Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, serving as the capital of
East Azerbaijan Province
East Azerbaijan Province ( fa, استان آذربایجان شرقی ''Āzarbāijān-e Sharqi''; az-Arab, شرقی آذربایجان اوستانی) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is located in Iranian Azerbaijan, bordering Armenia, ...
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
region between long ridges of volcanic cones in the
Sahand
Sahand ( fa, سهند), is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran. At , it is the highest mountain in the province of East Azarbaijan.
Sahand is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, ...
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
Lake Urmia;
az, اۇرمۇ گؤلۆ, script=Arab, italic=no, Urmu gölü;
ku, گۆلائوو رمیەیێ, Gola Ûrmiyeyê;
hy, Ուրմիա լիճ, Urmia lich;
arc, ܝܡܬܐ ܕܐܘܪܡܝܐ is an endorheic salt lake in Iran. The lake is ...
, 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 The World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC-AISBL) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1964 to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income generating craft related activities, organize exchange programs, wor ...
in October 2015 and Exemplary Tourist City of 2018 by the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived from ...
.
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 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
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm ...
,
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
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
. Among these sites is the grand
Bazaar of Tabriz
The Bazaar of Tabriz ( fa, بازار تبریز, also Romanized as ''Bāzār-e Tabriz'') is a historical market situated in the city center of Tabriz, Iran. It is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the ...
, which is designated a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. From the early modern era, Tabriz was pivotal in the development, movement and economy of its three neighboring regions; namely the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
,
Eastern Anatolia
The Eastern Anatolia Region ('' tr, Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi'') is a geographical region of Turkey. The most populous province in the region is Van Province. Other populous provinces are Malatya, Erzurum and Elazığ.
It is bordered by the Black Se ...
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
The Russo-Persian Wars or Russo-Iranian Wars were a series of conflicts between 1651 and 1828, concerning Iran, Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia fought these wars over disputed governance of territories and countries in th ...
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 (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...
'', 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 circ ...
in the area.
Other sources claim that in AD 246, to avenge his brother's death, king
Tiridates II of Armenia
Tiridates II ( hy, Տրդատ Բ, flourished second half of the 2nd century - died 252), known in Armenian sources as Khosrov, was an Armenian Parthian Prince who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia. Tiridates II was the son and heir of the ...
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
Vardan ( hy, wikt:Վարդան, Վարդան; Vartan (disambiguation), Vartan in Western Armenian transliteration, pronounced in both Eastern and Western Armenian), Varden (disambiguation), Varden ( ka, ვარდენ) in Georgian language, G ...
, a 13th-century
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
historian. Accordingly, the historical
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
name for the city was Tavrezh ().
''
The Cambridge History of Iran
''The Cambridge History of Iran'' is a multi-volume survey of Iranian history published in the United Kingdom by Cambridge University Press. The seven volumes cover "the history and historical geography of the land which is present-day Iran, as we ...
'' points to a connection between the "ancient stronghold of Tarui-Tarmakisa" (or Tarwi-Tarwakisa), which existed in the
8th century BC
The 8th century BCE started the first day of 800 BC and ended the last day of 701 BC. The 8th century BC is a period of great change for several historically significant civilizations. In Egypt, the Twenty-third Dynasty of Egypt, 23rd and Twent ...
, and the city of Tabriz, with Ernst Emil Herzfeld'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
The New Chronology is an alternative chronology of the ancient Near East developed by English Egyptologist David Rohl and other researchers beginning with ''A Test of Time: The Bible - from Myth to History'' in 1995. It contradicts mainstream ...
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 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
Atropates ( peo, *Ātr̥pātaʰ and Middle Persian ; grc, Ἀτροπάτης ; c. 370 BC - after 321 BC) was a Persian nobleman who served Darius III, then Alexander the Great, and eventually founded an independent kingdom and dynasty that was ...
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
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...
in the 3rd or 4th century AD, or later in the 7th century. The city used to be called ''T'awrēš'' in
Middle Persian
Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle Per ...
