Shiraz by destroying the city's fortifications and moving the national capital 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 ...
.
Although lowered to the rank of a provincial capital, Shiraz maintained a level of prosperity as a result of the continuing importance of the trade route to the Persian Gulf. Its governorship was a royal prerogative throughout the
Qajar dynasty.
Many of the famous gardens, buildings and residences built during this time contribute to the city's present skyline.
Shiraz is the birthplace of the co-founder of the
Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...
, the
Báb
The Báb (b. ʿAlí Muḥammad; 20 October 1819 – 9 July 1850), was the messianic founder of Bábism, and one of the central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. He was a merchant from Shiraz in Qajar Iran who, in 1844 at the age of 25, claimed ...
(Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad, 1819–1850). In this city, on the evening of 22 May 1844, he first declared his mission as the bearer of a new divine revelation.
For this reason Shiraz is a holy city for Baháʼís, and the city, particularly the house of the Báb, was identified as a place of
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
.
Due to the
hostile climate towards Baháʼís in Iran, the house has been the target of repeated attacks; the house was destroyed in 1979, to be paved over two years later and made into a public square.
In 1910, a
pogrom
A pogrom () is a violent riot incited with the aim of massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe 19th- and 20th-century attacks on Jews in the Russia ...
of the Jewish quarter started after
false rumours that the Jews had ritually murdered a Muslim girl. In the course of the riots, 12 Jews were murdered and about 50 were injured, and the 6,000 Jews of Shiraz were robbed of all their possessions.
During the
Pahlavi dynasty, Shiraz became the center of attention again. Many important landmarks like Tombs of Poets' such as
Sa'di and
Hafiz,
were constructed and presented to the public.
Lacking any great industrial, religious or strategic importance, Shiraz became an administrative center, although its population has nevertheless grown considerably since the 1979 revolution.
Bazar Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy, 1881.jpg, Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar ( fa, بازار وکیل) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly ...
Dieulafoy 1881
Women_from_Shiraz_as_seen_by_Jane_Dieulafoy_in_1881.jpg, Women from Shiraz Dieulafoy 1881
Shiraz_en_1671_André_Daulier_Deslandes.jpg, Shiraz, André D. Deslandes, 1671
Harold_f_Weston_-_Iran23.jpg, Qur'an Gate, Harold F. Weston
La_ville_de_Sieras_en_Perse.jpg, Shiraz, Jean Struys, 1681
Lotf_Ali_Khan.jpg, Lotf Ali Khan
Modern times
![Narenjestan qavam pic by erfan hosseinpour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Narenjestan_qavam_pic_by_erfan_hosseinpour.jpg)
The city's municipality and other related institutions have initiated restoration and reconstruction projects.
Some of the most recent projects have been the complete restoration of the
Arg of Karim Khan
The Arg of Karim Khan ( fa, ارگ کریم خان, ''Arg-e Karim Khān'') or Karim Khan Citadel, is a citadel located in downtown Shiraz, Iran. It was built as part of a complex during the Zand dynasty. It is named after Karim Khan, and served a ...
and of the Vakil Bath, as well as a comprehensive plan for the preservation of the old city quarters. Other noteworthy initiatives include the total renovation of the
Qur'an Gate and the mausoleum of the poet
Khwaju Kermani
Khwaju Kermani ( fa, خواجوی کرمانی; December 1290 – 1349) was a famous Persian poet and Sufi mystic from Iran.
Life
He was born in Kerman, Iran on 24 December 1290. His nickname Khwaju is a diminutive of the Persian word '' Khwaj ...
, both located in the Allah-u-Akbar Gorge, as well as the restoration and expansion of the mausoleum of the famous Shiraz-born poets Hafiz and Saadi.
Several different construction projects are currently underway that will modernize the city's infrastructure.
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 dyna ...
, Shiraz was re-established as the capital of Iranian Art and Culture among the people. Shiraz is known as the capital of Persian Art, Culture and Literature. However, the current government has tried to re-brand the city as "Sevomin haram-e ahle beit" meaning "Third home of Saints" referring to the
Shahcheragh shrine and some other holy places in the city.
Geography
![Shiraz Gardens](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Shiraz_Gardens.jpg)
Shiraz is located in the south of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and the northwest of
Fars province. It is built in a green plain at the foot of the
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
above sea level. Shiraz is 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 ...
.
A seasonal river, Dry River, flows through the northern part of the city and on into
Maharloo Lake. As of 1920, the area had a large forest of
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
trees.
Gardens
Shiraz contains a considerable number of gardens. Due to population growth in the city, many of these gardens may be lost to give way to new developments. Although some measures have been taken by the Municipality to preserve these gardens, many illegal developments still endanger them.
Climate
![Sunset in Shiraz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Sunset_in_Shiraz.JPG)
Shiraz's climate has distinct seasons, and is overall classed as a
cold semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(
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 ...
''BSk''), though it is only a little short of a
hot semi-arid climate (''BSh'') or a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(
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 ...
''Csa'').
Summers are hot, with a July average high of .
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...
s are cool, with average low temperatures below freezing in December and January. Around of rain falls each year, almost entirely in the winter months, though in some cases as much as this has fallen in a single month (as in January 1965 and December 2004),
whilst in the year from July 1965 to June 1966 as little as fell. The wettest year has been 1955/1956 with as much as , though since 1959 the highest has been around in each of 1995/1996 and 2004/2005.
