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Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District of
Isfahan County Isfahan County () is in Isfahan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Isfahan. History After the 2006 National Census, the village of Qahjavarestan was elevated to the status of a city. After the 2011 census, the city of Khvorasgan ...
, Isfahan province,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
. The city has a population of approximately 2,220,000, making it the third-most populous city in Iran, after Tehran and
Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
, and the second-largest metropolitan area. Isfahan is located at the intersection of the two principal routes that traverse Iran, north–south and east–west. Isfahan flourished between the 9th and 18th centuries. Under the
Safavid Empire The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
, Isfahan became the capital of Iran, for the second time in its history, under
Abbas the Great Abbas I (; 27 January 1571 – 19 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the fifth Safavid Iran, Safavid shah of Iran from 1588 to 1629. The third son of Mohammad Khodabanda, Shah Mohammad Khodabanda, he is generally considered ...
. It is known for its
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian proverb ''Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast'' (Isfahan is half (of) the world).
Naqsh-e Jahan Square The Naqsh-e Jahan Square (), also known as the Shah Square () prior to 1979, and sometimes known as the Imam Square, is a maidan, square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfahan, Iran. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now an impo ...
in Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world, and a
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.


Etymology

The name Espahan is derived from
Middle Persian Middle Persian, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg ( Inscriptional Pahlavi script: , Manichaean script: , Avestan script: ) in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasania ...
, which is attested by various Middle Persian seals and inscriptions, including that of the
Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...
magi Magi (), or magus (), is the term for priests in Zoroastrianism and earlier Iranian religions. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the Great, known as the Behistun Inscription. Old Per ...
Kartir Kartir (also spelled Karder, Karter and Kerdir; Middle Persian: 𐭪𐭫𐭲𐭩𐭫 ''Kardīr'') was a powerful and influential Zoroastrian priest during the reigns of four Sasanian kings in the 3rd century. His name is cited in the inscriptions ...
. The region is denoted by the abbreviation ''GD'' (Southern
Media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...
) on
Sasanian The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...
coins. In Ptolemy's ''
Geographia The ''Geography'' (, ,  "Geographical Guidance"), also known by its Latin names as the ' and the ', is a gazetteer, an atlas, and a treatise on cartography, compiling the geographical knowledge of the 2nd-century Roman Empire. Originally wri ...
'', it appears as (), which translates to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that is derived from "the armies", the Old Persian plural of , from which is derived () 'army' and (, 'soldier', literally 'of the army') in Central Persian. Some of the other ancient names include Gey, Jey (old form Zi), Park, and Judea.


History

Human habitation in the Isfahan region can be traced back to the
Palaeolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...
period. Archaeologists have found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic,
Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Ancient Greek language, Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic i ...
,
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
,
Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
, and
Iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
ages. During the
Median The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...
rule, Isfahan became a regional centre, especially from the benefits of the Zayandehrud River. It was a religiously and ethnically diverse city during the reign of
Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia ( ; 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Media ...
, and exhibited religious tolerance. The Arabs captured Isfahan in 642 CE. They made it the capital of
al-Jibal Jibāl (), also al-Jabal (), was the name given by the Arabs to a region and province located in western Iran, under the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. Its name means "the Mountains", being the plural of ''jabal'' ("mountain, hill"), highlight ...
province. The city further grew under the
Buyid dynasty The Buyid dynasty or Buyid Empire was a Zaydi and later Twelver Shi'a dynasty of Daylamite origin. Founded by Imad al-Dawla, they mainly ruled over central and southern Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062. Coupled with the rise of other Iranian dyn ...
, and under the
Seljuk dynasty The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of t ...
. With the fall of the Seljuks in 1200 CE, the city temporarily declined but regained its importance during the
Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
era (1501–1736) with the city's golden age under the rule of
Abbas the Great Abbas I (; 27 January 1571 – 19 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the fifth Safavid Iran, Safavid shah of Iran from 1588 to 1629. The third son of Mohammad Khodabanda, Shah Mohammad Khodabanda, he is generally considered ...
who also moved his capital from
Qazvin Qazvin (; ; ) is a city in the Central District (Qazvin County), Central District of Qazvin County, Qazvin province, Qazvin province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the largest city in the provi ...
to Isfahan. During his reign, Turkish,
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 around the ...
, and
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
craftsmen were forcefully resettled in the city to ensure its prosperity. Later, the city also had enclaves for people of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent. The city once again declined after the
Siege of Isfahan The siege of Isfahan () was a six-month-long siege of Isfahan, the capital of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, by the Hotaki-led Afghan army. It lasted from March to October 1722 and resulted in the city's fall and the beginning of the end of the ...
by
Afghan Afghan or Afgan may refer to: Related to Afghanistan *Afghans, historically refers to the Pashtun people. It is both an ethnicity and nationality. Ethnicity wise, it refers to the Pashtuns. In modern terms, it means both the citizens of Afghanist ...
invaders in 1722. In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by many people from southern Iran, especially during the population migrations at the start of the century and in the 1980s following the
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...
.


