Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quru River valley in Iran's historic Azerbaijan region between long ridges of volcanic cones in the Sahand and

Eynali Eynali is a mountain range in north of Tabriz, Iran. The range has a couple of peaks including Eynali (1800 m), Halileh (1850 m), Pakeh-chin (1945 m), Bahlul (1985 m) and the highest one Dand (2378 m).Lake Urmia, to the west. With cold winters and temperate summers, Tabriz is considered a summer resort. It was named World Carpet Weaving City by the World Crafts Council in October 2015 and Exemplary Tourist City of 2018 by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. With a population of over 1.7 million (2016), Tabriz is the largest economic hub and metropolitan area in northwest Iran. The population is bilingual, speaking

Azerbaijani Azerbaijani may refer to: * Something of, or related to Azerbaijan * Azerbaijanis * Azerbaijani language See also * Azerbaijan (disambiguation) * Azeri (disambiguation) * Azerbaijani cuisine * Culture of Azerbaijan The culture of Azerbaijan ...

and Persian. Tabriz is a major heavy industries hub for automobiles, machine tools, refineries, petrochemicals, textiles and cement production industries. The city is famous for its handicrafts, including hand-woven rugs and jewellery. Local confectionery, chocolate, dried nuts and traditional Tabrizi food are recognised throughout Iran as some of the best. Tabriz is also an academic hub and a site for some of the most prestigious cultural institutes in Northwest Iran. Tabriz contains many historical monuments, representing Iran's architectural transition throughout its deep history. Most of Tabriz's preserved historical sites belong to Ilkhanid,

Safavid Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...

and Qajar. Among these sites is the grand Bazaar of Tabriz, which is designated a World Heritage Site. From the early modern era, Tabriz was pivotal in the development, movement and economy of its three neighboring regions; namely the Caucasus, Eastern Anatolia and Central Iran. In the modern era the city played a vital role in the history of Iran. As the country's closest hub to Europe, many aspects of early modernisation in Iran began in Tabriz. Prior to forced ceding of the Qajar dynasty's Caucasian territories to

Imperial Russia The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...

, following two Russo-Persian Wars in the first half of the 19th century, Tabriz was at the forefront of Iranian rule over its Caucasian territories. Until 1925, the city was the traditional residence of the Qajar crown princes.

Etymology

According to some sources, including '' Encyclopædia Britannica'', the name ''Tabriz'' derives from ''tap-riz'' ('flowing hot'), from the many

thermal springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by c ...

in the area. Other sources claim that in AD 246, to avenge his brother's death, king Tiridates II of Armenia repelled

Ardashir I Ardashir I (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭥𐭲𐭧𐭱𐭲𐭥, Modern Persian: , '), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new emp ...

of the

Sassanid 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 last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...

and changed the name of the city from Shahistan to Tauris, deriving from "''ta-vrezh''" ("this revenge" in

Grabar Classical Armenian (, in Eastern Armenian pronunciation: Grabar, Western Armenian: Krapar; meaning "literary anguage; also Old Armenian or Liturgical Armenian) is the oldest attested form of the Armenian language. It was first written down at ...

). In AD 297, it became the capital of Tiridates III, king of Armenia. However, this story has a popular origin and no ancient source has recorded such event. This is based on accounts of Vardan Areveltsi, a 13th-century Armenian historian. Accordingly, the historical Armenian name for the city was Tavrezh (). '' The Cambridge History of Iran'' points to a connection between the "ancient stronghold of Tarui-Tarmakisa" (or Tarwi-Tarwakisa), which existed in the 8th century BC, and the city of Tabriz, with

Ernst Emil Herzfeld Ernst Emil Herzfeld (23 July 1879 – 20 January 1948) was a German archaeologist and Iranologist. Life Herzfeld was born in Celle, Province of Hanover. He studied architecture in Munich and Berlin, while also taking classes in Assyriology, a ...

's ''Archaeological History of Iran'' also directly equating ''"Tarwakisa"'' with Tabriz; cf

Proto-Iranian Proto-Iranian or Proto-Iranic is the reconstructed proto-language of the Iranian languages branch of Indo-European language family and thus the ancestor of the Iranian languages such as Pashto, Persian, Sogdian, Zazaki, Ossetian, Mazandarani ...

'' tr̥Hwáns'' (able to overcome). However, some researchers believe that Tabriz may be considered a pre-Iranian toponym.

History

Early history

The early history of Tabriz is not well-documented. The earliest civilization signs in the city belongs to an Iron Age grave yard of 1st millennium B.C. which were unearthed in late 1990s in northern side of Blue Mosque. The city also inscribed as old as 714 B.C. on as Tarui or Tauris, on the Assyrian King

Sargon II Sargon II (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , meaning "the faithful king" or "the legitimate king") was the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 722 BC to his death in battle in 705. Probably the son of Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727), Sargon is general ...

's epigraph in 714 BC. Egyptologist David Rohl suggested that the legendary

Garden of Eden In Abrahamic religions, the Garden of Eden ( he, גַּן־עֵדֶן, ) or Garden of God (, and גַן־אֱלֹהִים ''gan-Elohim''), also called the Terrestrial Paradise, is the Bible, biblical paradise described in Book of Genesis, Genes ...

was near Tabriz. Archaeologist

Eric H. Cline Eric H. Cline (born September 1, 1960) is an author, historian, archaeologist, and professor of ancient history and archaeology at The George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, D.C., where he is Professor of Classics and Anthropology a ...

commented on Rohl's views, writing that "his suggestions have not caught on with the scholarly establishment. His argument is not helped by the fact that it depends upon speculations regarding the transmission of place-names for both the various rivers and nearby related areas from antiquity to the present. In the end, while Rohl's suggestion is not out of the question, it seems no more probable than any other hypothesis, and less likely than those suggested by Speiser, Zarins, and Sauer." Since the earliest documented history of Tabriz, it has been chosen as the capital for several rulers commencing from Atropates era and his dynasty. It is likely the city has been destroyed multiple times either by natural disasters or by the invading armies. The earliest elements of the present Tabriz are claimed to be built either at the time of the early Sassanids in the 3rd or 4th century AD, or later in the 7th century. The city used to be called ''T'awrēš'' in Middle Persian.

From the Arab conquest to the Constitutional Revolution

After the Muslim conquest of Iran, the Arabian Azd tribe from Yemen resided in Tabriz. The development of post-Islamic Tabriz began as of this time. The Islamic geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi says that Tabriz was a village before Rawwad from the tribe of Azd arrive at Tabriz. In 791 AD, Zubaidah, the wife of Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, rebuilt Tabriz after a devastating earthquake and beautified the city so much as to obtain the credit for having been its founder. In the

Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...

of 1208, Tabriz, as well as its adjacent cities and territories were conquered by the Kingdom of Georgia under

Tamar the Great Tamar the Great ( ka, თამარ მეფე, tr, lit. "King Tamar") ( 1160 – 18 January 1213) reigned as the Queen of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, presiding over the apex of the Georgian Golden Age. A member of the Bagrationi dynasty ...

, as a response to the massacre of 12,000 Christians in the Georgian-controlled city of Ani on Easter day by Muslims. In nearby Ardebil, conquered by the Georgians as well, as many as 12,000 Muslims were killed. The

Georgians The Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Georgian diaspora communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, G ...

then pushed further, taking Khoy and Qazvin along the way. After the Mongol invasion, Tabriz came to eclipse Maragheh as the later Ilkhanid Mongol capital of Azerbaijan until it was sacked by Timur in 1392. Chosen as a capital by Abaqa Khan, fourth ruler of the Ilkhanate, for its favored location in the northwestern grasslands,David Morgan, ''The Mongols'' p. 142 in 1295, his successor Ghazan Khan made it the chief administrative centre of an empire stretching from Anatolia to the

Oxus River The Amu Darya, tk, Amyderýa/ uz, Amudaryo// tg, Амударё, Amudaryo ps, , tr, Ceyhun / Amu Derya grc, Ὦξος, Ôxos (also called the Amu, Amo River and historically known by its Latin name or Greek ) is a major river in Central Asi ...

and from the Caucasus to the Indian Ocean. Under his rule, new walls were built around the city, and numerous public buildings, educational facilities, and caravansarais were erected to serve traders travelling on the ancient

Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...

. The Byzantine Gregory Chioniades is said to have served as the city's Orthodox bishop during this time. In the 13th century, many western expediters who visited Tabriz on their way to the east were amazed by the richness of the city, its magnificent buildings and its institutions.