.
From the Arab conquest to the Constitutional Revolution
After the
Muslim conquest of Iran
The Muslim conquest of Persia, also known as the Arab conquest of Iran, was carried out by the Rashidun Caliphate from 633 to 654 AD and led to the fall of the Sasanian Empire as well as the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion.
Th ...
, the Arabian
Azd
The Azd ( ar, أَزْد), or ''Al-Azd'' ( ar, ٱلْأَزْد), are a tribe of Sabaean Arabs.
In ancient times, the Sabaeans inhabited Ma'rib, capital city of the Kingdom of Saba' in modern-day Yemen. Their lands were irrigated by the Ma ...
tribe from
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
resided in Tabriz. The development of post-Islamic Tabriz began as of this time. The Islamic geographer
Yaqut al-Hamawi
Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-ʿAbdullāh al-Rūmī al-Ḥamawī (1179–1229) ( ar, ياقوت الحموي الرومي) was a Muslim scholar of Byzantine Greek ancestry active during the late Abbasid period (12th-13th centuries). He is known fo ...
says that Tabriz was a village before Rawwad from the tribe of Azd arrive at Tabriz. In 791 AD, Zubaidah, the wife of
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
caliph
Harun al-Rashid
Abu Ja'far Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi ( ar
, أبو جعفر هارون ابن محمد المهدي) or Harun ibn al-Mahdi (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Harun al-Rashid ( ar, هَارُون الرَشِيد, translit=Hārūn ...
, 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
The Kingdom of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამეფო, tr), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in circa 1008 AD. It reached its Golden Age of political and economic ...
under Tamar the Great, as a response to the massacre of 12,000 Christians in the Georgian-controlled city of
Ani
Ani ( hy, Անի; grc-gre, Ἄνιον, ''Ánion''; la, Abnicum; tr, Ani) is a ruined medieval Armenian city now situated in Turkey's province of Kars, next to the closed border with Armenia.
Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of the ...
on
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
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
Khoy (Persian and az, خوی; ; ; also Romanized as Khoi), is a city and capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2012 census, its population was 200,985.
Khoy is located north of the province's capital and largest city ...
and
Qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
along the way.
After the
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
invasion, Tabriz came to eclipse
Maragheh
Maragheh ( fa, مراغه, Marāgheh or ''Marāgha''; az, ماراغا ) is a city and capital of Maragheh County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Maragheh is on the bank of the river Sufi Chay. The population consists mostly of Iranian Azerb ...
as the later
Ilkhanid
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm ...
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
capital of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
until it was sacked by
Timur
Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
in 1392.
Chosen as a capital by
Abaqa Khan
Abaqa Khan (27 February 1234 – 4 April 1282, mn, Абаха/Абага хан (Khalkha Cyrillic), ( Traditional script), "paternal uncle", also transliterated Abaġa), was the second Mongol ruler (''Ilkhan'') of the Ilkhanate. The son of Hula ...
, 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
Mahmud Ghazan (5 November 1271 – 11 May 1304) (, Ghazan Khan, sometimes archaically spelled as Casanus by the Westerners) was the seventh ruler of the Mongol Empire's Ilkhanate division in modern-day Iran from 1295 to 1304. He was the son of A ...
made it the chief administrative centre of an empire stretching from
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
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
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
to the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
. 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
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
Gregory Chioniades
Gregory Chioniades ( el, Γρηγόριος Χιονιάδης, Grēgorios Chioniadēs; c. 1240 – c. 1320) was a Byzantine Greek astronomer. He traveled to Persia, where he learned Persian mathematical and astronomical science, which he introduce ...
is said to have served as the city's
Orthodox
Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to:
Religion
* Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
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
''Muzaffar al-Din'' Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (1397 in Khoy or 1405 in Mardin – 30 October or 11 November 1467 in Bingöl) ( fa, جهان شاه; az, Cahanşah ) was the leader of the Qara Qoyunlu Oghuz Turkic tribal confederacy in Azerbaijan and Ar ...
by
Ag Qoyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu ( az, Ağqoyunlular , ) was a culturally Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two tribal confederations: Akkoyunlu (Wh ...