Due to Shiraz' high elevation and low latitude, the
UV index
The ultraviolet index, or UV index, is an international standard measurement of the strength of the sunburn-producing ultraviolet (UV) radiation at a particular place and time. It is primarily used in daily and hourly forecasts aimed at the general ...
is extremely high during summer which is further exacerbated by the high frequency of sunshine.
Despite being in a relatively dry climate, extreme weather is not a rare occasion. On 25 March 2019, flash floods from heavy rains has resulted in 19 deaths and over 200 injuries.
The highest record temperature was on 3 July 2022
and the lowest record temperature was on 5 January 1973.
Economy
![Háfezova hrobka](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/H%C3%A1fezova_hrobka.jpg)
Shiraz is the economic center of southern Iran. The second half of the 19th century witnessed certain economic developments that greatly changed the economy of Shiraz. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 allowed the extensive import into southern Iran of inexpensive European factory-made goods, either directly from Europe or via India.
Farmers in unprecedented numbers began planting cash crops such as opium poppy, tobacco, and cotton. Many of these export crops passed through Shiraz on their way to the Persian Gulf. Iranian long-distance merchants from Fars developed marketing networks for these commodities, establishing trading houses in Bombay, Calcutta, Port Said, Istanbul and even Hong Kong.
Shiraz's economic base is in its provincial products, which include grapes, citrus fruits, cotton and rice.
Industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork and rugs dominate.
Shirāz also has a major oil refinery and is also a major center for Iran's electronic industries. 53% of Iran's electronic investment has been centered in Shiraz.
Agriculture has always been a major part of the economy in and around Shiraz. This is partially due to a relative abundance of water compared to the surrounding deserts. Shirāz is famous for its carpet production and flowers as well.
Viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
has a long history in the region, and
Shirazi wine
Shiraz wine refers to two different wines. Historically, the name refers to the wine produced around the city of Shiraz in present-day Iran.Entry on ''"Persia"'' in J. Robinson (ed), ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'', Third Edition, p. 512-513, ...
used to be produced here. Shiraz is also an Iranian center for
IT, communication,
electronic industry, and transportation.
The Shiraz Special Economic Zone or the SEEZ was established in 2000 with the purpose of boosting manufacturing in electronics and communications.
![Jameh-ye_Atigh_Mosque_-_muqarnas_-_edit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Jameh-ye_Atigh_Mosque_-_muqarnas_-_edit.jpg)
Shiraz is a major shopping destination in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, with more than 25 malls and 10
bazaars.
The
Persian Gulf Complex
Persian Gulf Complex is the 12th largest shopping mall in the world, located in Shiraz, Iran.
It is the second biggest mall in terms of the number of shops after Iran Mall. , located at the north end of the city, is the
largest mall in the world in terms of the number of shops.
The
Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar ( fa, بازار وکیل) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly ...
, one of the oldest
bazaars in the world, is located in the old city centre of Shiraz. Featuring courtyards, caravansarais, and bath houses, its shops sell different types of spices, Persian rugs, copper handicrafts and antiques.
Demography
, Shiraz has a population of 1,700,665 the majority of whom are
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 ...
. Most of the population of Shiraz are
Muslim. Shiraz also was home to a 20,000-strong
Jewish community
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, although most emigrated to the United States and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
in the latter half of the 20th century. Along with
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
Isfahan, Shiraz is one of the handful of Iranian cities with a sizable Jewish population and more than one active synagogue.
Shiraz also has a significant
Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...
population, the largest in the country after Tehran.
There are currently two functioning churches in Shiraz, one
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 ...
, the other,
Anglican.
Culture
Shiraz is known as the city of poets, gardens, wine,
nightingale
The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is no ...
s and flowers. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; carpet-weaving, and the making of the rugs called
gilim (Shiraz Kilim) and the blanket called
Jajim
Jajim (; ; ; ) also spelled as gelims, or Jajim-bafi, is a handmade, flat-woven textile made of colored natural fiber which is created and used in the majority of villages and rural areas of Iran. Other locations the Jajim is found include Azerbai ...
in the villages and among the tribes.
The garden is an important part of Iranian culture. There are many old gardens in Shiraz such as the
Eram garden
Eram Garden ( fa, باغ ارم, ''Bāgh-e Eram'') is a historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. The garden, and the building within it, are located at the northern shore of the Khoshk River in the Fars province.
History
It is unclear when cons ...
and the Afif abad garden. According to some people, Shiraz "disputes with
Xeres
Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , the c ...
r Jerez
R, or r, is the eighteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ar'' (pronounced ), plural ''ars'', or in Irela ...
in Spain the honour of being the birthplace of
sherry
Sherry ( es, jerez ) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versi ...
."
Shirazi wine
Shiraz wine refers to two different wines. Historically, the name refers to the wine produced around the city of Shiraz in present-day Iran.Entry on ''"Persia"'' in J. Robinson (ed), ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'', Third Edition, p. 512-513, ...
originates from the city; however, under the current Islamic regime, liquor cannot be consumed except by religious minorities.
Shiraz is proud of being mother land of
Hafiz Shirazi
Khwāje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
, Shiraz is a center for Iranian culture and has produced a number of famous poets.