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

travelled the Silk Road, passing Tabriz about 1275, described it as: "a great city surrounded by beautiful and pleasant gardens. It is excellently situated so the goods brought to here coming from many regions. Latin merchants specially Genevis go there to buy the goods that come from foreign lands." From 1375 to 1468, Tabriz was the capital of

Qara Qoyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu ( az, Qaraqoyunlular , fa, قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, Eng ...

state in Azerbaijan, until defeat of Qara Qoyunlu ruler, Jahan Shah by Ag Qoyunlu warriors. Ag Qoyunlus selected Tabriz as their capital from 1469 to 1501. Some of the existing historical monuments including the Blue Mosque belong to the Qara Qoyunlu period. In 1501, Ismail I entered Tabriz and proclaimed it the capital of his

state. In 1514, after the Battle of Chaldiran, Tabriz was sacked by Selim I. On 16 July 1534, prior to Ottoman conquest of Baghdad, Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha occupied Tabriz. In 1555, Tahmasp I transferred its capital to Qazvin to avoid the growing threat of the Ottoman army to his capital. Between 1585 and 1603, Tabriz was under occupation by

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

. After it was retaken by the

s under Abbas I of Persia, the city grew as a major commerce centre, conducting trade with the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and the Caucasus. Tabriz was occupied and sacked by Ottoman Murad IV in 1635, during the Ottoman–Safavid War (1623–39), before being returned to Persia in the

Treaty of Zohab The Treaty of Zuhab ( fa, عهدنامه زهاب, ''Ahadnāmah Zuhab''), also called Treaty of Qasr-e Shirin ( tr, Kasr-ı Şirin Antlaşması), was an accord signed between the Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire on May 17, 1639. The accord e ...

in 1639. The city was completely devastated by a strong earthquake in 1641. In summer of 1721, a large earthquake shocked Tabriz, killing about eighty thousand of its residents. The devastation continued in 1724–1725, when the city was invaded by an Ottoman army. During this round of invasion, the Ottomans imprisoned many in Tabriz and killed about two hundred thousand residents. The city was subsequently retaken by the Iranian army, after which a widespread famine, combined with the spread of fatal diseases, killed more of those who still remained. In 1780, a major earthquake hit near Tabriz and killed as many as two hundred thousand people, leaving only about thirty thousand survivors. At the end of the 18th century, the city was divided into several districts, each of which was ruled by a family, until 1799, when the Qajar Prince Abbas Mirza was appointed as the governor of the city. During the

Qajar dynasty The Qajar dynasty (; fa, دودمان قاجار ', az, Qacarlar ) was an IranianAbbas Amanat, ''The Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896'', I. B. Tauris, pp 2–3 royal dynasty of Turkic peoples ...

the city was the residence for the Crown Prince. The crown prince normally served as governor of Azerbaijan province as well. Some of the most important events in this period were the wars between Qajar Iran and neighbouring

. Prior to the forced cession of Iran's Caucasian territories—comprising what is now Georgia, southern

Dagestan Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...

, Azerbaijan, and Armenia—to Imperial Russia following the two Russo-Persian Wars of the first half of the 19th century, Tabriz, being strategically located, was instrumental to the implementation of Iranian rule in its Caucasian territories. During the last Russo-Persian War, the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, the city was captured for Russia in 182 by General Prince Eristov, who marched into the city with 3,000 soldiers.
First Encyclopaedia of Islam: 1913–1936
'' BRILL, 1993 p. 591 After Abbas Mirza and Ivan Paskevich signed the peace treaty, which granted for the irrevocable cession of the last remaining

Caucasian Caucasian may refer to: Anthropology *Anything from the Caucasus region ** ** ** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region * * * Languages * Northwest Caucasian l ...

territories, the Russian army retreated from the city. Nevertheless, Russian political and military influence remained a major force in Tabriz and north-northwestern Iran even until the fall of the Russian empire in the early 20th century. After the retreat of the Russian army, Abbas Mirza, the Qajar Crown Prince, launched a modernization scheme from Tabriz, during which he introduced Western-style institutions, imported industrial machinery, installed the first regular postal service, and undertook military reforms in the city. He also began a rebuilding campaign and established a modern taxation system. File:Tabriz by Eugène Flandin.jpg,

Saheb-ol-Amr Mosque The Sāheb ol Amr Mosque ( fa, مسجد صاحب‌ الامر - ''Masjid-e Sāheb ol Amr'') or King Tahmasp Mosque is a mosque located on the east side of Saaheb Aabaad square in Tabriz, Iran. The mosque was initially built in 1636 and has a hist ...

and Quru river, Eugène Flandin 1841. File:City Gate , Tabriz by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Sketch of the gate of Tabriz, Eugène Flandin 1841. File:House Hussein Khan, Tabriz by Eugène Flandin.jpg, A sketch of a 19th-century house in Tabriz, Eugène Flandin. File:Jules Laurens 16.jpg, Painting of Blue mosque,

Jules Laurens Jules Joseph Augustin Laurens, commonly known as Jules Laurens, (26 July 1825, Carpentras - 5 May 1901, Saint-Didier, Vaucluse) was a French artist in drawing, painting, and lithography who is remembered above all for his orientalism, Oriental wo ...

, 1872.

Contemporary era

Thanks to the geographical closeness to the West and to communications with nearby countries' enlightenment movements, Tabriz became the centre of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution movements between 1905 and 1911, which led to the establishment of a parliament in Iran and the formation of a constitution.

Sattar Khan Sattar Khan ( fa, ستارخان, , October 20, 1866 – November 17, 1914), honorarily titled Sardār-e Melli ( fa, سردار ملی meaning ''National Commander'') was a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and is considered ...

and Bagher Khan, two Tabrizi reformists who led Tabriz people's solidarity against the absolute monarchy, had a great role in achievement to the goals of Iran's constitutional revolution. In 1909, Tabriz was occupied by the Russian forces. Four months after the constitutional revolution's success, in December 1911, the Russians reinvaded Tabriz. After crushing the local resistance by invading Russian troops, they started suppressing the constitutional revolutionaries and residents of the city. Following the invasion, Russian troops executed about 1,200 of Tabriz residents. As a result of the campaign, Tabriz was occupied by the Russian forces between 1911 and 1917. File:Tabriz Map 1908.jpg, Siege of Tabriz during

Constitutional Revolution The Persian Constitutional Revolution ( fa, مشروطیت, Mashrūtiyyat, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911. The revolution led to the establishment of a par ...

, September 27, 1908. File:Revolutionists defending Davachi bridge, Tabriz (May 1, 1909).jpg, Constitutional revolutionists defending Davachi bridge against monarchists, May 1, 1909. File:TabrizRevolutionaries.JPG, Constitutionals in Tabriz, 1911. Arg-Tabriz-USA.jpg, Ark of Tabriz and US flag in the days after constitutional revolution, 1911. From the very start of World War I, Iran declared neutrality. When the war erupted on a full scale, Tabriz and much of northwestern-northern Iran had already been ''de facto'' occupied by Russia for several years. In later years of World War I, the Ottoman troops intervened and took control of the city by defeating the Russian troops stationed there. By this time, the Ottoman army led by

Enver Pasha İsmail Enver, better known as Enver Pasha ( ota, اسماعیل انور پاشا; tr, İsmail Enver Paşa; 22 November 1881 – 4 August 1922) was an Ottoman military officer, revolutionary, and convicted war criminal who formed one-third ...

threatened the whole

Russian army The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска �В Sukhoputnyye voyska V, also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the Army, land forces of the Russian Armed Forces. The primary responsibilities of the Russian Gro ...

in the Caucasus region. Russian troops recaptured the city from the Ottomans at a later stage of the war. By escalation of the

revolution in Russia ''La révolution en Russie'', also known as ''Les événements d'Odessa'' and ''La révolte du cuirassée Potemkine'' is a 1905 French silent short film directed by Lucien Nonguet, and distributed in English-speaking countries under the titles ...

, the Russian armies in Iranian Azerbaijan were evacuated, and the actual power passed into the hands of the local committee of the democrat party, with Ismail Nawbari at its head. Following Russia's retreat, the Ottomans captured the city once again for a few months until the decisive end of the war, and retreated thereafter. After World War I, a new era in the county's history began. Reza Shah, brigadier-general of the Persian Cossack Brigade, declared himself the king of the country following a coup d'état. He started with promises of modernization programs in Iran which was concentrated on the unification of the country, under the idea of ''one country, one nation''. This included centralization of the power and imposing restrictions on the local culture, heritage, and language in Iranian Azerbaijan, and the city of Tabriz. The modernization and nationalization plan of Reza Shah continued until the surge of World War II. At the final year of the World War II despite the declaration of the neutrality by the Iranian government, the country was occupied by the allied forces. The allied forces then urged Reza Shah to abdicate and installed his son Mohammad Reza as the new king of the country. The postwar situation was further complicated by Soviet aid to set up a local government called Azerbaijan People's Government in Northwest Iran, having Tabriz as its capital. The new Soviet-backed local government was run by Ja'far Pishevari and held power for one year starting from 1946. Pishevari's government gave more freedom to speech and education in Azerbaijani language and promoted local cultural heritage and gained some popularity among the residents. However, after the withdrawal of Soviet forces, Pishevari's limited armed forces were crushed by the Imperial Iranian army and the Iranian government retook control of the city. One of the major establishments in the period of Pishevari's government was opening of the University of Tabriz which played a major role in the later political movements and protests in the region. Russian flag on top of Ark, 1911.png,

Russian Invasion of Tabriz, 1911 The Russian occupation of Tabriz lasted from 30 April 1909 until 28 February 1918, with a brief interruption during 6–31 January 1915. V. Minorsky, C. E. Bosworth and Sheila S. Blair, "Tabriz", in C. E. Bosworth (ed.), ''Historic Cities of the ...

. File: Soviet six horse foot artillery team on the streets of Tabriz.jpg, Soviet artillery units passing through Tabriz, World War II. File: Soviet tankmen of the 6th Armoured Division drive through the streets of Tabriz (2).jpg, Soviet Tank and troops marching through Tabriz, World War II. File: Soviet tankmen of the 6th Armoured Division drive through the streets of Tebriz.jpg, Soviet T-26 Tank passing through the main street of Tabriz, World War II. For the next 30 years, after the collapse of Azerbaijan's autonomous government, Tabriz enjoyed a stable era until the revolution in 1979. During this period the city received many of investors in its industries and had transformed into a heavy industries hub in the northwest of Iran. The need for a strong workforce increased immigration from all around Azerbaijan toward Tabriz. During this era and because of the continuous policy of the government centralization in Tehran as well as changes in communication and transportation, the city lost its historical dominance in favour of being the gate for reform and modernization in the country. Starting with 1978 and with the heat of 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 ...