Zoroastrian era

Under
Median The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...
rule, the commercial entrepôt began to show signs of more sedentary urbanism, growing into a regional centre that benefited from the fertile soil on the banks of the Zayandehrud River, in a region called Aspandana or Ispandana. When
Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia ( ; 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Media ...
unified Persian and Median lands into the
Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...
, the religiously and ethnically diverse city of Isfahan became an early example of the king's fabled
religious tolerance Religious tolerance or religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, ...
. It was
Cyrus Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is historically best known as the name of several List of monarchs of Iran, Persian kings, most notably including Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC. It remains wid ...
who, having just taken
Babylon Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
, made an edict in 538 BCE declaring that Jews in Babylon could return to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. Later, some of the Jewish immigrants settled in Isfahan instead of returning to their homeland. The 10th-century Persian historian
Ibn al-Faqih Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadani () (fl. 902) was a 10th-century Persian historian and geographer, famous for his ''Mukhtasar Kitab al-Buldan'' ("Concise Book of Lands") written in Arabic. In the 1870s the Dutch orientalist Micha ...
wrote: The
Parthians Parthia ( ''Parθava''; ''Parθaw''; ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Medes during the 7th century BC, was incorporated into the subsequent Achaemen ...
(247 BCE – 224 CE), continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the
Achaemenids The Achaemenid dynasty ( ; ; ; ) was a royal house that ruled the Achaemenid Empire, which eventually stretched from Egypt and Thrace in the west to Central Asia and the Indus Valley in the east. Origins The history of the Achaemenid dy ...
, fostering a
Hellenistic In classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Greek history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, which was followed by the ascendancy of the R ...
dimension within Iranian culture and the political organization introduced by
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
's invading armies. Under the Parthians,
Arsacid The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power centered in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe ...
governors administered the provinces of the nation from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to accommodate the needs of a capital city. The next empire to rule, the
Sassanid The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
s (224–651 CE), presided over massive changes in their realm, instituting sweeping agricultural reforms and reviving Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian religion. Both the city and region were then called by the name Aspahan or Spahan. The city was governed by a group called the Espoohrans, who descended from seven noble Iranian families. Extant foundations of some Sassanid-era bridges in Isfahan suggest that the Sasanian kings were fond of ambitious urban-planning projects. While Isfahan's political importance declined during this period, many Sassanid princes would study statecraft in the city, and its military role increased. Its strategic location at the intersection of the ancient roads to
Susa Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...
and
Persepolis Persepolis (; ; ) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (). It is situated in the plains of Marvdasht, encircled by the southern Zagros mountains, Fars province of Iran. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites and ...
made it an ideal candidate to house a standing army, which would be ready to march against
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
at any moment. The words "Aspahan" and "Spahan" are derived from the Pahlavi or Middle Persian meaning 'the place of the army'. Although many theories have mentioned the origins of Isfahan, little is known of it before the rule of the Sasanian dynasty. The historical facts suggest that, in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, Queen
Shushandukht Shushandukht (; ) was the Jewish wife of Yazdegerd I, the Sasanian emperor from 399-420, and mother of Bahram V, his successor. She was also said to be the daughter of the Exilarch (Middle Persian ''rēš-galūdag'') Huna bar Nathan. Shushandukht ...
, the Jewish wife of emperor
Yazdegerd I Yazdegerd I (also spelled Yazdgerd and Yazdgird; ) was the Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 399 to 420. A son of Shapur III (), he succeeded his brother Bahram IV () after the latter's assassination. Yazdegerd I's largely-uneventful reig ...
(reigned 399–420), who was also the mother of his successor
Bahram V Bahram V (also spelled Wahram V or Warahran V; ), also known as Bahram Gur (New Persian: , "Bahram the onager unter), was the Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings (''shahanshah'') from 420 to 438. The son of the incumbent Sasanian shah Ya ...
, settled a colony of Jewish immigrants in Yahudiyyeh (also spelled Yahudiya and Jouybareh), a settlement northwest of the Zoroastrian city of Gabae (its Achaemid and Parthian name; Gabai was its Sasanic name, which was shortened to Gay (Arabic 'Jay') that was located on the northern bank of the
Zayanderud The Zayanderud or Zayandehrud (; from "fertile" or "life-giver", and "river"), also spelled as ''Zayanderud'' or ''Zayanderood, ...'', is the largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran. Geography The Zayandeh starts in the Zard ...
River (the colony's establishment was also attributed to
Nebuchadrezzar Nebuchadnezzar II, also Nebuchadrezzar II, meaning " Nabu, watch over my heir", was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from the death of his father Nabopolassar in 605 BC to his own death in 562 BC. Often titled Nebuchadnezza ...
, though that's less likely). The gradual population decrease of Gay (Jay) and the simultaneous population increase of Yahudiyyeh and its suburbs, after the Arab conquest of Iran, resulted in the formation of the nucleus of what was to become the city of Isfahan. The words "Aspadana", "Ispadana", "Spahan", and "Sepahan", all from which the word Isfahan is derived, referred to the region in which the city was located. Isfahan and Gay were supposedly both circular in design, which was characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities. However, this reported Sasanian circular city of Isfahan has not yet been uncovered.