Saadi, a 12th- and 13th-century poet was born in Shiraz. He left his native town at a young age for
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon. I ...
to study
Arabic literature
Arabic literature ( ar, الأدب العربي / ALA-LC: ''al-Adab al-‘Arabī'') is the writing, both as prose and poetry, produced by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is '' Adab'', which is derived from ...
and
Islamic sciences
The Islamic sciences ( ar, علوم الدين, ʿulūm al-dīn, lit=the sciences of religion) are a set of traditionally defined religious sciences practiced by Islamic scholars ( ), aimed at the construction and interpretation of Islamic relig ...
at
Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad
Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad ( ar, المدرسة النظامية), one of the first nezamiyehs, was established in 1065. In July 1091, Nizam al-Mulk appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali as a professor of the school. Offering free education, it has be ...
. When he reappeared in his native Shiraz he was an elderly man. Shiraz, under Atabak Abubakr Sa'd ibn Zangy (1231–1260) was enjoying an era of relative tranquility. Saadi was not only welcomed to the city but he was highly respected by the ruler and enumerated among the greats of the province. He seems to have spent the rest of his life in Shiraz. Hafiz, another famous poet and mystic was also born in Shiraz. A number of scientists also originate from Shiraz.
Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi
Qotb al-Din Mahmoud b. Zia al-Din Mas'ud b. Mosleh Shirazi (1236–1311) ( fa, قطبالدین محمود بن ضیاالدین مسعود بن مصلح شیرازی) was a 13th-century Persian polymath and poet who made contributions to a ...
, a 13th-century astronomer, mathematician, physician, physicist and scientist was from Shiraz. In his ''The Limit of Accomplishment concerning Knowledge of the Heavens'', he also discussed the possibility of
heliocentrism.
Tourism
Tourist attractions in Shiraz
The city is one of the key tourism sites in Iran, its cultural heritage is of global importance.
File:Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze (Shiraz) 001.jpg, Imamzadeh
An imamzadeh () is a Persian term with two related meanings: a type of holy person in Shia Islam, and the shrine-tomb of such a person.
Firstly, it means an immediate descendant of a Shi'i Imam. The term is also used in Urdu and Azeri. Imamzad ...
Ali ebn e Hamze
File:Delgosha Garden, Shiraz.jpg, Delgosha Garden
File:Ghavam Garden, Shiraz.jpg, Qavam House
Qavam House (also widely called, Narenjestan-e Ghavam) is a traditional and historical house and garden in Shiraz, Iran, built between 1879 and 1886. The building preserves the elegance and refinement enjoyed by the upper-class families during the ...
File:Nasir al- mulk mosque, Shiraz.jpg, Nasir ol Molk Mosque
The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque ( fa, مسجد نصیر الملک ''Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk''), also known as the Pink Mosque (مسجد صورتی ''Masjed-e Surati''), is a traditional mosque in Shiraz, Iran. It is located near Shāh Chérāgh Mosque. ...
File:Afif-Abad Garden, Shiraz.jpg, Afif-Abad Garden (Arms Museum)
File:Eram Garden 94.jpg, Eram Garden
Eram Garden ( fa, باغ ارم, ''Bāgh-e Eram'') is a historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. The garden, and the building within it, are located at the northern shore of the Khoshk River in the Fars province.
History
It is unclear when cons ...
File:Shahpouri-House-in-Shiraz-Persia-Photo-by-Hossein-Amini.jpg, Shapouri House
File:Mausoleo de Saadi, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 02.jpg, Tomb of Saadi
The Tomb of Saadi, commonly known as Saadieh ( fa, سعدیه), is a tomb and mausoleum dedicated to the Persian people, Persian poet Saadi Shirazi, Saadi in the Iranian city of Shiraz. Saadi was buried at the end of his life at a Khanqah at the c ...
File:Khwaju Kermani's tomb, Shiraz.jpg, Khwaju Kermani
Khwaju Kermani ( fa, خواجوی کرمانی; December 1290 – 1349) was a famous Persian poet and Sufi mystic from Iran.
Life
He was born in Kerman, Iran on 24 December 1290. His nickname Khwaju is a diminutive of the Persian word '' Khwaj ...
's tomb
File:Mausoleo de Shah Cheragh, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 32.jpg, Shah Cheragh
Shāh Chérāgh ( fa, شاه چراغ) or Shahcheragh Shrine is the tomb of Ahmed bin Musa ( Imam Reza's brother) in the center of Shiraz. It is the third most important shrine in Shia Islam in Iran, after the Imam Reza shrine and Fatima Mas ...
* The tombs of
Hafiz,
Saadi, and
Khaju e Kermani (whose tomb is inside a mountain above the city's old
Qur'an Gate). Other lesser known tombs are that of
Shah Shoja' (the
Mozafarid emir of Persia, and patron of Hafiz), and the ''Haft Tanan mausoleum'', where seven
Sufi mystics are buried. The Tomb of
Baba Kuhi sits atop a mountain overlooking the city, and the tomb of
Karim Khan
Mohammad Karim Khan Zand ( fa, محمدکریم خان زند, Mohammad Karīm Khân-e Zand; ) was the founder of the Zand Dynasty, ruling from 1751 to 1779. He ruled all of Iran (Persia) except for Khorasan. He also ruled over some of the Cau ...
Zand is at the
Pars Museum of Shiraz.