, revolutionary movements of some of Tabriz residents played a major role in the revolution. After the revolution, the residents of the city were unsatisfied with the outcome, mainly because of the ignorance of the revolutionary government about the rights of the Azerbaijani minority. Another major source of dissatisfaction was the support of most of Iranian Azerbaijanis including Tabriz residents from a more liberal cleric, Grand Ayatollah Shariatmadari, who was against the content of the new constitution which was mixing religion and state together. The unrest in the city calmed down after brutal crush of the protesters in Tabriz and after house arrest of Shariatmadari. Tabriz Aerial View

In the 1980s, due to the Iran–Iraq War, like the rest of the country, most of the construction and development projects in the city were stopped in order to fund the war costs. In addition to the indirect effects of the war, city's industrial zone, especially the oil refinery was also a major target for airstrikes by Iraqi's air forces because of the closeness to the Iraqi borderlines, and their strategic roles in the country's economy. With the escalation of the war, the attacks turned to War of the Cities and the air attacks later turned into the random strikes on the residential areas of the city in the later phase of the war. In recent years, Tabriz is much more stable and the new developments in the city are rapidly changing the face of the city.

Capital of Iran

Tabriz was chosen as the capital by several rulers commencing from the time of Atropates. It was the capital of the Ilkhanate (Mongol) dynasty since 1265. During the Ghazan Khan era, who came into power in 1295, the city reached its highest splendour. The later realm stretched from the Amu Darya in the East to the Egypt borders in the West and from the Caucasus in the North to the Indian Ocean in the South. It was again the capital of Iran during the

dynasty from 1375 to 1468 and then during the Ag Qoyunlu within 1468–1500 and it was capital of Iran in the

period from 1501 until their defeat in 1555. During the Qajar dynasty, Tabriz was used as residence centre of Iranian Crown Prince (1794–1925).

Excavation sites

In 2002, during a construction project at the north side of the Blue Mosque (Part of

Project), an ancient graveyard was revealed. This was kept secret until a construction worker alerted the authorities. Radiocarbon analysis by Allameh Tabatabai University has shown the background of the graves to be more than 3,800 years old. A museum of these excavations including the Blue Mosque was opened to the public in 2006. The other excavation site is in Abbasi Street at the site of Rab'-e Rashidi, which was the location for an academic institution since approximately 700 years ago. It was established in Ilkhanid period.

"Firsts" in Iran

''The City of Firsts'' or city of pioneers is an unofficial motto for Tabriz, a major city and provincial capital in north west of Iran. The motto is given because of the pioneering role of the city in modernization signs in Iran and its leading role in movement toward the formation of modern Iran. Firsts of Tabriz in the Iranian History: *Printing industry: The first publication house was founded by Prince Abbas Mirza in Tabriz. 12 years later, a second publication was established in Tehran. * Library:

Tarbiat library Tarbiat Library ( fa, کتابخانه تربیت) is the first state library constructed in Iran, established in 1921 at Tabriz. The library was founded by Mahammad Ali Tarbiat, an Iranian journalist and politician, as the "Ma'aref public librar ...

, Iran's first public library which was founded by Muhammad Ali Tarbiat in 1921. * Guest house or hotel: Tabriz is the first city in Iran where the new style hotels and motels have been built. * Cinema: The first public cinema in Iran (1900) * School: The first school of primary education (New approach) in Iran was founded by

Haji-Mirza Hassan Roshdieh Haji Mirza Hassan Tabrizi (میرزا حسن تبریزی; July 4, 1851, Tabriz – December 12, 1944, Qom), famously known as Hassan Roshdieh (حسن رشدیه), was an Iranian cleric, teacher, politician, and journalist. He introduced some mod ...

in Tabriz (1893). *Kindergartens and school for the deaf & mute:

Jabbar Baghtcheban Mirza Jabbar Asgarzadeh ( fa, میرزا جبار عسگرزاده) famously known as Jabbar Baghcheban ( fa, جبار باغچه‌بان) was an Iranian inventor. He is well known as someone who established the first Iranian kindergarten and the ...

the first children's book author and publisher and founder of the first school for the Deaf & Mute in Iran. *New literature:

Mirza Abdul'Rahim Talibov Tabrizi Mirzā Abdul'Rahim Tālibi Najjār Tabrizi (1834, Tabriz — 1911, Temir-Khan-Shura, named Buinaksk since 1922) ( fa, ميرزا عبدالرحیم طالبی نجار تبریزی), also known as Talibov, was an Iranian Azerbaijanis, Iranian A ...

, founder of new composition. Additionally, Mirza Fatali Akhundov, founder of the playwright in Iran. Mirza-Agha Tabrizi was the first Iranian playwright who wrote plays to Persian language. * Banknote: During the ''Ghikhatukhan'' in the Mongol empire, the name of currency was ''Chaw''. However, the people in Tabriz did not accept it and after a while stopped printing it. *

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

: The first "Chamber of Commerce of Iran" in Tabriz (1906) * Municipality: The first municipality in Iran, founded in 1908. *

Firefighting Firefighting is the act of extinguishing or preventing the spread of unwanted fires from threatening human lives and destroying property and the environment. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter. Firefighters typically ...

: The first firefighting department was established in 1842. * Telephone: The first city in Iran that was equipped with a telephone system (1901). * Power plant: Iran's first power plant and factory was established in 1902. *'' Charity Foundation NGO'' : The first Charity Foundation NGO in Iran was founded in 1952. * Air taxi: The first air taxi flight was conducted from Tabriz to Aras Free Zone in 2012. * Colonel Pessian: The first Iranian pilot and aviator. *

Hossein Sadaghiani Dr. Amir Hossein Sadaghiani (1 January 1903 – 1 December 1982) was an Iranian football player and manager. He was a striker during his playing career and afterwards was Iran national football team's head coach from 1941 till 1950. Playing care ...

: The first Iran's football legionnaire (1929) and first coach of Iran's national football team (1941–1951). *

Yahya Adl Yahya Adl ( fa, یحیی عدل; also romanized as Yahyā ’Adl; 1908 – February 3, 2003) was a prominent Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is ...

: The Father of modern surgery in Iran. * Javad Heyat: One of the vanguards of modern medicine in Iran (1962). *

Ahmad Hussein Adl Ahmad-Hossein Adl (1889–1963) was an Iranian politician, who served as the minister of agriculture for several periods in the Ahmad Qavam, Ebrahim Hakimi, and Fazlollah Zahedi governments. He was also the first head of the College of Agronomy ...

: Vanguard of mechanization agriculture in Iran (1930). *

Mostafa Adl Mostafa Adl ( fa, مصطفی عدل, also known as Manṣur-al-Salṭana (); 1882 – 12 July 1950) was an Iranian politician, diplomat, jurist, former Ambassador of Iran to Switzerland (1935–39) and president of University of Tehran (1941–42). ...

: Father's Rights and Justice. * Hamid Notghi: The founding father of modern public relations in Iran * Azim Gheichisaz: The first Iranian mountain climber to join the 8000ers. *First Football Museum (2014), Police (1907), Association for Women (1908), Seismographic station (1855), Faculty of Nursing (1916), Faculty of carpet (1994), Association of note issue, Public limited company (1900), Kindergarten (1924), Guesthouse, The formation of popular councils, Credit Card bus, Was established in Tabriz.

Geography

Topography

Tabriz is located in northwest of Iran in East Azerbaijan province between

Ghuri River The Quri River or Quru Chay or Quri Chay ( fa, قورو چای; az, Quru Çay قورو چای) is a river in East Azerbaijan province of Iran. It arises in the mountains east of Tabriz and joins the Aji Chay just northeast of central Tabr ...

. The local area is earthquake-prone and during its history, the city has been devastated and rebuilt several times.

Climate

Tabriz has a cold semi-arid climate ( Köppen: ''BSk'',

Trewartha Trewartha and Andrewartha are Cornish family names (and placename, Dexter). There are places called Trewartha in the parishes of Merther, St Agnes, St Neot and Veryan. According to the ''Handbook of Cornish Names'' by G. Pawley White, "Trew ...

: ''BS'') bordering on a humid continental climate with regular seasons ( Köppen: ''Dsa'',

: ''Dc''). The annual precipitation is around , a good deal of which falls as snow during the winter months and rain in spring and

autumn Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...

. The city enjoys a mild and fine climate in spring, dry and semi-hot in summer, humid and rainy in autumn and snowy cold in winter. The average annual temperature is . Cool winds blow from east to west mostly in summer.

Environment pollution

Air pollution is one of the major environmental issues in Tabriz. Air pollution is due to an increase of the number of cars commuting in the city and polluting industries such as thermal power plants, petrochemical complexes and the oil refinery in the west of the city. Air pollution levels increased continuously in the second half of the 20th century. With a mandate of national environmental codes by heavy industries, industrial air pollution has reduced in recent years. However, the air quality in the city is far from world norms for clean air. An immediate environmental threat is the shrinkage and drying out of the Lake Urmia located in the outskirts of Western Tabriz. The lake has faced a grave crisis since the late 20th century. Water depth reduction, increasing water salinity to saturation level and the appearance of vast salt fields around the lake, are alarming indications of gradual total desiccation of a unique ecosystem. This occurred due to global warming and ever-increasing demands for inadequate freshwater sources in the basin. It is feared that in the near future low-lying clouds of airborne salt and minerals may hover over large areas around the lake, posing serious health hazards.

Governance

Authority for the city lies with the Mayor, who is elected by a municipal board. The municipal board is periodically elected by the city's residents. The Municipal central office is located in the Tabriz Municipality Palace.

Historic municipal districts

Tabriz is divided into 12 municipal districts. Each municipal district retains a number of the older neighborhoods that are of cultural and historical interest. *

Ahrab Ahrab is a historic and ancient municipal district in central part of Tabriz. Company House, one of the historical houses of Tabriz is located in this district. Famous People * Mahmud Shaterian, a famous Azerbaijani composer and musician * Huse ...

(اهراب) *

Akhmaqaya Akhmaqaya is an ancient and historic district in southwestern of Tabriz. Akhmaqaya has a great and old cemetery which has hundreds of old carved tombstones and ram sculptures. The largest of these tombstones belongs to Khajeh Amineddin Sadaqeh, that ...