Muslim era

When the Arabs captured Isfahan in 642 CE, they made it the capital of
al-Jibal Jibāl (), also al-Jabal (), was the name given by the Arabs to a region and province located in western Iran, under the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. Its name means "the Mountains", being the plural of ''jabal'' ("mountain, hill"), highlight ...
("the Mountains") province, an area that covered much of ancient Media. Isfahan grew prosperous under the Persian
Buyid The Buyid dynasty or Buyid Empire was a Zaydi and later Twelver Shi'a dynasty of Daylamite origin. Founded by Imad al-Dawla, they mainly ruled over central and southern Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062. Coupled with the rise of other Iranian dyna ...
(Buwayhid) dynasty, which rose to power and ruled much of Iran when the temporal authority of the Abbasid leaders waned in the 10th century. The city walls of Isfahan are thought to have been constructed during the tenth century. The Turkish conqueror and founder of the
Seljuq dynasty The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of the S ...
,
Toghril Beg Abu Talib Muhammad Tughril ibn Mika'il (), better known as Tughril (; also spelled Toghril / Tughrul), was a Turkoman"The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes by the Turkomans at the battle of Malazgirt (Manzikert) is ...
, made Isfahan the capital of his domains in the mid-11th century; but it was under his grandson
Malik-Shah I Malik-Shah I (, ) was the third sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1072 to 1092, under whom the sultanate reached the zenith of its power and influence. During his youth, he spent his time participating in the campaigns of his father Alp Arslan, ...
(r. 1073–92) that the city grew in size and splendour. After the fall of the Seljuqs (), Isfahan temporarily declined and was eclipsed by other Iranian cities, such as
Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...
and
Qazvin Qazvin (; ; ) is a city in the Central District (Qazvin County), Central District of Qazvin County, Qazvin province, Qazvin province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the largest city in the provi ...
. During his visit in 1327,
Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, Ibn ...
noted that "The city of Isfahan is one of the largest and fairest of cities, but it is now in ruins for the greater part." In 1387, Isfahan surrendered to the warlord
Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...
. Initially treated with relative mercy, the city revolted against Timur's punitive taxes by killing the tax collectors and some of Timur's soldiers. In retribution, Timur ordered the massacre of the city residents, his soldiers killing a reported 70,000 citizens. An eye-witness counted more than 28 towers, each constructed of about 1,500 heads. Isfahan regained its importance during the
Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
period (1501–1736). The city's golden age began in 1598 when the Safavid ruler
Abbas the Great Abbas I (; 27 January 1571 – 19 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the fifth Safavid Iran, Safavid shah of Iran from 1588 to 1629. The third son of Mohammad Khodabanda, Shah Mohammad Khodabanda, he is generally considered ...
(reigned 1588–1629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest and most beautiful cities in the 17th-century world. In 1598, he moved his capital from
Qazvin Qazvin (; ; ) is a city in the Central District (Qazvin County), Central District of Qazvin County, Qazvin province, Qazvin province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the largest city in the provi ...
to the more central Isfahan. He introduced policies increasing Iranian involvement in the Silk Road trade. Turkish,
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 around the ...
, and
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
craftsmen were forcefully resettled in the city to ensure its prosperity. Their contributions to the economic vitality of the revitalized city supported the recovery of
Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
glory and prestige, after earlier losses to the Ottomans and
Qizilbash Qizilbash or Kizilbash (Latin script: ) ; ; (modern Iranian reading: ); were a diverse array of mainly Turkoman "The Qizilbash, composed mainly of Turkman tribesmen, were the military force introduced by the conquering Safavis to the Irani ...
tribes, ushering in a golden age for the city. As part of Abbas's forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, as many as 300,000 Armenians (primarily from
Jugha Julfa (), formerly Jugha (Armenian: Ջուղա, also transliterated as ''Djugha''), is a city and the capital of the Julfa District of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Julfa is separated by the Aras River from its namesake, the ...