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
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 ...
entered Tabriz and proclaimed it the capital of his
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 ...
state. In 1514, after the
Battle of Chaldiran
The Battle of Chaldiran ( fa, جنگ چالدران; tr, Çaldıran Savaşı) took place on 23 August 1514 and ended with a decisive victory for the Ottoman Empire over the Safavid Empire. As a result, the Ottomans annexed Eastern Anatolia an ...
, Tabriz was sacked by
Selim I
Selim I ( ota, سليم الأول; tr, I. Selim; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute ( tr, links=no, Yavuz Sultan Selim), was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite last ...
Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha
Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha ("Ibrahim Pasha of Parga"; c. 1495 – 15 March 1536), also known as Frenk Ibrahim Pasha ("the Westerner"), Makbul Ibrahim Pasha ("the Favorite"), which later changed to Maktul Ibrahim Pasha ("the Executed") after his ex ...
occupied Tabriz. In 1555,
Tahmasp I
Tahmasp I ( fa, طهماسب, translit=Ṭahmāsb or ; 22 February 1514 – 14 May 1576) was the second shah of Safavid Iran from 1524 to 1576. He was the eldest son of Ismail I and his principal consort, Tajlu Khanum. Ascending the throne after t ...
transferred its capital to
Qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
to 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
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 ...
s under
Abbas I of Persia
Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid dynasty, Safavid Shah (king) of Safavid Iran, Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavi ...
, the city grew as a major commerce centre, conducting trade with the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, Russia, and the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
. Tabriz was occupied and sacked by Ottoman
Murad IV
Murad IV ( ota, مراد رابع, ''Murād-ı Rābiʿ''; tr, IV. Murad, was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. Murad IV was born in Cons ...
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
Abbas Mirza ( fa, عباس میرزا; August 26, 1789October 25, 1833) was a Qajar crown prince of Iran. He developed a reputation as a military commander during the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 and the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, as ...
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
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 ...
. Prior to the forced cession of Iran's Caucasian territories—comprising what is now
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, 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
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, and
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
—to Imperial Russia following the two
Russo-Persian Wars
The Russo-Persian Wars or Russo-Iranian Wars were a series of conflicts between 1651 and 1828, concerning Iran, Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia fought these wars over disputed governance of territories and countries in th ...
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
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
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
Count Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich-Erevansky, Serene Prince of Warsaw (russian: Ива́н Фёдорович Паске́вич-Эриванский, светлейший князь Варшавский, tr. ; – ) was an Imperial Russian mi ...
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
Abbas Mirza ( fa, عباس میرزا; August 26, 1789October 25, 1833) was a Qajar crown prince of Iran. He developed a reputation as a military commander during the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 and the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, as ...
, 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 and Quru river,
Eugène Flandin
Jean-Baptiste Eugène Napoléon Flandin (15 August 1809 in Naples – 29 September 1889 in Tours),
French orientalist, painter, archaeologist, and politician. Flandin's archeological drawings and some of his military paintings are valued m ...
1841.
File:City Gate , Tabriz by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Sketch of the gate of Tabriz,
Eugène Flandin
Jean-Baptiste Eugène Napoléon Flandin (15 August 1809 in Naples – 29 September 1889 in Tours),
French orientalist, painter, archaeologist, and politician. Flandin's archeological drawings and some of his military paintings are valued m ...
1841.
File:House Hussein Khan, Tabriz by Eugène Flandin.jpg, A sketch of a 19th-century house in Tabriz,
Eugène Flandin
Jean-Baptiste Eugène Napoléon Flandin (15 August 1809 in Naples – 29 September 1889 in Tours),
French orientalist, painter, archaeologist, and politician. Flandin's archeological drawings and some of his military paintings are valued m ...
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
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 ...