* The oldest mosque is
Atigh Jame' Mosque
Jameh Mosque of Atigh is a 9th-century mosque in Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province, Iran, Atigh Jameh mosque (Atiq Mosque) the oldest mosque of Shiraz was built in celebration of the conquest of Shiraz by Saffarid Amroleiss in the year 276 AH ...
, which is one of the older mosques of Iran, followed by
Vakil Mosque
The Vakil Mosque ( fa, مسجد وکیل - ''Masjed-e Vakil'') is a mosque in Shiraz, southern Iran, situated to the west of the Vakil Bazaar next to its entrance. This mosque was built between 1751 and 1773, during the Zand period; however, it ...
and
Nasir al-Mulk mosque. The Vakil Mosque is situated west of the famous
Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar ( fa, بازار وکیل) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly ...
. It covers an area of and was built in 1187 (AH) during the Zand Dynasty. On the two sides of the entrance gate there are magnificent tile-works and arches. The left and right corridors of the entrance gate are connected to the main room.
* The citadel of
Arg of Karim Khan
The Arg of Karim Khan ( fa, ارگ کریم خان, ''Arg-e Karim Khān'') or Karim Khan Citadel, is a citadel located in downtown Shiraz, Iran. It was built as part of a complex during the Zand dynasty. It is named after Karim Khan, and served a ...
sits adjacent to the
Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar ( fa, بازار وکیل) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly ...
and
Vakil Bath
Vakil Bath, Wakil Bath, or Wakil Hammam is an old public bathhouse (''hammam'') in Shiraz, Iran. It was a part of the royal district constructed during Karim Khan Zand's reign (1751–1779) which includes the Arg of Karim Khan, Vakil Bazaar, V ...
at the city's central district. The most famous of houses are Zinat-ol-Moluk House and
Gahavam's House, both in the old quarters of the city.
* The
Qur'an Gate is the entrance to Shiraz. It is located near the gorge of Allah-o-Akbar and is flanked by the Baba Kuhi and Chehel Maqam mountains. The gateway once contained two hand-written Qur'āns by
Sultan Ibrahim Bin Shahrukh Gurekani in an upper room, which have now been moved to the Pars Museum.
* The
Eram Garden
Eram Garden ( fa, باغ ارم, ''Bāgh-e Eram'') is a historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. The garden, and the building within it, are located at the northern shore of the Khoshk River in the Fars province.
History
It is unclear when cons ...
(Bagh-e Eram) in Shiraz is a striking location for visitors with a variety of plants as well as a historic mansion. Although the exact date of the construction of the garden is not clear, historical evidence suggests it was constructed during the Seljuk Dynasty on the orders of the celebrated Seljuk monarch Sanjar. Other historical
Persian garden
The tradition and style of garden design represented by Persian gardens or Iranian gardens ( fa, باغ ایرانی), an example of the paradise garden, has influenced the design of gardens from Andalusia to India and beyond. The gardens of the ...
s are
Afifabad Garden and The Museum of Weapons,
Delgosha Garden and Jahan Nama Garden.
Pars Museum, Shiraz.jpg, Pars Museum
Atigh Mosque, Shiraz.jpg, Atigh Mosque
Luna Park, Shiraz.jpg, Luna Park
Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-s ...
Jahan Nama Garden, Shiraz.jpg, Jahan Nama Garden
Saraye Moshir, Shiraz.jpg, Saraye Moshir
Ghavam ol Molk House, Shiraz.jpg, Ghavam ol Molk Mansion
Zinat ol Molk House, Shiraz.jpg, Zinat ol Molk Mansion
Saadat House, Shiraz.jpg, Saadat Mansion
Bazaar de Vakil, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 55.jpg, Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar ( fa, بازار وکیل) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly ...
Vakil mosque Panorama.jpg, Vakil Mosque
The Vakil Mosque ( fa, مسجد وکیل - ''Masjed-e Vakil'') is a mosque in Shiraz, southern Iran, situated to the west of the Vakil Bazaar next to its entrance. This mosque was built between 1751 and 1773, during the Zand period; however, it ...
Vakil water storage.jpg, Water Museum
Baños de Vakil, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 36-38 HDR.jpg, Vakil Bath
Vakil Bath, Wakil Bath, or Wakil Hammam is an old public bathhouse (''hammam'') in Shiraz, Iran. It was a part of the royal district constructed during Karim Khan Zand's reign (1751–1779) which includes the Arg of Karim Khan, Vakil Bazaar, V ...
Stone Museum, Shiraz.jpg, Stone Museum
Madresyekhaan_(1).JPG, Khan School
Mausoleo de Emir Ali, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 27-29 HDR.jpg, Mausoleum of Emir Ali
Tourist attractions
*
Margoon Waterfall
Margoon (Margun) Waterfall is located in the Fars Province, Fars province of Iran near the city of Ardakan, Fars, Sepidan. Its name means in Persian language, Persian "snake like".
The height of the waterfall is 70 meters and its width is 100 m. T ...
is located in the
Fars Province of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
near the city of
Sepidan. Its name means in
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 ...
"snake like".
*
Shapur cave is located in the
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains ( ar, جبال زاغروس, translit=Jibal Zaghrus; fa, کوههای زاگرس, Kuh hā-ye Zāgros; ku, چیاکانی زاگرۆس, translit=Çiyakani Zagros; Turkish: ''Zagros Dağları''; Luri: ''Kuh hā-ye Zāgr ...
, in southern
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 ...