(آخماقایا) *

Amraqiz Amirkhiz is an ancient and historic district in northwestern part of Tabriz. It is limited to Aji Chay in the north and Meydan Chayi in the south. Istanbul gate, one of the eight famous and ancient gates of Tabriz is located in the south of th ...

(امره قیز) *Bahar (باهار) *Baghshoumal (باغ‌ شمال) * Baron Avak (Barnava) (بارناوا، بارون‌آواک) *Bazaar (بازار) *Beylanki (Beylankooh) (بیلانکی) *Charandab (چرنداب) *Chousdouzan (چوس‌دوزان) * Davachi (دوچی) * Gajil (گجیل) *Gazran (Re. Khayyam) (گزران) * Imamieh (امامیه) * Hokmavar (حکم‌آوار) *Kouchebagh (کوچه‌ باغ) * Khatib (Hatib) (خطیب) *Khayyam (خیام) *Khiyavan (خیاوان) *

Kujuvar Kujuvar (), ( fa, كوجووار), also known as Kojabad ( fa, كجاباد, also Romanized as Kojābād; Kojāābād, Gujavār, Kajābād, Kajvān, Kojavār, Kojovār, and Kyudzhuvar) is a district in the western part of Tabriz, East Azerbaijan P ...

(کوجووار) *Laklar (لک لر) *Lalah (لاله) * Lilava (Leylabad) (لیل‌آباد) *Maghsoudia (مقصودیه) *

Maralan Maralan is a historic district in the southeastern part of Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city i ...

(مارالان) *

Nobar Nobar ( fa, نوبر) is an ancient and historical district in south of Tabriz, Iran. Nobar bath and Saat Tower Sa'at Tower also known as Tabriz Municipality Palace ( fa, کاخ شهرداری تبریز, also Romanized as Sā'at Tower) is build ...

(نوبار) * Qaraghaj (قره‌آغاج) *

Qaramalik Qaramalik (, fa, قره مَلیک) is a historical neighbourhood in the western part of the Iranian city Tabriz. Qaramalik is surrounded by Aji Chay river from north, Ravasan and Tabriz railway station in south and Hokmavar and Sham Qazan in eas ...

(قارا‌ ملیک) *Rastakucha (راستا کوچه) *Sarlak (سرلک) *Selab (سیلاب) *

Shanb-e-Ghazan Shanb-e-Ghazan, Ghazaniyya, or Sham-e-Ghazan (local pronunciation: Sham-Ghazan) is one of the historical neighborhoods of Tabriz, Iran. Shanb-e-Ghazan's historical importance is mostly due to construction of a palace which later turned to the ...

(شنب غازان) *

Sheshghelan Sheshghelan ( fa, ششگلان, Azerbaijani: Şeşgilan, also Sheshgelan) is one of the districts of Tabriz. Located at the city center, it is one of the oldest quarters of the city and contains several historical buildings, including Qari Brid ...

(ششگلان) *Sirkhab (سیرخاب) *Tapalibagh (تپه لی باغ) *Vardjibashi (Vidjooya) (ورجی باشی، ویجویه)

Modern municipal districts

This is table of modern Tabriz districts. *Parvaz ( fa, پرواز) *Golshahr ( fa, گلشهر) *Zafaranieh ( fa, زعفرانیه) *Rajae Shahr ( fa, رجائی شهر) *Hafez ( fa, حافظ) *Mandana () *Nesfrah () *Valieamr () *Narmak () *Yaghchian ( fa, یاغچیان) *Marzdaran ( fa, مرزداران) *Baghmishe ( fa, باغمیشه) *Elahiyeh () *Abrisham () *Baharestan () *Misagh () *Sahand () *Ashkan () *Jamaran () *Abresan ( fa, آبرسان) *Vali Asr ( fa, ولیعصر) *Elahi Parast ( fa, الهی پرست) *Ferdows / ( fa, فردوس) *North Fereshteh ( fa, فرشته شمالی) *Roshdieh ( fa, رشدیه) *Mirdamad ( fa, میرداماد) *Andishe () *Khavaran ()

Demographics

According to an official 2016 census, the population of Tabriz is 1,733,033. The majority of the city's population are

Azerbaijani people Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...

, followed by Persians, Armenians,

Assyrians Assyrian may refer to: * Assyrian people, the indigenous ethnic group of Mesopotamia. * Assyria, a major Mesopotamian kingdom and empire. ** Early Assyrian Period ** Old Assyrian Period ** Middle Assyrian Empire ** Neo-Assyrian Empire * Assyrian ...

, and other People of Caucasus.

Language

The predominant language spoken in Tabriz is

Azerbaijani language Azerbaijani () or Azeri (), also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan where the North Azerbaija ...

(

call it ''Turku'' (''تۆرکۆ'') or ''Turki'' (تۆرکی) language), which is a Turkic language mutually intelligible with modern Turkish dialects. The language has a strong Iranian superstratum since it has been in close contact with the Persian language for many centuries. Similar to the other parts of Iran, the official language is Persian and the most inhabitants have native or near-native knowledge of Persian language, which is the major medium of education. Nevertheless, the Iranian constitution respects the right to speak and have limited educational facilities in other native languages, including Azerbaijani. For the first time, an academic program on Azerbaijani language opened at the University of Tabriz in 1999. Other than Azerbaijani, there is a notable minority of Armenian speakers and a smaller minority of Assyrian Neo-Aramaic speakers. A Page from the only manuscript of Safina-ye Tabrizi

A Page from the only manuscript of Safina-ye Tabrizi

It is believed that before the gradual increase and the dominance of Azerbaijani language in the area, other Iranian languages similar to Persian were spoken in Azerbaijan and Tabriz. The 13th-century manuscript

Safina-yi Tabriz ''Safīna-yi Tabrīz'' ( fa, سفینهٔ تبریز, " heVessel of Tabriz" or " heTreasury of Tabriz") is an important encyclopedic manuscript from 14th century Ilkhanid Iran compiled by Abu'l Majd Muhammad ibn Mas'ud Tabrizi between 1321 and 13 ...

has poems in what its Tabriz-born author has called the Tabrizi language (''Zabān-e-Tabrizi'') which is similar to Persian.

Religion

After being crowned at Tabriz in 1501,

Shah 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 ...

announced the Twelver branch of Shia Islam as the official religion of the

Safavid Empire Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...

. As a result of this royal order, the mostly

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

population of Tabriz converted to Shiism. Currently, the majority of people are followers of Shia Islam. The city has a visible

Armenian Apostolic , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

minority who follow Christianity. There used to be a small Jewish community, but most of them have moved to Tehran. There is also a small, embattled community of the Baháʼí Faith in the city.

Culture and art

Literature

Sahand, o mountain of pure snow, Descended from Heaven with Zoroaster Fire in your heart, snow on your shoulders, with storm of centuries, And white hair of history on your chest ...

Yadollah Maftun Amini Yadollah Maftun Amini ( fa, یدالله مفتون امینی; 12 June 1926 – 1 December 2022) was an Iranian poet. Early life Yadollah Amini, whose literary nickname was Maftun, was born in 1926 in Shahindezh, West Azerbaijan, northwest of ...

(born in 1926) The proximity to Sahand, a mountain in the south of the city, has been a source of inspiration for contemporary revolutionaries and poets alike. The power of this inspiring source, however, goes to much earlier times. Tabriz was a house for numerous Iranian writers, poets, and illumination movements. In old times the city notables supported poets and writers by organizing periodical meetings. Within its long history, it was a residence for many well known Iranian writers and poets. The list can start from the old-time

Rumi Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلال‌الدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...

, Qatran, Khaqani to recent years

Samad Behrangi Samad Behrangi ( fa, صمد بهرنگی; June 24, 1939 – August 31, 1968) was an Iranian teacher, social activist and critic, folklorist, translator, and short story writer of Azerbaijani descent. He is famous for his children's books, particu ...

Gholam-Hossein Sa'edi Gholām-Hossein Sā'edi MD ( fa, غلامحسین ساعدی, also transliterated as Gholamhoseyn Sa'edi and Ghulamhusayn Sa'idi; January 15, 1936 in Tabriz – November 23, 1985 in Paris) was a prolific Iranian writer. He published over forty ...

, Parvin E'tesami. The prominent

Iranian Azeri Iranian Azerbaijanis (; az, ایران آذربایجانلیلاری, italics=no ), also known as Iranian Azeris, Iranian Turks, Persian Turks or Persian Azerbaijanis, are Iranians of Azerbaijani ethnicity who may speak the Azerbaijani lan ...

poet

Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Behjat Tabrizi ( fa, سید محمدحسین بهجت تبریزی, az, سید محمدحسین بهجت تبریزی) (January 2, 1906 – September 18, 1988), mainly known by his pen name, Shahriar ( fa, شهریا ...

was born in Tabriz. The culture, social values, language and music is a mixture of what exists in the rest of Iran. Tabriz also has a special place in Persian literature, as the following sample of verses from some of Iran's best poets and authors illustrates:

ساربانا بار بگشا ز اشتران
شهر تبريز است و کوی دلبران Oh Sārbān, have camels' cargo unloaded,
For Tabriz is the neighborhood of the beloved.
―''

Molana Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلال‌الدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...

'' عزیزی در اقصای تبریز بود
که همواره بیدار و شبخیز بود A beloved lived in Tabriz away from sight,
who was always alert and awake at night
―'' Bustan of

Sadi 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 ...