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
Bagher Khān ( fa, باقرخان; 1870 – November 1916) honorarily titled Sālār-e Melli ( "National Chieftain") or Baqir Khān, was one of the key figures in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
Biography Early life
Bagher Khan was born i ...
, 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
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, 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, 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
Reza Shah Pahlavi ( fa, رضا شاه پهلوی; ; originally Reza Khan (); 15 March 1878 – 26 July 1944) was an Iranian Officer (armed forces), military officer, politician (who served as Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (Iran), ...
, brigadier-general of the
Persian Cossack Brigade
, image = Persian Cossack Brigade.jpg
, caption = Persian Cossack Brigade in Tabriz in 1909
, dates = 1879–1921
, disbanded = 6 December 1921
, count ...
, declared himself the king of the country following a
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
. 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
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
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
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
aid to set up a local government called
Azerbaijan People's Government
The Azerbaijan People's Government ( az, آذربایجان میللی حکومتی - Azərbaycan Milli Hökuməti; fa, حکومت خودمختار آذربایجان) was a short-lived unrecognized secessionist state in northern Iran from Nov ...
in Northwest
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, having Tabriz as its capital. The new Soviet-backed local government was run by
Ja'far Pishevari
Sayyed Ja'far Pishevari ( fa, سید جعفر پیشهوری; 26 ( Azerbaijani: سید جعفر پیشهوری ) August, 1892 – 11 June, 1947) was an Iranian Azerbaijani communist politician who most-notably founded and led the Azerbai ...
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
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
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.
In the 1980s, due to the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
, 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
Atropates ( peo, *Ātr̥pātaʰ and Middle Persian ; grc, Ἀτροπάτης ; c. 370 BC - after 321 BC) was a Persian nobleman who served Darius III, then Alexander the Great, and eventually founded an independent kingdom and dynasty that was ...
. 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
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
in the North to the Indian Ocean in the South. It was again the capital of Iran during the
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 ...
dynasty from 1375 to 1468 and then during the
Ag Qoyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu ( az, Ağqoyunlular , ) was a culturally Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two tribal confederations: Akkoyunlu (Wh ...
within 1468–1500 and it was capital of Iran in the Safavid dynasty, Safavid period from 1501 Ottoman-Safavid War (1532-1555), until their defeat in 1555.
During the Persia under Qajar dynasty, 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
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 ...
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
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm ...
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
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. 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
Abbas Mirza ( fa, عباس میرزا; August 26, 1789October 25, 1833) was a Qajar crown prince of Iran. He developed a reputation as a military commander during the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 and the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828, as ...
in Tabriz. 12 years later, a second publication was established in Tehran.
*Library: Tarbiat library, 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 of Iran, Cinema: The first public cinema in Iran (1900)
*Education in Iran, School: The first school of primary education (New approach) in Iran was founded by Haji-Mirza Hassan Roshdieh in Tabriz (1893).
*Kindergartens and school for the deaf & mute: Jabbar Baghtcheban 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, 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.
*Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines & Agriculture, Chamber of Commerce: The first "Chamber of Commerce of Iran" in Tabriz (1906)
*Municipality: The first municipality in Iran, founded in 1908.
*Firefighting: 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.
*''Non-governmental organization, 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: The first Iran's football legionnaire (1929) and first coach of Iran national football team, Iran's national football team (1941–1951).
*Yahya Adl: The Father of modern surgery in Iran.
*Javad Heyat: One of the vanguards of modern medicine in Iran (1962).
*Ahmad Hussein Adl: Vanguard of mechanization agriculture in Iran (1930).
*Mostafa Adl: Father's Rights and Justice.
*Hamid Notghi: The founding father of modern public relations in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
*Azim Gheychisaz, Azim Gheichisaz: The first Iranian mountain climber to join the Eight-thousander, 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
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
in East Azerbaijan province between
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).Sahand
Sahand ( fa, سهند), is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran. At , it is the highest mountain in the province of East Azarbaijan.
Sahand is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, ...
mountains in a fertile area inshore of Aji Chay, Aji River and Ghuri River.