) were resettled in Isfahan during Abbas' reign.) In Isfahan, he ordered the establishment of a new quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was named
New Julfa New Julfa (, ''Now Jolfā'', or , ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; , ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenians, Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayanderud. Established and named after the Gülüstan, Nakhchivan, older city of Julf ...
(today one of the largest Armenian quarters in the world). Shah Abbas would also oversee a transformation of the urban pattern of Isfahan. The plans included the new, rectangular Shah Square and the linear Chahar Bagh Boulevard. Between these two focal points of Isfahan’s urban revitalization was a large garden, what is today the Hasht Behesht Gardens. The new, geometric, planned portions of Isfahan would stand out against the old city’s complex street layouts, attracting foreign emissaries and wealthy residents along the Chahar Bagh. Shah Square would be adorned by 4 grand monuments on each side. Importantly to the north, a turquoise gate connected the new square to Isfahan’s Grand Bazaar and old square, while to the south, the Shah Mosque would become the new primary place of worship for city residents. In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and migrants from the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
settled in the city. Following an agreement between Abbas the Great and his Georgian subject
Teimuraz I of Kakheti Teimuraz I ( ka, თეიმურაზ I; 1589–1663), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was a Georgian monarch ('' mepe'') who ruled, with intermissions, as King of Kakheti from 1605 to 1648 and also of Kartli from 1625 to 1633. The eldest son of ...
("Tahmuras Khan"), whereby the latter became Muslim and accepted Safavid rule in exchange for being allowed to rule as the region's ''wāli'' (governor), with his son serving as '' dāruḡa'' (prefect) of Isfahan. He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers, some of whom were
Georgian Orthodox The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonl ...
Christians. The royal court in Isfahan had a great number of Georgian ''ḡolāms'' (military servants), as well as Georgian women. Although they spoke both Persian and Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian. Now the city had enclaves of those of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent. Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Iran in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000. During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became known in Europe, and European travellers, such as
Jean Chardin Jean Chardin (16 November 1643 – 5 January 1713), born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweller and traveller whose ten-volume book ''The Travels of Sir John Chardin'' is regarded as one of the finest ...
, gave accounts of their visits to the city. The city was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722, during a marked decline in Safavid influence. Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in moving the capital to
Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
and
Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...
during the
Afsharid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly referred to as Afsharid Iran or the Afsharid Empire, was an Iranian empire established by the Turkoman Afshar tribe in Iran's north-eastern province of Khorasan, establishing the Afsharid dynasty that wo ...
and
Zand Zand may refer to: * Zend, a class of exegetical commentaries on Zoroastrian scripture * Zand District, an administrative subdivision of Iran * Zand Boulevard, in Shiraz, Iran * Z And, a variable star As a tribal/clan and dynastic name * Zand trib ...
periods, respectively, until it was finally moved to
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
, in 1775, by
Agha Mohammad Khan Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar (; 14 March 1742 – 17 June 1797), also known by his regnal name of Agha Mohammad Shah (), was the founder of the Qajar dynasty of Qajar Iran, Iran, ruling from 1789 to 1797 as Shah. Originally a chieftain of the Quwanlu ...
, the founder of the
Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...
dynasty. In the early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Isfahan's archeologically important buildings. The work was started by
Mohammad Hossein Khan Hajji Mohammad Hossein Isfahani (1758–1823) was an architect and political leader in Isfahan under the rule of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, the second shah of Qajar Iran. Biography He was born in Isfahan, Iran. In 1795 or 1796 he was named governor ('' ...
, during the reign of
Fath Ali Shah Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...
.