تا به تبریزم دو چیزم حاصل است
نیم نان و آب مهران رود و بس As long as I live in Tabriz, two things I need not worry about,
The half loaf of bread and the water of Mehranrud iverare enough!
―'' Khaqani'' اين ارك بلند شهر تبريز است
افراشته قامتِ رسايش را This is the tall Arg of Tabriz City,
Raised its outstanding height there!
―'' Maftun''

Music

A century-long autocratic nation-building policy of central governments in Iran has succeeded in cultural assimilation in the favour of a government-sanctioned culture. As a result, Tabriz, by the turn of the 20th century had nearly become devoid of its once characteristic cultural identity. Thanks to the more liberal policies of the Khatami era (1998–2006), a cultural renaissance took place and the local music was revitalized. The traditional Azeri music is divided into two distinct types, the music of "

ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...

" and the " mugham". Mugham, despite its similarity to Persian classical music, was not common among Iranian Azeris. In recent years, however, mugham is gaining popularity among the educated middle-class young generation. For instance, Nasir Atapur, from Tabriz, was the laureate of Mugam contest 2007. The ashugh music had survived in a mountainous region of Qaradağ and presently is identified as the characteristic form of music in all Azerbaijan. The ashugh music, throughout its long history, had been associated with nomadic life in mountainous regions and used to be dismissed as back-country folklore. The recent identity renaissance of Azeri speaking people has elevated the status of Ashughs as the guardians of national culture. The newfound unprecedented popularity and frequent concerts and performances in urban settings have resulted in rapid innovative developments aiming to enhance the urban-appealing aspects of these ashugh performances. The main factor for these developments was the opening of academic style music classes in Tabriz by master Ashugs, such as Aşiq Imran Heydəri. Ashugs (Aşiq in Azeri language stemmed from the Arabic word for lover) were travelling bards who sang and played saz, an eight or ten string plucking instrument in the form of a long-necked lute. Their roots can be traced back to at least the 7th century according to the Turkic epic Dede Korkut. Naturally, the music has evolved in the course of the grand migration and ensuing feuds with the original inhabitants the acquired lands. Still, the essence of the original epics, i.e. metamorphic description of life in pastoral terms with direct reference to the mountainous landscape, persists to the present time. The characteristic aspect of the

Ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...

music is its frequent allusions to a mountain with the intention of arousing an emotional state with a tone of mild melancholy in a listener. The first verses of a contemporary Ashug song, composed by Məhəmməd Araz, may well represent the essence of

music may clarify the said statement. ''Bəlkə bu yerlərə birdə gəlmədim'' (I may not come to these mountains again) ''duman səlamət qal dağ səlamət qal'' (Farewell to the Mist and to the mountain) ''arxamca su səpir göydə bulutlar'' (Clouds sprinkle drops of rain) ''leysan səlamət qal yağ səlamət qal'' (Farewell to summer days, farewell to the rain)

Painting

"Tabrizian style" painting was shaped in the era of Ilkhanids, Kara Koyunlu and the

s. The paintings date back to the early 14th century and show significant influence from Chinese and Chinese-influenced pictures. Over the years Tabriz became the centre of the famous school of Persian miniature painting. A fascinating fictional account of "Tabrizian style" painting in the

s era is narrated by Orhan Pamuk in '' My Name Is Red''.

Cuisine

Famous dishes in Tabriz include: '' Aash'' is a kind of soup prepared with bouillon, various vegetables,

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...

s, noodles and spices. '' Abgoosht'' or ''Shorva'' ( آب‌گوشت) is a hearty soup made of mutton and chickpeas. It has been cooked in Iran for many years and, until recently, was the main dish of most families in Tabriz. ''

Chelow kabab Chelow kabab ( fa, چلوکباب ) is an Iranian dish consisting of steamed rice () and one of the many varieties of Iranian kebab. It is considered the national dish of Iran, and was probably created by the time of the Qajar dynasty. Chelo ...

'',

kebab Kebab (, ; ar, كباب, link=no, Latn, ar, kabāb, ; tr, kebap, link=no, ) or kabob (North American) is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East. Many variants of the category are popular around the wor ...

and roasted tomatoes (and roasted hot peppers occasionally) served on a plate of steamed rice'','' is the national dish of Iran. Tabriz is famous for the quality of its ''chelow kabab''. ''

Dolma Dolma (Turkish for “stuffed”) is a family of stuffed dishes associated with Ottoman cuisine, and common in modern national cuisines of regions and countries that once were part of the Ottoman Empire. Some types of dolma are made with whol ...

'' is a traditional

food, prepared by filling an eggplant, capsicum, tomato or zucchini with a mixture of meat,

split pea Split peas are an agricultural or culinary preparation consisting of the dried, peeled and split seeds of ''Pisum sativum'', the pea. Harvesting The peas are spherical when harvested, with an outer skin. The peas are dried and the dull-coloure ...

, onion and various spices. '' Garniyarikh'' (meaning "the torn abdomen" in Azeri) is a kind of

dolma Dolma (Turkish for “stuffed”) is a family of stuffed dishes associated with Ottoman cuisine, and common in modern national cuisines of regions and countries that once were part of the Ottoman Empire. Some types of dolma are made with whol ...

filled with meat,

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

s and spices. ''

Tabriz meatballs Tabriz meatballs ( fa, کوفته تبریزی, kufteh Tabrizi), also known as koofteh Tabrizi, are a variety of Iranian meatballs from the city of Tabriz. The dish normally consists of a large meatball including rice, yellow split peas, herbs and ...

'' are large meatballs composed of ground meat, rice, and leeks, alongside various other ingredients. The word ''kofta'' is derived from Persian ''kūfta'': in Persian, ''kuftan'' (کوفتن) means "to beat" or "to grind". Koofteh Tabrizi and Bonab Kababi.jpg, A table of some of Tabriz traditional foods (köfte and syrup with sangak and

Bonab Kababi Bonab kabab ( az, Binab kababı) ( fa, کباب بُناب) is a type of kebab that is made of ground mutton, onion, and salt. It is named after the city of Bonab in the region of Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran, where it is originated from, and ...

with rice) Kufteh1.png,

Abgusht.png, Abgoosht Dolma, Tabriz.jpg,

Cutlet TBZ.png, Cutlet Qurutli ash.png, Qurutli Aash, a thick soup made of

qurut Kashk ( fa, کشک ''Kašk'', ku, keşk), qurut ( Tuvan and ky, курут, kk, құрт, tk, gurt, uz, qurt, az, qurut, ps, قروت, hy, չորթան-''chortan'', Turkish: ''kurut'') or aaruul and khuruud ( Mongolian: ''ааруул' ...

There are also confections, biscuits and cookies which are Tabriz specialties, including Qurabiya,

Tabrizi Lovuez Tabrizi Lovuez (Tabriz Diamonds) are diamond-shaped confectioneries from Tabriz, a provincial capital in Northwest of Iran. Its main ingredients are sugar, almond powder, and saffron. Recipe Mix water and sugar and let them boil while mixing co ...

, Riss, Nougat, Tasbihi, Latifeh, Ahari, Lovadieh, and Lokum. Qourabieh.png, Qurabiya Lovuez.png,

Nooka.png, Nouga ( Nougat) Riss TBZ.png, Riss Konjod.png, Konjod Halvasi, a laminal sesame cookie. Baglava, Tabriz, Iran.jpg, Tabriz's

Baklava Baklava (, or ; ota, باقلوا ) is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. The pre- Ottoman origin of the ...

Dried fried nuts.png, Dried, Fried, and Salted Nuts

Main sights

Tabriz was devastated by several earthquakes during its history (e.g., in 858, 1041, and 1721) and as a result, from numerous monuments only few of them or part of them have survived until now. Moreover, some of the historical monuments have been destroyed fully or partially within construction projects (the Arg of Tabriz is in danger of destruction now, because of the ongoing nearby construction project of Mosal'laye Emam). Nonetheless, there are still numerous monuments remaining until now, which include: * Aji Chay Bridge * Amir Nezam House ( Qajar museum) * Arg of Tabriz *

Azerbaijan Museum Azerbaijan Museum is the major archaeological and historical museum in Tabriz, in the northwest part of Iran (East Azerbaijan Province). It was established in April 1958. The museum consists of three major halls, a side yard, office rooms and a l ...

Baghmasha gate Baghmisheh gate ( fa, دروازهٔ باغمیشه, az, باغمشه قاپی سی), also transliterated as ''Baghmasha'', is an old gate in the Bazaar suburb of Tabriz, north-western Iran. Until modern times, the city was protected by ...

* Bazaar of Tabriz, a world heritage site * Behnam House (school of architecture) * Blue Mosque (Goy Masjid) * Boulourchian house * Constitutional Revolution House of Tabriz (Mashrouteh museum) * Daneshsara (faculty of education) *

Document Museum A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', which denotes a "teaching" o ...

East-Azerbaijan State Palace The East-Azerbaijan Provincial Palace ( fa, کاخ استانداری آذربایجان شرقی) is the main office for Iran's East-Azerbaijan provincial governor in downtown Tabriz. The history of the palace goes back to the Safavid and Zan ...

* Ferdowsi street * Ghadaki house * Qari Bridge * Haidarzadeh house * Hariree house * House of Seghat ol Islam * Imamzadeh Hamzah, Tabriz * Imamzadeh Ibrahim *

Iranian municipalities 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 ...

Iron Age museum The Iron Age museum is a museum in Tabriz, Iran. Established in 2006, the museum is built over an iron age archaeological site. The burial site was uncovered in 1997 during the reconstruction of the nearby Blue Mosque. The Iron Age museum now conta ...

Jamee mosque of Tabriz The Jāmeh Mosque ( fa, مسجد جامع تبریز - ''Masjid-e-Jāmeh Tabrīz'') is a large, congregational mosque (Jāmeh) in Tabrīz city, within the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran. It is located in the Bazaar suburb of Tabriz next to the Gr ...