The local area is earthquake-prone and during its history, the city has been devastated and rebuilt several times.
Climate
Tabriz has a Semi-arid climate, cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification, Köppen: ''BSk'', Trewartha climate classification, Trewartha: ''BS'') bordering on a humid continental climate with regular seasons (Köppen climate classification, Köppen: ''Dsa'', Trewartha climate classification, Trewartha: ''Dc''). The annual precipitation is around , a good deal of which falls as snow during the winter months and rain in spring (season), spring and autumn. 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
Lake Urmia;
az, اۇرمۇ گؤلۆ, script=Arab, italic=no, Urmu gölü;
ku, گۆلائوو رمیەیێ, Gola Ûrmiyeyê;
hy, Ուրմիա լիճ, Urmia lich;
arc, ܝܡܬܐ ܕܐܘܪܡܝܐ is an endorheic salt lake in Iran. The lake is ...
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 (اهراب)
*Akhmaqaya (آخماقایا)
*Amraqiz (امره قیز)
*Bahar (باهار)
*Baghshoumal (باغ شمال)
*Baron Avak (Barnava) (بارناوا، بارونآواک)
*Bazaar (بازار)
*Beylanki (Beylankooh) (بیلانکی)
*Charandab (چرنداب)
*Chousdouzan (چوسدوزان)
*Davachi (Tabriz), Davachi (دوچی)
*Gajil (گجیل)
*Gazran (Re. Khayyam) (گزران)
*Imamieh (امامیه)
*Hokmavar (حکمآوار)
*Kouchebagh (کوچه باغ)
*Khatib (Tabriz), Khatib (Hatib) (خطیب)
*Khayyam (خیام)
*Khiyavan (خیاوان)
*Kujuvar (کوجووار)
*Laklar (لک لر)
*Lalah (لاله)
*Lilava (Leylabad) (لیلآباد)
*Maghsoudia (مقصودیه)
*Maralan (مارالان)
*Nobar (نوبار)
*Qaraghaj (Tabriz), Qaraghaj (قرهآغاج)
*Qaramalik (قارا ملیک)
*Rastakucha (راستا کوچه)
*Sarlak (سرلک)
*Selab (سیلاب)
*Shanb-e-Ghazan (شنب غازان)
*Sheshghelan (ششگلان)
*Sirkhab (سیرخاب)
*Tapalibagh (تپه لی باغ)
*Vardjibashi (Vidjooya) (ورجی باشی، ویجویه)
According to an official 2016 census, the population of Tabriz is 1,733,033. The majority of the city's population are Iranian Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani people, followed by Persian people, Persians, Iranian Armenians, Armenians, Iranian Assyrians, Assyrians, and other People of Caucasus.
Language
The predominant language spoken in Tabriz is Azerbaijani language (Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani people 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 language, Persian and the most inhabitants have native or near-native knowledge of Persian language, which is the major medium of education.
Nevertheless, the Constitution of Iran, 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
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
in 1999. Other than Azerbaijani, there is a notable minority of Armenian language, Armenian speakers and a smaller minority of Assyrian Neo-Aramaic speakers.
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
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
and Tabriz. The 13th-century manuscript Safina-yi Tabriz has poems in what its Tabriz-born author has called the Tabrizi language (''Zabān-e-Tabrizi'') which is similar to Persian language, Persian.
Religion
After being crowned at Tabriz in 1501, Ismail I, Shah Ismail I announced the Twelver branch of Shia Islam as the official religion of the Safavid Empire. As a result of this royal order, the mostly Sunni population of Tabriz converted to Shiism. Currently, the majority of people are followers of Shia Islam.
The city has a visible Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Apostolic 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
Sahand ( fa, سهند), is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran. At , it is the highest mountain in the province of East Azarbaijan.
Sahand is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, ...
, 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 (born in 1926)
The proximity to
Sahand
Sahand ( fa, سهند), is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran. At , it is the highest mountain in the province of East Azarbaijan.