Modern age

File:Isfahan from above.jpg, Street from above File:ETH-BIB-Rundblick von der Schahburg, Isfahan-Persienflug 1924-1925-LBS MH02-02-0159-AL-FL.tif, Isfahan in 1924 File:Foolad Mobarakeh49.jpg, Foolad Mobarakeh Steel Mill File:General map of Isfahan by Pascal Coste.jpg, Map of Isfahan by Pascal Coste The city has had four master development programs. The first one was created in 1971 by German engineering firm that included checkered streets' design. In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by many people from southern Iran. Many of these migrants came during the population migrations at the start of the century and in the 1980s following the
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...
. During the war, 23,000 from Isfahan were killed; and there were 43,000 veterans. In 1921 Telephone office were first created in Shams Abadi street. Today, Isfahan produces carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods, including sweets. Isfahan is noted for its production of the
Isfahan rug The Iranian city of Isfahan has long been one of the centres for production of the famous Persian carpet (or rug). Isfahani carpets are renowned for their high quality. The most famous workshop in Isfahan is ''Seirafian''. In Europe, they becam ...
, a type of Persian rug typically made of
merino wool The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the br ...
and silk. There are
nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space *Nuclear ...
experimental reactors as well as uranium conversion facilities (UCF) for producing nuclear fuel in the environs of the city. Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys. The
Mobarakeh Steel Company Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC, , Foolad Mobarakeh) is a private Iranian steel company, located 65 km south west of Esfahan, near the city of Mobarakeh, Esfahan Province, Iran. It is the largest steel maker of MENA (Middle East & Northern Af ...
is the biggest steel producer in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and it is the biggest DRI producer in the world. The Isfahan Steel Company was the first manufacturer of constructional steel products in Iran, and it remains the largest such company today. There is a major oil refinery and a large
air force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
base outside the city. HESA, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant, is located just outside the city. Isfahan was also attracting international investment as of 2014. Isfahan hosted the
International Physics Olympiad The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967. Each national delegation is made up of a ...
in 2007. In 2023, 200 Azan playing loudspeakers were installed in the city by the government. The Municipality created a tourism app called Isfahanema. Farmers in Esfahan have been protesting for their
water rights Water right in water law is the right of a user to use water from a water source, e.g., a river, stream, pond or source of groundwater. In areas with plentiful water and few users, such systems are generally not complicated or contentious. In o ...
due to ongoing
water shortage Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity. One is ''physical.'' The other is ''economic water scarcity''. Physic ...
s and mismanagement issues. In 2018 they protested Iranian regime mismanagement and it’s anti-American ideology, chanting "Our enemy is here, they are lying that it is America," and "Front toward homeland back to enemy in Friday prayers".