Madrasah Akbarieh Madraseye Akbarieh was an old school in Tabriz, north-western Iran. See also * Madrasah * Saheb ol Amr mosque * House of Seghat ol Islam House of Seghat-ol -Eslam is a historical house in Tabriz, Iran. It is now a museum dedicated to Seqat-o ...

* Maqbaratoshoara (tomb of poets) * Mansoor bridge * Measure museum *Muharram museum *

Municipality of Tabriz Sa'at Tower also known as Tabriz Municipality Palace ( fa, کاخ شهرداری تبریز, also Romanized as Sā'at Tower) is building in Tabriz which is used as the city hall and main office of the municipal government of Tabriz, East Azarbaij ...

Museum of Ostad Bohtouni Museum of Ostad Bohtouni is a museum in Tabriz, north-western Iran. Handcrafts of artist Bohtouni are kept in this museum, including sculptures of different stuffs like flowers, fruits etc. The museum is located in the Sheshghelan suburb of Tabri ...

Nobar bath The Nobar Bathhouse is one of the historical Public bathing in Tabriz, Iran. It was constructed in the centre of the city near the Nobar gate, one of the old gates of Tabriz. Nobar bath, which covers an area about 700 sq. metres, was used as a pub ...

On ibn Ali's shrine On ibn Ali's shrine is a shrine over Eynali mountain to north of Tabriz, Iran. Some historians believe the shrine belongs to two Muslim clerics. Others believe the building originally was a Zoroasterian temple and the shrine's Islamic name was ...

* Ordobadi house * Pahlavi street (Imam St.) *

Pol Sanghi Pol Sangi ( fa, پل سنگی "Stone Bridge"; ) is a bridge in Tabriz, Iran, over the Quri River. The stone bridge belongs to the Qajar Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially ...

(Stone bridge) *

Post museum Post or POST commonly refers to: *Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal service **Iraqi Post, Ira ...

Pottery museum The Pottery museum is an art museum in Tabriz, Iran, established in one of the historical houses of the city known as Sarraflar’s house, which belongs to Qajar era. It includes the following sections: * Gallery: a permanent gallery of Ostad Abb ...

Protestant church of Tabriz The Protestant Church is a Christian church in Tabriz in northwestern Iran. It is located in south Shahnaz street Shahnaz is a street in Tabriz, Iran. The street is well-known because of its distinct architecture, the churches and shops. It is ...

Qur'an museum The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...

Roshdieh school Haji Mirza Hassan Tabrizi (میرزا حسن تبریزی; July 4, 1851, Tabriz – December 12, 1944, Qom), famously known as Hassan Roshdieh (حسن رشدیه), was an Iranian cleric, teacher, politician, and journalist. He introduced some mo ...

Rug museum 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 ...

*Ruins of Rabe Rashidi University *

Saheb ol Amr The Sāheb ol Amr Mosque ( fa, مسجد صاحب‌ الامر - ''Masjid-e Sāheb ol Amr'') or King Tahmasp Mosque is a mosque located on the east side of Saaheb Aabaad square in Tabriz, Iran. The mosque was initially built in 1636 and has a hist ...

mosque * Saint Mary Church of Tabriz (Armenian church) *

Salmasi house Mohammad-Jafar Salmasi ( fa, محمدجعفر سلماسی, 22 September 1918 – 31 January 2000) was an Iranian weightlifter who won Iran's first Olympic medal at 1948 Summer Olympics. Early life Jafar Salmasi was born in Kadhimiya, Ira ...

Measure museum *

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

, Armenian *

Seyed Hamzeh shrine Imāmzādeh Hamzah ( fa, امامزاده سيد حمزه) is an Imamzadeh mosque complex in Tabrīz, Iran. The mosque contains the grave of Hamzah, son of the Twelver Shī‘ah Imām, Mūsā' al-Kādhim. Location The Imāmzādeh Hamzah mosqu ...

Shahnaz street Shahnaz is a street in Tabriz, Iran. The street is well-known because of its distinct architecture, the churches and shops. It is passing through few of Tabriz old suburbs including Baron Avak and Emamiye connecting them to the city center and ...

* Sharbatoglu house * Shahryar literature museum (house of Shahryar) *

Shohada Mosque The Shohada mosque is a historical mosque at city center of Tabriz, 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, ...

* Sorkheh-i house *

Tabriz Art University Tabriz Islamic Art University also known as Tabriz Art University is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan. The university's major focus is on the Islamic art and architecture. The university was established in 1997. Part of the ...

(former Charmsazi Khosravi) *

Tabriz Fire Fighting Tower The Tabriz Firefighting Tower (also Yangin Tower; Persian: برج آتش نشانی, Azerbaijani: يانگين کوله سی) is a historical tower located in Tabriz, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...

Tabriz Museum of Natural History Tabriz Museum of Natural History is a museum of wild life in the city of Tabriz at north western Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by I ...

* Tabriz Railway Station * Tarbiyat street * Two Kamals tomb File:Saat 4.jpg, Saat Tower File:Carpet Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG, The Grand Bazaar File:Eternal Love.jpg,

File:Amir Nezam House 1.jpg, Amir Nezam House ( Qajar museum) File:House-of-Constitutional-Revolution.jpg,

Constitution House of Tabriz The Constitution House of Tabriz, also known as ''Khaneh Mashrouteh'', is a historical edifice located next to the Great Bazaar of Tabriz, on Motahari Ave in Tabriz, Iran. During the years which led to Constitutional Revolution and afterwards the ...

File:Musée mesures tabriz.jpg, Measure museum of Tabriz File:Behnam's House, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Iran, 08-19-2006.jpg, Behnam House File:Ghari Bridge.JPG, Qari Bridge File:TabrizAzerbaijanMuseum 2.JPG,

File:Blue Mosque, Tabriz, Iran.jpg, Blue Mosque File:Shah-Goli.Tabriz.jpg, Shah-goli park File:The Virgin Mary (Gerigury) church.jpg, Saint Mary Church of Tabriz File:Chay kenar - Tabriz.jpg, Chay kenar (river side) at night File:Masjed+imamzadeh tabriz.jpg, Seyed Hamzeh shrine and mosque File:Tabriz.masque.111.jpg, a mosque in Tabriz

Parks and gardens

Tabriz has 132 parks, including 97 small parks, 31 regional and 4 city parks. According to 2005 statistics, the area of parks in Tabriz is 2,595 km², and the area of green spaces of Tabriz is 8,548 km², which is 5.6 sq.m per person. A study published in 2018 found that "Most of the urban green spaces are located on the urban fringes and in low-density higher income residential areas." It also found that "Greenspace per capita provision in Tabriz is much lower than the national and international standards (some districts offer only 0–1 sq.m. per capita green space)..." The oldest park in Tabriz,

Golestan Baği Golestan Park is a historical park in Tabriz, Iran. The park is located near to Qonqa Square in city center. The place, which was originally used as a public cemetery, was changed to a city park during the second Pahlavi era. A marble clock to ...

, was established at first

Pahlavi Pahlavi may refer to: Iranian royalty *Seven Parthian clans, ruling Parthian families during the Sasanian Empire *Pahlavi dynasty, the ruling house of Imperial State of Persia/Iran from 1925 until 1979 **Reza Shah, Reza Shah Pahlavi (1878–1944 ...

's era in the city center. Tabriz also has 8 traveller-parks with the capacity of 10.000 travellers. *Baghlar Baghi * Khaqani Park *

Ghaem Magham Ghaem Magham park is a small park in Sheshghelan suburb of Tabriz, north-western Iran. See also * Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest ...

* Golestan Park * Mashrouteh Park *

Saeb Tabrizi Saib Tabrizi ( fa, صائب تبریزی, ''Ṣāʾib Tabrīzī'', , ''Mīrzā Muḥammad ʿalī Ṣāʾib''), was a Persian poet and one of the greatest masters of a form of classical Arabic and Persian lyric poetry characterized by rhymed couple ...

Garden * Shah Goli Park * Shams Tabrizi Garden *

Eynali Eynali is a mountain range in north of Tabriz, Iran. The range has a couple of peaks including Eynali (1800 m), Halileh (1850 m), Pakeh-chin (1945 m), Bahlul (1985 m) and the highest one Dand (2378 m).ITMCO Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company also known as ITMCO, is a manufacturer of tractors, trucks, auto-parts, and diesel engines with main site and headquarters in Tabriz, Iran.Shirin Asal Shirin Asal Food Industrial Group ( fa, گروه صنایع غذایی شیرین‌عسل) a company Food manufacturer based in the city of Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerba ...

, Aydin.

Industries

Modern industries in Tabriz established since early 20 century by match manufacturing industries. Currently manufacturing industries in the city include manufacturing of machinery, vehicles, chemicals and petrochemical materials, refinery, cement, electrical and electronic equipment, home appliances, textiles and leather, nutrition and dairy, woodcraft, and pharmaceuticals. There are hundreds of industrial complexes in Tabriz's industrial area. Among them is the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Co (ITMCO) which is one of the biggest industrial complexes in the region. This complex alone has the highest foundry and forging capacity in the Middle East and it is the biggest tractor manufacturer in Iran with several production branches within Iran and other countries. Behind ITMCO there are several other industrial complexes including Mashin Sazi Tabriz Co, Iran Diesel Engine Manufacturing Co (IDEM), Pump Iran, Tabriz Petrochemical Complex, Tabriz Oil Refinery and a couple of industrial regions which include hundreds of small industries. Tabriz is also a site for abundant food and some of the most famous chocolate factories in Iran which honoured the city as the ''Chocolate City'' of Iran. This includes Dadash and Baradar Industrial Co. with the brand mark of Aidin, Soniz which is one of the biggest factories of its kind in the region. A vast portion of the city's population is involved in small businesses like shoemaking ateliers, stone-cutting,

furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...

ateliers,

confectionery Confectionery is the art of making confections, which are food items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confectionery is divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories ...