, about from the ancient city of
Bishapur
Bishapur (Middle Persian: ''Bay-Šāpūr''; fa, بیشاپور}, ''Bishâpûr'') was an ancient city in Sasanid Persia (Iran) on the ancient road between Persis and Elam. The road linked the Sassanid capitals Estakhr (very close to Persepolis ...
. This cave is near
Kazerun
Kazeroon ( fa, کازرون, also Romanized as Kāzerūn, Kāzeroūn, and Kazeroon; also known as Kasrun) is a city and capital of Kazeroon County, Fars Province, Iran. In 2016, as the fifth big city in the province, its population was 96,683. ...
in Chogan valley, which was the site of polo (Persian ''čōgān'' چُوگان), in the Sasanian period.
*
Sangtarashan cave
Sangtarashan cave ( fa, غار سنگتراشان, also known as Sangshekanan cave and Sangeshkan cave) is located in the Jahrom, in southern Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a cou ...
is located in the
Jahrom
Jahrom ( fa, جهرم, also known as Jahrūm) is a city and capital of Jahrom County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 141,634. Jahrom is the largest city in south of Fars Province and the second one in whole province ...
, in southern
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 the largest handmade cave in the world. It has several corridors, columns and openings.
*
Palace of Ardashir, also known as the ''Atash-kadeh'', is a castle located on the slopes of the mountain on which
Dezh Dokhtar is situated. Built in AD 224 by King
Ardashir I of the
Sassanian 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 ...
, it is located north of the ancient city of ''Gor'', i.e. the old city of
Piruz-Apad in
Pars, in ancient
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 ...
(
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 ...
).
*
Pooladkaf
Pooladkaf opened in 2002 is a ski resort in the southwest of Iran.{{Cite web, date=2017-03-08, title=Ski competitions in Pooladkaf ski resort, url=https://en.mehrnews.com/photo/124084/Ski-competitions-in-Pooladkaf-ski-resort, access-date=2021-03-3 ...
is a
ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area – a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In Nort ...
in the south of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. It opened in 2002. In spite of its low latitude, it receives adequate snow due to its high elevation (usually of snow in February). The skiing season starts in December and lasts to the end of March, or in some years April.
* The
Sarvestan Palace
The Sassanid Palace at Sarvestan ( fa, کاخ ساسانی سروستان ''kakh-eh Sassani-ye Sarvestan'') is a Sassanid-era building in the Iranian city of Sarvestan, some 90 km southeast from the city of Shiraz. The palace was built i ...
is a
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 building in the
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 ...
ian city of
Sarvestan, some southeast from the city of Shiraz. The palace was built in the 5th century AD, and was either a gubernatorial residence or a
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 ...
fire temple.
*
Qal'eh Dokhtar
Qal'eh Dokhtar or Ghale Dokhtar or Dokhtar Castle or Dezh Dokhtar ( fa, دژ دختر, "The Maiden Castle"), is a castle made by Ardashir I, in present-day Fars, Iran, in 209 AD. It is located on a mountain slope near the Firouzabad-Kavar road.
...
, is a castle made by
Ardashir I, in present-day
Fars,
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 ...
, in 209 AD. It is located on a mountain slope near the
Firouzabad
Firuzabad ( fa, فيروزآباد or Piruzabad, also Romanized as Fīrūzābād; Middle Persian: Gōr or Ardashir-Khwarrah, literally "The Glory of Ardashir"; also Shahr-e Gūr ) is a city and capital of Firuzabad County, Fars Province, Iran. A ...
-
Kavar
Kavar ( fa, كوار, also Romanized as Kavār; also known as Kaval) is a city and capital of Kavar County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 22,158, in 4,753 families.
See also
*Ardashir-Khwarrah
Ardashir-Khwarrah ( ...
road.
*
Maharloo Lake. Maharloo is a seasonal salt lake about an hour away from Shiraz, with a dominant pink hue because of the amount of red tide in it; however, the strength of the color differs in various times of the year. It is also known as the pink lake.
Margoon_Waterfall_-_panoramio.jpg, Margoon Waterfall
Margoon (Margun) Waterfall is located in the Fars Province, Fars province of Iran near the city of Ardakan, Fars, Sepidan. Its name means in Persian language, Persian "snake like".
The height of the waterfall is 70 meters and its width is 100 m. T ...
Shapour_statue.jpg, Shapur cave
غار سنگتراشان جهرم.jpg, Sangtarashan cave
Sangtarashan cave ( fa, غار سنگتراشان, also known as Sangshekanan cave and Sangeshkan cave) is located in the Jahrom, in southern Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a cou ...
Gole ashk (2536129888).jpg, Plain of Fritillaria imperialis, Sepidan County
Sepidan County ( fa, شهرستان سپیدان) is located in Fars 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 ...
Pooladkaf Ski Resort.jpg, Pooladkaf Ski Resort
Sarvestan_Palace_4.jpg, Sassanid Palace at Sarvestan
Ghaledokhtar Firuzabad Fars.jpg, Qal'eh Dokhtar
Qal'eh Dokhtar or Ghale Dokhtar or Dokhtar Castle or Dezh Dokhtar ( fa, دژ دختر, "The Maiden Castle"), is a castle made by Ardashir I, in present-day Fars, Iran, in 209 AD. It is located on a mountain slope near the Firouzabad-Kavar road.
...