Sahand is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, ...
, 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, Qatran Tabrizi, Qatran, Khaqani to recent years Samad Behrangi, Gholam-Hossein Sa'edi, Parvin E'tesami. The prominent Iranian Azeris, Iranian Azeri poet Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar was born in Tabriz. The culture, social values, language and music is a mixture of what exists in the rest of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
.
Tabriz also has a special place in Persian literature, as the following sample of verses from some of List of Persian poets and authors, 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.
―''Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, Molana''
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
―''Bostan (book), Bustan of Saadi (poet), Sadi''
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 [river] are enough!
―''Khaqani Shirvani, Khaqani''
اين ارك بلند شهر تبريز است
افراشته قامتِ رسايش را
This is the tall Arg of Tabriz City,
Raised its outstanding height there!
―''Yadollah Maftun Amini, 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" 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 Arasbaran, 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 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 Ashugh 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
Ilkhanid
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm ...
s, Kara Koyunlu and the
Safavid
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
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
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 ...
s era is narrated by Orhan Pamuk in ''My Name Is Red''.
Cuisine
Famous dishes in Tabriz include:
''Ash (Persian food), Aash'' is a kind of soup prepared with Bouillon (soup), bouillon, various vegetables, carrots, noodles and spices.
''Abgosht, Abgoosht'' or ''Shorva'' (w:fa:آبگوشت, آبگوشت) is a hearty soup made of Lamb and mutton, 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'', kebab 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'' is a traditional Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani food, prepared by filling an eggplant, capsicum, tomato or zucchini with a mixture of meat, split pea, onion and various spices.
''Karniyarik, Garniyarikh'' (meaning "the torn abdomen" in Azerbaijani language, Azeri) is a kind of dolma filled with meat, garlic, almonds and spices.
''Tabriz meatballs'' are large meatballs composed of ground meat, rice, and leeks, alongside various other ingredients. The word ''kofta'' is derived from Persian language, 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 with rice)
Kufteh1.png, Tabriz meatballs
Abgusht.png, Abgoosht
Dolma, Tabriz.jpg, Dolma
Cutlet TBZ.png, Cutlet
Qurutli ash.png, Qurutli Aash, a thick soup made of qurut
There are also confections, biscuits and cookies which are Tabriz specialties, including Qurabiya, Tabrizi Lovuez, Riss, Nougat, Tasbihi, Latifeh, Ahari, Lovadieh, and Lokum.
Qourabieh.png, Qurabiya
Lovuez.png, Tabrizi Lovuez
Nooka.png, Nouga (Nougat)
Riss TBZ.png, Riss
Konjod.png, Konjod Halvasi, a laminal sesame cookie.
Baglava, Tabriz, Iran.jpg, Tabriz's Baklava
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 dynasty, Qajar museum)
*Arg of Tabriz
*Azerbaijan Museum
*Baghmasha gate
*Tabriz Bazaar, Bazaar of Tabriz, a world heritage site
*Behnam House (school of architecture)
*Blue Mosque of Tabriz, Blue Mosque (Goy Masjid)
*Boulourchian house
*Constitutional Revolution House of Tabriz (Mashrouteh museum)
*Daneshsara (faculty of education)
*Document Museum
*East-Azerbaijan State Palace
*Ferdowsi street
*Ghadaki house
*Qari Bridge
*Haidarzadeh house
*Hariree house
*House of Seghat ol Islam
*Imamzadeh Hamzah, Tabriz
*Imamzadeh Ibrahim
*Iranian municipalities
*Iron Age museum
*Jamee mosque of Tabriz
*Madrasah Akbarieh
*Maqbaratoshoara (tomb of poets)
*Mansoor bridge
*Measure museum
*Muharram museum
*Municipality of Tabriz
*Museum of Ostad Bohtouni
*Nobar bath
*On ibn Ali's shrine
*Ordobadi house
*Pahlavi street (Imam St.)