, printing and dry nuts.

Handcrafts ateliers

Due to its distinct handicrafts and carpets Tabriz is selected as the world city of crafts and carpet. Tabriz is the main centre for the production of the famous Iranian Rugs. The distinctive durability of Tabriz's carpets and its unique designs made it a famous brand in the world's carpet markets. Tabrizi rugs and carpets usually have ivory backgrounds with blue, rose, and indigo motifs. They often feature symmetrical and balanced designs. They usually have a single medallion that is surrounded by vines and palmettos. One of the main quality characteristics of Tabriz rugs is the weaving style, using specialities that guarantee the durability of the rug in comparison for example with Kashan rugs. Other than carpets, the city is famous for several other handicrafts including silverwares, wood engraving, pottery and ceramics, Ghalamzani (Irania style of toreutics), Moarraq (Iranian style of Mosaic), Monabbat,

embroider Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...

. File:TCarpet2.jpg, A sample of Tabriz rugs File:Iranian Astrolab.jpg, A newly made bronze

Astrolabe An astrolabe ( grc, ἀστρολάβος ; ar, ٱلأَسْطُرلاب ; persian, ستاره‌یاب ) is an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe. Its various functions also make it an elaborate inclin ...

, as a sample of Ghalamzani in Tabriz File:Tabriz Graver 001.jpg, An engraver in Tabriz

Shopping

Shopping centres are mostly located in the city centre, including Grand Bazaar of Tabriz, pedestrian malls on Tarbiyat street,

and Ferdowsi street. Also, there are some malls and a lot of elegant & luxurious boutiques of jewellery, rugs, clothes, handicrafts, confectionery and nuts, home appliances and so on in the Abresan intersection,

Roshdiyeh Roshdiyeh or Roshdiyeh town or Roshdie is the name of a quarter in northeast Tabriz, Iran. It is famous for its modern architecture Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon ...

district and

Kouy Valiasr Kouy Valiasr is a wealthy district located in the eastern part of Tabriz, 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 w ...

. The special feature of Tabriz's malls is that most of them are designated to a particular order, such as home appliances, jewelry, shoes, clothes, wedding ceremonies, ladies/babies/men specialties, leather products, handicrafts, agricultural products, computers, electronic components, industrial equipment, piping equipment, chemical materials, agricultural machines, stationery, books, rugs, construction stuff and others. Likewise, there are seasonal/occasional shopping fairs opened mainly in the Tabriz International Exhibition Center.

Tabriz International Exhibition Center

Tabriz International Exhibition Center which is located in the eastern part of the city holds tens of exhibitions based on yearly schedule. The most famous fair is TEXPO which is a general trade fair. Established in 1992, it usually holds exhibitions around August 4–9 every year.

Schools and libraries

Universities

Tabriz is the site for 14 of Iran's most prominent universities and higher education institutes. Established in 1947, University of Tabriz is the most prestigious university in north-western Iran. University of Tabriz is also considered one of five mother universities in the country which works as the regional hub of science for the region. Besides University of Tabriz, there are several other public universities, operating in the city and its suburbs. Among them the famous ones are: Tabriz university 2009

* Tabriz University of Medical Sciences has departments from various medical and paramedical branches. This University was part of University of Tabriz until the early 1980s. * Sahand University of Technology is established in 1989 and have majored in different fields of Engineering and Technology related sciences. *

Azarbaijan University of Tarbiat Moallem Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, ( fa, دانشگاه شهید مدنی آذربایجان, ''Danushgah-e Shihid-e Midâni-ye Âzerbaijan'') commonly called only ''Azarbaijan University'', is a public university located near Tabriz, East Azerb ...

is established in 1987. Azerbaijan University is a general university. Its main campus is located based in Azarshahr county. *

Tabriz Islamic Arts University Tabriz Islamic Art University also known as Tabriz Art University is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan. The university's major focus is on the Islamic art and architecture. The university was established in 1997. Part of the ...

is a public university established in 1997. *the Payam-e Noor University of Tabriz, is part of Payame Noor University network of the remote educational university. There are couple of private universities and higher educational institutes serving student as well, including: Islamic Azad University of Tabriz, Daneshvaran Higher Education Institute, Seraj Higher Education Institute, University College of Nabi Akram, Khajeh Rashid University. There are few technical colleges, which serve the students as well: Elmi-Karbordi University of Tabriz, Tabriz College of Technology, Roshdiyeh Higher Education Institute of Tabriz, Jahad Daneshgahi (ACECR) Higher Education Institute (East Azerbaijan Branch), Alzahra College of Technology, State Organization of Technical and Vocational Training. There are a couple of research centers supported by Iranian government in the city including: East Azerbaijan Park of Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tabriz. Furthermore, a couple of Iranian universities have branches in Tabriz, including: Imam Hossein University, Shahid Beheshti Training Teacher Center of Tabriz.

Famous high schools

Hundreds of public and private schools serve students using the Iranian education system. Students attend primary school for five years, middle school for three years, and secondary school for a final three years. Those entering university must attend one year in college first. While the prominent language in Tabriz is

, Persian is used in school classrooms. Some of the high schools are famous because of their history or higher educational quality. Here is a list of most famous high schools in the city: *Memorial school (

American School of Tabriz American Memorial School of Tabriz (), established in the Iranian city of Tabriz in 1881 during the Qajar period, is one of the most prominent schools of its kind. Hundreds of Iranian received their secondary education in Memorial School. In 193 ...

) was opened in 1891 and is one of the most famous schools of American Missionary Schools in Iran. After World War II, the school's name was changed to Parvin High School, under Iran education ministry's management. Currently, it is divided into three separate high schools, and the original building is under reconstruction. Howard Baskerville used to teach in Memorial school. *Roshdieh school is the first modern Iranian school, which was established by

. Currently, its building is used as the Tabriz branch of the National Iranian Documents and Library Office. *Vahdat Technical College is another famous school in Tabriz. It was developed by the Germans before World War II. *Ferdowsi high school is one of the largest and most prominent high schools in Tabriz. The original building was constructed by German engineers before World War II originally as a hospital with an aerial shape of H. Later on, it was used as Ferdowsi high school. *

Mansur High School Mansur High school or Taleqani High School (in South Azerbaijani: , in Persian: ) is an old high school located in city center of Tabriz. A reconstruction of the main building started in August, 2012. See also *American Memorial School in Tabriz ...

(established 1945) was one of the highest-ranking schools in Tabriz. Later on, the school divided into Mansur (Taleghani) High School and Motahhari high school. The reconstruction of the school in 2010 has caused tension between alumnus of the school and administrators of the education office of Tabriz. *Shahid Madani and Farzanegan or so-called Tiz-houshan high schools (which are part of

SAMPAD National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (NODET; fa, سازمان ملی پرورش استعدادهای درخشان ''Sāzmān-e Melli-ye Parvareŝ-e Este'dādhā-ye Deraxŝān'', or ''SAMPAD'') is an Iranian organizatio ...

NODET National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (NODET; fa, سازمان ملی پرورش استعدادهای درخشان ''Sāzmān-e Melli-ye Parvareŝ-e Este'dādhā-ye Deraxŝān'', or ''SAMPAD'') is an Iranian organizatio ...

) were established in 1989. The students are admitted to these schools through a competitive entrance exam. These schools are famous because of the higher rate of admission of their graduates through Iranian universities entrance exam.

Religious schools

Valiasr Religious School and Talebieh Islamic Science School are two major religious schools in the city which are used for teaching Islamic literature.

Libraries

Tabriz National Library The Tabriz Central Library ( fa, کتابخانه ملی تبریز), formerly ''Tabriz National Library'', was founded in 1956 by Nakhjavani with help from the people of Tabriz, Iran. It contains several handwritten books. The library is called N ...

, also known as Central Library of Tabriz, is the largest and the most famous library in the city. The Tabriz National Library has the biggest collection of classic handwritten Persian literature in the northwest region of Iran. There are many other public libraries all around the city such as

, Helal Ahmar, Shahid Motahhari, Shahriyar, Jafarieh, and Farhangsara.

Infrastructure

Health systems

The

Ministry of Health Ministry of Health may refer to: Note: Italics indicate now-defunct ministries. * Ministry of Health (Argentina) * Ministry of Health (Armenia) * Australia: ** Ministry of Health (New South Wales) * Ministry of Health (The Bahamas) * Ministry of ...

operates most of the public hospitals and health centres in the Tabriz metropolitan region, some of which are aligned with the Tabriz Medical School.

Transportation

Tabriz residents mostly commute by public bus, shuttle taxis, metro, bike, and personal cars. Tabriz public bus lines connect its districts and some of its suburbs to the city centre of Tabriz. Tabriz also has a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line which runs through an from '' Train Station'' in West of Tabriz to ''Baseej Square'' in far east of the city. Tabriz also has a public shuttle taxi service which connects city centres to major districts of the city. There is another taxi service running in the city calls Telephone Taxi which operates by private companies. Tabriz Metro on Bridge

Part of Tabriz subway line 1 is operational since 2015 which goes from Shahgoli to Shahriyar. Several lines are planned to connect districts of Tabriz to its city center however the construction is six years behind the schedule. The government of Iran had planned to finish of line No.1 of the network in 2006, but this was not achieved due to financial problems and currently only half of the track for the metro line has been laid. Tabriz is linked to Europe through Turkey's roads and Bazargan (

, Persian: بازرگان ) border. Tabriz is connected to Tehran by Freeway 2 (Iran). The city is linked to Iran National Railways ( IRIR, Persian: رجا ) also to Europe by Turkey's railways via

Ghotour Ghotour Bridge is a railway bridge in Khoy County, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran, over the river Ghotour. It is an arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferrin ...