Neighborhoods
List of neighborhoods in Shiraz:
* Zargari
* Abivardi
* Farhang Shahr
* Qasrodasht
* Koshan
* Kuye Zahra
* Ma'ali Abad
* Molla Sadra
* Shahcheragh
* Riyasati Avval
* Riyasati Dovvom
*
Shahrak-e-Golestan
* Shahrak-e-Sadra
* Tachara
* Zerehi
* Kolbeh Saadi
* Podonak
* Payegah
* Eram
* Bagh-e Nari (Narvan)
* Siahatgar BLVD
* Abiari Ave
* Artesh square (Army Square)
* Bridgestone
* Babakuhi
* Kuye Jamaran(siman)
* Baskul Nader
* Talkhedash
* Kaftarak
* Sare Dozak
* Chamran
* Sange Siah
* Amir Kabir Blvd
* Modares
* Dinakan
* Darvazeh Kazeron
* Darvaze Isfahan
* Bagh Safa
* Atlasi
* Derki
* See also:
Saadi Street Saadi, Sadī, Sadi, or SADI may refer to:
People
* Sadi (name)
* Saadi dynasty, a dynasty of Morocco
Places
* Sədi, village in Azerbaijan
* Sadi, East Azerbaijan, a village in Iran
* Sadi, Marand, a village in Iran
* Sadi, Kerman, a village in ...
Higher education
Shiraz is home to a vibrant academic community. The
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) ( fa, دانشگاه علوم پزشکی شیراز Dāneshgāh-e Olum Pezeshki-e Shirāz) is a public medical school located in Shiraz, Iran. It is ranked as one of Iran's top medical schools, with ...
was the first university in Shiraz and was founded in 1946. Much older is the august Madrasa-e-Khan, or
Khan Theological School, with about 600 students; its tile-covered buildings date from 1627.
Today
Shiraz University
Shiraz University ( fa, دانشگاه شیراز ''Dāneshgāh-e-Shirāz'', formerly known as Pahlavi University دانشگاه پهلوی ''Dāneshgāh-e Pahlavi'') is a public university located in Shiraz, Fars, Iran, established in 1946. ...
is the largest university in the province, and one of Iran's best academic centers. Other major universities in or nearby Shiraz are the
Islamic Azad University of Shiraz
The Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch ( fa, دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد شیراز, ''Danushgah-e Âzad-e Eslâmi-ye Vahed-e Shiraz'') is a private university located in Shiraz, Iran. It is a part of private chain of univer ...
,
Shiraz University of Technology, and
Shiraz University of Applied Science and Technology.
The
Shiraz Regional Library of Science and Technology is the largest provincial library serving the public.
Virtual University of Shiraz is one of the sub colleges of
Shiraz University
Shiraz University ( fa, دانشگاه شیراز ''Dāneshgāh-e-Shirāz'', formerly known as Pahlavi University دانشگاه پهلوی ''Dāneshgāh-e Pahlavi'') is a public university located in Shiraz, Fars, Iran, established in 1946. ...
.
Transportation
Airports
Shiraz International Airport
Shiraz International Airport ( fa, فرودگاه بینالمللی شیراز) is an international airport located in Shiraz, Iran. It is the main international airport of Fars province and southern region of Iran. It is also the largest a ...
serves as the largest airport in the southern region of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. After undergoing renovation and redevelopment work in 2005, Shiraz Airport was identified as the second-most-reliable and -modern airport in Iran (after
Imam Khomeini International Airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport is the primary international airport of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, located southwest of Tehran, near the localities of Robat Karim and Eslamshahr and spread over an area of of land. Along with Mehr ...
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 ...
) in terms of flight safety including electronic and navigation control systems of its flight tower.
Metro
![Vakil Roaya Metro Station 1399060617504232121062774](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Vakil_Roaya_Metro_Station_1399060617504232121062774.jpg)
Construction of a
metro system
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
was started in 2001 by the Shiraz Urban Railway Organization. The plan is to create six lines. The length of the first Line is , the length of the second line will be approximately . The length of the third line will be . 21 stations were built in route one.
The first three lines, when completed, will have 32 stations below ground, six above, and one special station connected to the
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 prep ...
. The first line was started in October 2014 between Shahid Dastgheib (airport) Metro Station and
Ehsan Ihsan (also transliterated as Ehsan; Arabic, Persian and ur, إحسان or , ku, ئیحسان) is an Arabic masculine given name.
Given name
; Ihsan
* İhsan Oktay Anar (born 1960), Turkish writer
* İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil (1908–1993), Tur ...
stations. A single ticket costs 10000 rials, with trains operating every 15 minutes. Line 1 is extended from the airport To Ehsan Square (northern part).
Bus
![ناوگان اتوبوسرانی شیراز (4)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%88%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C_%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B2_%284%29.jpg)
Shiraz has 71 bus lines. Iran's third Bus Rapid Transit opened in Shiraz in 2009 with two lines, and a further two planned to open in 2010. Service is free on 5 May, the day of the city.
Rail
![Shiraz Train Station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Shiraz_Train_Station.jpg)
Shiraz is connected with the rest of
Iran's railway network. The trains arrive and leave from
Shiraz railway station, Iran's largest railway station according to surface area. It has passenger trains, operating six days per week to
Isfahan,
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
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 ...
.
Roads
![Shiraz 2020 (18)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Shiraz_2020_%2818%29.jpg)
There are 700,000 cars in the city of Shiraz.