*Pol Sanghi (Stone bridge)
*Post museum
*Pottery museum
*Protestant church of Tabriz
*Qur'an museum
*Roshdieh school
*Rug museum
*Ruins of Rabe Rashidi University
*Saheb ol Amr mosque
*Saint Mary Church of Tabriz (Armenian church)
*Salmasi house Measure museum
*Seventh-day Adventist Church, Armenian
*Seyed Hamzeh shrine
*Shahnaz street
*Sharbatoglu house
*Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar, Shahryar literature museum (house of Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar, Shahryar)
*Shohada Mosque
*Sorkheh-i house
*Tabriz Art University (former Charmsazi Khosravi)
*Tabriz Fire Fighting Tower
*Tabriz Museum of Natural History
*Tabriz Railway Station
*Tarbiyat street
*Tomb of Two Kamals, Two Kamals tomb
File:Saat 4.jpg, Saat Tower
File:Carpet Bazaar of Tabriz.JPG, Bazaar of Tabriz, The Grand Bazaar
File:Eternal Love.jpg, Iron Age museum
File:Amir Nezam House 1.jpg, Amir Nezam House (Qajar dynasty, Qajar museum)
File:House-of-Constitutional-Revolution.jpg, Constitution House of Tabriz
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, Azerbaijan Museum
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, Imamzadeh Hamzah, Tabriz, 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, was established at first Pahlavi dynasty, Pahlavi'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
*Golestan Park
*Persian Constitutional Revolution, Mashrouteh Park
*Saeb Tabrizi Garden
*Shah-goli, 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).
There are hundreds of industrial complexes in Tabriz's industrial area. Among them is the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company, 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 ateliers, confectionery, 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 Persian carpet, 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 Carpet, 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 Carpet, rugs is the weaving style, using specialities that guarantee the durability of the rug in comparison for example with Kashan Carpet, 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.
File:TCarpet2.jpg, A sample of Tabriz rugs
File:Iranian Astrolab.jpg, A newly made bronze Astrolabe, 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
The Bazaar of Tabriz ( fa, بازار تبریز, also Romanized as ''Bāzār-e Tabriz'') is a historical market situated in the city center of Tabriz, Iran. It is one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the ...
, pedestrian malls on Tarbiyat street, Shahnaz 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 district and Kouy Valiasr.
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
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
is the most prestigious university in north-western Iran.
University of Tabriz
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
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
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
, there are several other public universities, operating in the city and its suburbs. Among them the famous ones are:
*Tabriz University of Medical Sciences has departments from various medical and paramedical branches. This University was part of
University of Tabriz
The University of Tabriz ( fa, دانشگاه تبريز, ''Danushgah-e Tebriz'') is a public university located in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research. It is one ...
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 is established in 1987. Azerbaijan University is a general university. Its main campus is located based in Azarshahr county.
*Tabriz Islamic Arts University 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 Azerbaijani, Persian language, 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) was opened in 1891 and is one of the most famous schools of American Missionary Schools in Iran. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the school's name was changed to Parvin High School, under
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
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
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian school, which was established by Haji-Mirza Hassan Roshdieh. Currently, its building is used as the Tabriz branch of the National
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian Documents and Library Office.
*Vahdat Technical College is another famous school in Tabriz. It was developed by the Germans before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
*Ferdowsi high school is one of the largest and most prominent high schools in Tabriz. The original building was constructed by Germans, German engineers before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
originally as a hospital with an aerial shape of H. Later on, it was used as Ferdowsi high school.
*Mansur High School (established 1945) was one of the highest-ranking schools in Tabriz. Later on, the school divided into Mansur High School, 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 National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents, SAMPAD/National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents, NODET) 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, 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 language, Persian literature in the northwest region of Iran. There are many other public libraries all around the city such as Tarbiat library, Helal Ahmar, Shahid Motahhari, Shahriyar, Jafarieh, and Farhangsara.
Infrastructure
Health systems
The Ministry of Health and Medical Education (Iran), Ministry of Health 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 ''Tabriz Railway Station, 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.