(Azerbaijani, Persian قطور) bridge in West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Tabriz was the first city in Iran to be served by railways with the construction of the Tabriz- Jolfa line in 1912–1914 (later converted to broad-gauge in 1916). Tabriz Railway Station is located in the western part of the city, at the end of Khomeyni Street.

Tabriz International Airport Tabriz Shahid Madani International Airport ( fa, فرودگاه بین‌المللی شهید مدنی تبریز) is an airport that serves Tabriz, Iran. It is the primary airport of Tabriz. The runway of the airport is also used by Tactical A ...

opened in 1950 and is the only international airport in East Azerbaijan (since 1991). It has daily and weekly domestic flights to Tehran,

Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...

, Kish Island, Shiraz, and

Mashhad Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...

. It also has daily and weekly flights to Istanbul, Tbilisi, Baghdad and

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

Sports

Tabriz is a hub for the major sports events in the region. The city has a couple of sports complexes. The major sports complex inside the city is Bagh Shomal complex which includes a soccer stadium, swimming pool, an arena for basketball and volleyball. There is also a bigger sports complex which is named the Olympic village which has a soccer stadium and a

cycling track Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles. History Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it wa ...

. They are several other smaller complexes for martial arts, swimming pools, and gymnasiums. Among many different sports activities

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

and cycling got more attention because of the cities teams and international events which are held in the city.

Football

Football is a major part of the city's culture. Tractor SC is one of the most popular football clubs in Iran and Asia. Tractor play in the Iran Pro League. The home stadium for Tractor is the city's major stadium, Sahand Stadium which has the capacity of 80,000 people. In June 1976 Bagh Shomal Stadium of Tabriz hosted part of the final tournament of the

AFC Asian Cup The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second oldest cont ...

games.

Futsal

The city's main futsal club is Dabiri Tabriz which was founded in 1998 and plays at the Oloum Pezeshki Arena in the city. The club won the Iranian Futsal Super League in 2014 and finished third in Asia. The cities other futsal team is Shahrdari Tabriz who play at the larger

Shahid Poursharifi Arena The Shahid Pour Sharifi Arena is an indoor sports arena in Tabriz, Iran. It is the home stadium of Futsal Super League team Mes Sungun FSC. The stadium holds up to 6,000 people. It hosted the Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship The Asia ...

. The club is usually a mid-table team and has less support throughout the city.

Cycling

Tabriz is also home for

Azerbaijan Cycling Tour Tour of Azerbaijan (Iran), also known as the Tour of Iranian Azerbaijan or Azerbaijan Tour is an annual multiple stage road bicycle racing held in Iran since 1986, named after Iranian Azerbaijan. It is a UCI 2.1 category race and is part of ...

which is held on a yearly based calendar since 1986. This cycling tour is the most prestigious cycling tour in Iran. Tabriz is also home for

Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team Tabriz Petrochemical CCN Team (Persian:تیم دوچرخه‌سواری پتروشیمی تبریز) was an Iranian UCI Continental cycling team managed by Ramin Dadgar and Azim Abdolnezhad and main sponsored by Tabriz Petrochemical Company. ...

, a cycling team which is competing in UCI-sanctioned competitions through Asian continents.

Ski

Sahand and

Yam Yam or YAM may refer to: Plants and foods *Yam (vegetable), common name for members of ''Dioscorea'' * Taro, known in Malaysia and Singapore as yam * Sweet potato, specifically its orange-fleshed cultivars, often referred to as yams in North Amer ...

ski resorts are located in an hour drive from Tabriz. Depending on the perception, both resorts start operation from late December till early March.

Media

Tabriz has one state television channel called Sahand TV that broadcasts in both Persian and

languages. It broadcasts internationally through the Arabsat and Intelsat satellites. The city has one government-controlled radio channel broadcasting in both Persian and

languages. The 14 weekly magazines and 8 main newspapers published in the city include: Amin, Mahd Azadi, Asr Azadi, Fajr Azarbaijan, Saeb Tabriz, Payam Noor, Navaye Misho and Saheb.

Famous natives

Within its long history, Tabriz was always the origin for many Iranian illumination and modernization movements. This is why the city was the hometown of numerous Iranian dominant figures including many Iranian politicians, revolutionaries, artists, and military leaders. Here a partial list of some of the most notable people who born or lived in Tabriz. ''For a complete list see: :People from Tabriz and

List of people from Tabriz {{Short description, none :''Here is a complete list for notable people who lived or from Tabriz:'' A *Safina-yi Tabriz, Abu'l Majd Tabrizi, compiler of ''Safina-yi Tabriz'', writer *Ahmad Hussein Adl, Minister of Agriculture *Akbar Al ...

'' File:Khoy - Shams Tabrizi's tomb 8 - Information in page 1 - panoramio.jpg, Shams Tabrizi, poet. File:Naser al din(5).jpg, King Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. File:Iraj mirza picture.jpg,

Iraj Mirza Prince Iraj Mirza ( fa, ایرج میرزا, literally ''Prince Iraj''; October 1874 – 14 March 1926) (titled Jalāl-ol-Mamālek, fa, جلال‌الممالک), son of prince Gholam-Hossein Mirza, was a famous Iranian poet. He was a modern p ...

, poet. File:Saib Tabrizi.jpeg, Saib Tabrizi, Persian poet. File:Sattar khan.jpg,

, a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. File:Bagherkhan.jpg, Bagher Khan, a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. File:Shahbanu of Iran.jpg, Farah Pahlavi, is the widow of

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , title = Shahanshah Aryamehr Bozorg Arteshtaran , image = File:Shah_fullsize.jpg , caption = Shah in 1973 , succession = Shah of Iran , reign = 16 September 1941 – 11 February 1979 , coronation = 26 October ...

and was the Shahbanu (empress) of Iran. File:Colonel pesyan.jpg,

Mohammad Taqi Pessian Mohammad-Taqi Khan Pessian ( fa, محمدتقی‌خان پسیان; 1892 – 3 October 1921), more commonly known as Colonel Pessian, was an Iranian gendarme, fighter pilot and warlord who formed and led the short-lived Autonomous Government of ...

, gendarme and pilot. File:Ahmad Kasravi portrait.jpg, Ahmad Kasravi, linguist, nationalist, religious reformer, historian and cleric. File:Farhad Fakhreddini 02 (cropped).jpg,

Farhad Fakhreddini Farhad Fakhreddini ( fa, فرهاد فخرالدینی; born 11 March 1938 in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan) is a renowned Iranian composer, conductor and founder of Iran’s National Orchestra. He led Iran's Radio and Television Orchestra from 19 ...

composer, conductor and founder of Iran's National Orchestra. File:Shahriar.jpg,

, poet. File:Gholam-Hossein Saedi.jpg,

, writer. File:Samad Behrangi.JPG,

, teacher, social critic, folklorist, translator, and writer. File:Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i - 1940s.jpg, Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, Allamah. File:Tahmineh Milani.jpg,

Tahmineh Milani Tahmineh Milāni ( fa, تهمینه میلانی) is an Iranian feminist activist, and film director and producer. Early career She was born 1960 in Tabriz, Iran. After graduating in architecture from the University of Science and Technology ...

, film director. File:Azim Gheichisaz (portrait).jpg,

Azim Gheychisaz Azim Gheychisaz ( fa, عظیم قیچی‌ساز) is an Iranian peoples, Iranian mountain climber and the summiter of all 14 Eight-thousanders. Marble Wall peak in Kazakhstan was his first professional climbing in 2000. He is a member of Irania ...

, mountain climber and Summiter of all 14

Eight-thousander The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...

s File:Parvin etesami.jpg,

Parvin Etesami Parvin E'tesami (1907 – April 5, 1941) also known as Rakhshandeh Etesami ( fa, رخشنده اعتصامی), and Parvin Etesami ( fa, پروین اعتصامی), was an Iranian 20th-century Persian poet. Life Parvin E'tesami was born in 1907 i ...

, 20th-century Persian poet of Iran. File:Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari - March 1982 (cropped).jpg, Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari, Iranian Grand Ayatollah. File:Dariush Shayegan 1.jpg, Dariush Shayegan, Philosopher and former University Professor. File:Tehran derby by Mojnews 2.jpg, Karim Bagheri, professional football player and coach. File:Major General Fakori 2.JPG,

Javad Fakoori Javad Fakoori ( fa, جواد فکوری, 3 January 1936 – 29 September 1981) was a prominent military figure who served as the 4th defence minister of Iran in September 1980 to August 1981. Career Fakoori was a commander of the Islamic Republi ...

, prominent military official and defence minister.

Twin towns – sister cities

Tabriz is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

, Azerbaijan (1980) * Erzurum, Turkey (2011) *

Ganja Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: �aːɲd͡� ...

, Azerbaijan (2015) *

Gaza City Gaza (;''The New Oxford Dictionary of English'' (1998), , p. 761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory in Palestine, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza...". ar, غَزَّة ', ), also referred to as Gaza City, i ...

, Palestine (2013) * Istanbul, Turkey (2010) *

Karbala Karbala or Kerbala ( ar, كَرْبَلَاء, Karbalāʾ , , also ;) is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorat ...

, Iraq (2016) * Kazan, Russia (2004) * Khujand, Tajikistan (2011) * Mogilev, Belarus (2012) * Shanghai, China (2019)

Consulates

Azerbaijan and Turkey have consulate offices in Tabriz. Formerly the Soviet Union and the United States had consulate offices in Tabriz. The US consulate office closed after the 1979

Islamic 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 ...

and the USSR's office closed after the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

Panoramic view

References

Sources

* * * *

Bibliography

External links

* {{Authority control Populated places in Tabriz County Cities in East Azerbaijan Province Iranian provincial capitals Ancient Iranian cities Populated places along the Silk Road Architecture in Iran Archaeological sites in Iran Former capitals of Iran Cities destroyed by earthquakes