*
Road 63
*
Road 93
Sports
Football is the most popular sport in Shiraz and the city has many teams in this sport. The most notable of these teams is
Bargh Shiraz
, ''Lâlahhai-ye Naranji'')
, shortname =
, founded =
, dissolved =
, ground = Hafezieh StadiumShirazIran
, capacity = 20,000
, chairman = Hadi Shirvani Shiri
, owner = Hadi Shirvani Shiri and Amir Arsalan ...
who are one of the oldest teams in Iran, Bargh was once a regular member of the
Persian Gulf Pro League
The Persian Gulf Pro League ( fa, لیگ برتر خلیج فارس, ''Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs''), formerly known as the Iran Pro League ( fa, links=no, لیگ برتر ایران, ''Lig-e bartar-e Irân''), is the highest division of profe ...
; however, financial issues and poor management have led them dropping to
League 3 where they currently play. Shiraz's other major football team is
Fajr Sepasi
Fajr Shahid Sepasi Shiraz Football Club ( fa, باشگاه فرهنگى ورزشى فجر شهید سپاسی شیراز, ''Bashgah-e Futbal-e Fajr-e Sepasi-ye Shiraz''), commonly known as Fajr Sepasi Shiraz, or Fajr Sepasi, is an Iranian football ...
who also played in the
Persian Gulf Pro League
The Persian Gulf Pro League ( fa, لیگ برتر خلیج فارس, ''Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs''), formerly known as the Iran Pro League ( fa, links=no, لیگ برتر ایران, ''Lig-e bartar-e Irân''), is the highest division of profe ...
; however, now they play in the second tier
Azadegan League. Shiraz is host to a number of smaller and lesser known teams as well, such as
Kara Shiraz,
New Bargh and
Qashaei who all play in
League 2.
The main sporting venue in Shiraz is
Hafezieh Stadium
The Hafeziyeh Stadium ( fa, ورزشگاه حافظیه) is a multi-purpose stadium in Shiraz, Iran. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Persian Gulf League side, Fajr Sepasi F.C. The stadium also is use ...
which can hold up to 20,000 people. The stadium is the venue for many of the cities football matches and has occasionally hosted the
Iran national football team
) ''(the national team)' other nicknames''
, Badge = Flag_of_Iran.svg
, Badge_size = 190px
, Association = Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran
, FIFA Trigramme = IRN
, FIFA Rank ...
. Shiraz is also home to another stadium,
Pars Stadium, which was completed in 2017, and can host up to 50,000 spectators.
Famous people
Rulers and political figures
*
Absh Khatun, 13th-century ruler
*
Karim Khan
Mohammad Karim Khan Zand ( fa, محمدکریم خان زند, Mohammad Karīm Khân-e Zand; ) was the founder of the Zand Dynasty, ruling from 1751 to 1779. He ruled all of Iran (Persia) except for Khorasan. He also ruled over some of the Cau ...
, the ruler and de facto
Shah
Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
of Iran from 1760 until 1779, made Shiraz his capital
*
Valerie Jarrett
Valerie June Jarrett ( Bowman; born November 14, 1956) is an American businesswoman and former government official. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Obama Foundation. She previously served as the senior advisor to U.S. ...
, senior advisor to
United States President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
, born in Shiraz to African-American parents.
*
Kamran Bagheri Lankarani
Kamran Bagheri Lankarani ( fa, کامران باقری لنکرانی; born 1965) is an Iranian physician and politician who was Minister of Health and Medical Education from 2005 until 2009.
Born in 1965, he finished medical school at Shiraz U ...
was
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 ...
's
Minister of Health and Medical Education
The Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) has executive responsibility for health and medical education within the Iranian government. The MOHME comprises five departments headed by deputy ministers:
# Research and Technology
#Educati ...
*
Jimmy Delshad, 67th and 70th
Mayor of Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California was incorporated January 24, 1914. The City Council members of Beverly Hills are elected by the voters. The rotating positions of Mayor and Vice Mayor are selected by the City Council from among themselves. The following ...
Religious figures, philosophers and theologians
*
Mu'ayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi
Al-Mu'ayyad fid-din Abu Nasr Hibat Allah b. Abi 'Imran Musa b. Da'ud ash-Shirazi (c. 1000 CE/390 AH – 1078 CE/470 AH) was an 11th-century Isma'ili scholar, philosopher-poet, preacher and theologian of Persian origin. He served the Fatimid C ...
lived during the
Fatimid Caliphate and was considered one of the most learned scholars of that time, known as an author of Islamic books, a poet, and scientist.
*
Mulla Sadra
Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī, more commonly known as Mullā Ṣadrā ( fa, ملا صدرا; ar, صدر المتألهین) (c. 1571/2 – c. 1635/40 CE / 980 – 1050 AH), was a Persian Twelver Shi'i Islamic mystic, philosopher, the ...
, Islamic philosopher, theologian who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century
*
Siyyid 'Alí Muḥammad Shírází, the founder of
Bábism
Bábism (a.k.a. the Bábí Faith; fa, بابیه, translit=Babiyye) is a religion founded in 1844 by the Báb (b. ʻAli Muhammad), an Iranian merchant turned prophet who taught that there is one incomprehensible God who manifests his will in ...
, and one of three central figures of the
Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...