Part of Tabriz Metro, 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
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
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 Road 32 (Iran), roads and Bazargan, Iran, Bazargan ( Azerbaijani, Persian language, Persian: بازرگان ) border. Tabriz is connected to Tehran by Freeway 2 (Iran).
The city is linked to
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
National Railways (IRIR, Persian language, Persian: رجا ) also to Europe by Turkey's railways via Ghotour (Azerbaijani, Persian قطور) bridge in West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Tabriz was the first city in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
to be served by railways with the construction of the Tabriz-Jolfa, Iran (city), 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 opened in 1950 and is the only international airport in East Azerbaijan (since 1991). It has daily and weekly domestic flights to Tehran, Isfahan, Kish Island, Shiraz, and Mashhad. It also has daily and weekly flights to Istanbul, Tbilisi, Baghdad and Baku.
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 Takhti Stadium (Tabriz), 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 Yadegar-e Emam Stadium, soccer stadium and a Tabriz Cycling Track, cycling track. They are several other smaller complexes for martial arts, swimming pools, and gymnasiums. Among many different sports activities soccer and cycle sport, 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 1976 AFC Asian Cup, AFC Asian Cup games.
Futsal
The city's main futsal club is Dabiri Tabriz FSC, 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 Paya Sazeh FSC, Shahrdari Tabriz who play at the larger Shahid Poursharifi Arena. The club is usually a mid-table team and has less support throughout the city.
Cycling
Tabriz is also home for Azerbaijan Cycling Tour 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, a cycling team which is competing in Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI-sanctioned competitions through Asian continents.
Ski
Sahand Ski Resort, Sahand and Yam Ski Resort, Yam 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 language, Persian and Azerbaijani languages. It broadcasts internationally through the Arabsat and Intelsat satellites.
The city has one government-controlled radio channel broadcasting in both Persian language, Persian and Azerbaijani 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''
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, poet.
File:Saib Tabrizi.jpeg, Saib Tabrizi, Persian poet.
File:Sattar khan.jpg,
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 ...
, a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
File:Bagherkhan.jpg,
Bagher Khan
Bagher Khān ( fa, باقرخان; 1870 – November 1916) honorarily titled Sālār-e Melli ( "National Chieftain") or Baqir Khān, was one of the key figures in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
Biography Early life
Bagher Khan was born i ...
, a pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
File:Shahbanu of Iran.jpg, Farah Pahlavi, is the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and was the Shahbanu (empress) of Iran.
File:Colonel pesyan.jpg, Mohammad Taqi Pessian, 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 composer, conductor and founder of National Iranian Symphony Orchestra, Iran's National Orchestra.
File:Shahriar.jpg, Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar, poet.
File:Gholam-Hossein Saedi.jpg, Gholam-Hossein Sa'edi, writer.
File:Samad Behrangi.JPG, Samad Behrangi, teacher, social critic, folklorist, translator, and writer.
File:Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i - 1940s.jpg, Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, Allamah.
File:Tahmineh Milani.jpg, Tahmineh Milani, film director.
File:Azim Gheichisaz (portrait).jpg, Azim Gheychisaz, mountain climber and Summiter of all 14 Eight-thousanders
File:Parvin etesami.jpg, Parvin E'tesami, Parvin Etesami, 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, prominent military official and defence minister.
Twin towns – sister cities
Tabriz is Sister city, twinned with:
*Baku, Azerbaijan (1980)
*Erzurum, Turkey (2011)
*Ganja, Azerbaijan, Ganja, Azerbaijan (2015)
*Gaza City, Palestine (2013)
*Istanbul, Turkey (2010)
*Karbala, 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 and the USSR's office closed after the History of the Soviet Union (1985–1991), collapse of the USSR in 1991.
Panoramic view
See also
*Pardis Animal Shelter
*Tabriz Khanate
*Timeline of Tabriz
References
Sources
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Bibliography
External links
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{{Authority control
Tabriz,
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