Academics and scientists
*
Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi
Qotb al-Din Mahmoud b. Zia al-Din Mas'ud b. Mosleh Shirazi (1236–1311) ( fa, قطبالدین محمود بن ضیاالدین مسعود بن مصلح شیرازی) was a 13th-century Persian polymath and poet who made contributions to a ...
, 13th-century Iranian poet and scholar
*
Sibawayh
Sibawayh ( ar, سِيبَوَيْهِ ' or ; fa, سِیبُویه ' ; c. 760–796), whose full name is Abu Bishr Amr ibn Uthman ibn Qanbar al-Basri (, '), was a Persian leading grammarian of Basra and author of the earliest book on Arabic ...
, was an influential linguist and grammarian of the Arabic language
*
Firouz Naderi, Scientist and currently the Director for
Solar System Exploration
This is a timeline of Solar System exploration ordered by date of spacecraft launch. It includes:
*All spacecraft that have left Earth orbit for the purposes of Solar System exploration (or were launched with that intention but failed), inclu ...
at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
*
Gholam A. Peyman, inventor of
LASIK
LASIK or Lasik (''laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis''), commonly referred to as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is a type of refractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and an actual cure for astigmatism, sinc ...
*
Ali Asghar Khodadoust, Professor of
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
, originator of the
Khodadoust line method
*
M. Hashem Pesaran, Most famous Iranian Economist, Emeritus Professor of Economics at University of Cambridge
*
Farshid Delshad, linguist and translator
*
Reza Negarestani, philosopher and writer
Poets and writers
*
Saadi, poet of the
medieval period
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
*
Hafez
Khwāje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī ( fa, خواجه شمسالدین محمّد حافظ شیرازی), known by his pen name Hafez (, ''Ḥāfeẓ'', 'the memorizer; the (safe) keeper'; 1325–1390) and as "Hafiz", ...
, poet
*
Shahriyar Mandanipour, writer
*
Simin Daneshvar
Simin Dāneshvar ( fa, سیمین دانشور) (28 April 1921 – 8 March 2012) was an Iranian academic, novelist, fiction writer and translator.
She was largely regarded as the first major Iranian woman novelist. Her books dealt with the ...
, novelist and author
*
Mehdi Hamidi Shirazi, contemporary poet
*
Fereidoon Tavallali, contemporary poet and intellectual
*
Abdolali Dastgheib ʻAbd al-ʻAlī (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد العلي) is a male Muslim given name. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-ʻAlī'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names. It m ...
, literary critic writer
Other artists
*
Shirazeh Houshiary, artist, born in Shiraz in 1955, lives in London
*
Arsi Nami award-winning singer and songwriter
*
Ebrahim Golestan
Ebrahim Golestan ( fa, , born 19 October 1922) is an Iranian filmmaker and literary figure with a career spanning half a century. He has lived in Sussex, United Kingdom, since 1975.
He was closely associated with the eminent Iranian poet Forou ...
, writer and filmmaker
*
Tooji
Touraj Keshtkar ( fa, تورج کشتکار; born 26 May 1987), known professionally as Tooji, is a Norwegian singer, painter, model and television host. He represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan and finished 2 ...
, singer, model and television host; represented
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2012
The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was the 57th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, following the country's victory at the with the song " Running Scared" by the duo Ell & Nikki. It was the first time Azerb ...
in
Baku,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
.
*
Bahar Pars, actress.
Others
*
Mohammad Namazi, philanthropist & founder of the Namazi hospital in Shiraz. This later became the catalyst for the establishment of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 1955; one of the country's top medical schools
*
Mohammad Bahmanbeigi, activist, founding father of instructions for tribes in Iran
*
Omid Norouzi, Iranian wrestler, world and Olympic champion
*
Abbas Dowran, Skillful phantom and fighter jet pilot who died during the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Ba'athist Iraq, Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations S ...
Twin towns – sister cities
Shiraz is
twinned with:
*
Chongqing, China
*
Dushanbe
Dushanbe ( tg, Душанбе, ; ; russian: Душанбе) is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. , Dushanbe had a population of 863,400 and that population was largely Tajik. Until 1929, the city was known in Russian as Dyushambe (ru ...
, Tajikistan
*
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
, China
*
Nicosia, Cyprus
*
Pécs
Pécs ( , ; hr, Pečuh; german: Fünfkirchen, ; also known by other #Name, alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the fifth largest city in Hungary, on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the countr ...
, Hungary
*
Weimar
Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
, Germany
Panoramic view
See also
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1853 Shiraz earthquake
The Fars region of Iran was struck by a major earthquake on either 22 April or 5 May 1853. The city of Shiraz and the surrounding area were severely affected, with almost all buildings destroyed. At least 9,000 people were killed, with some estima ...
– killed at least 9,000 people
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Shiraz Arts Festival
The Shiraz Festival of Arts ( Persian: جشنواره هنر شیراز) was an annual international summer arts festival, held in Iran bringing about the encounter between the East and the West. It was held from 1967 to 1977 in the city of Shiraz ...
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Shirazi salad
Shirazi salad ( fa, سالاد شیرازی ''sālād shirāzi'') is an Iranian salad that originated from and is named after Shiraz in southern Iran. It is a relatively modern dish, dating to sometime after the introduction of the tomato to Iran ...
– originated from and is named after Shiraz
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References
Bibliography
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External links
360° VR panorama gallery of Shiraz
{{Authority control
Cities in Fars Province