Geography

The city is located on the plain of the '' Zayandeh Rud'' (Fertile River) and the foothills of the
Zagros The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of . The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of s ...
mountain range. The nearest mountain is Mount Soffeh (Kuh-e Soffeh), just south of the city. As of 2023 several public housing projects were being built.


Hydrography

An artificial network of canals, whose components are called ''madi'', were built during the Safavid dynasty for channeling water from ''Zayandeh Roud'' river into different parts of the city. Designed by Sheikh Bahaï, an engineer of Shah Abbas, the network has 77 madis in the northern course, and 71 in the southern course of the Zayandeh Rud. , 91% of the centuries-old network’s water was being used for agriculture purposes, 4% for industrial purposes, and 5% for domestic purposes. 70 emergency wells were dug in 2018 to avoid water shortages. *


Ecological issues

Towns and villages around Isfahan have emptied out due to drought and water diversion. An anonymous journalist said that what's called drought is more often the mismanagement of water. The subsidence rate is dire, and the
aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeability (Earth sciences), permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The s ...
level decreases by one meter annually. As of 2020, the city had the worst
air quality Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...
among major Iranian cities.


Flora and fauna

The
Damask rose Damask (; ) is a woven, reversible patterned fabric. Damasks are woven by periodically reversing the action of the warp and weft threads. The pattern is most commonly created with a warp-faced satin weave and the ground with a weft-faced or sa ...
cultivar ''Rosa'' 'Ispahan' is named after the city. The
mole cricket Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole" * Golden mole, southern African mammals * Marsupial mole, Australian mammals Other common meanings * Nevus, a growth on human skin ** Melanocytic nevus, a specific type of ...
is one of the major pests of plants, especially grass roots. By 2023, the city's green space was dying because of a water shortage; where trees need 150 liters, only 0.7 liter of gray recycled water was available. There is a program to plant ''Celtis australis'', oak trees. Cows endemic to Isfahan became extinct in 2020.
Wagtail Wagtails are a group of passerine birds that form the genus ''Motacilla'' in the family Motacillidae. The common name and genus name are derived from their characteristic tail pumping behaviour. Together with the pipits and longclaws they form ...
s are often seen in farmlands and parks. Sheep and rams are symbols of Isfahan.


Climate

Situated at
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains, Isfahan has a
cold desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''BWk''). No geological obstacles exist within north of the city, allowing cool winds to blow from this direction. Despite its altitude, Isfahan remains hot during the summer, with maxima typically around . However, with low humidity and moderate temperatures at night, the climate is quite pleasant. During the winter, days are cool while nights can be very cold. Snow falls an average of 6.7 days each winter. However, generally Isfahan's climate is extremely dry. Its annual
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...
of is only about half that of
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
or
Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
and only a quarter that of more exposed
Kermanshah Kermanshah is a city in the Central District (Kermanshah County), Central District of Kermanshah province, Kermanshah province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is from Tehran in the western pa ...
. The
Zayande River The Zayanderud or Zayandehrud (; from "fertile" or "life-giver", and "river"), also spelled as ''Zayanderud'' or ''Zayanderood, ...'', is the largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran. Geography The Zayandeh starts in the Zard- ...
starts in the Zagros Mountains, flowing from the west through the heart of the city, then dissipates in the
Gavkhouni Gavkhouni () also written as ''Batlaq-e-Gavkhuni'', located in the Iranian Plateau in central Iran, east of the city of Isfahan, is the terminal basin of the Zayandeh River. Gavkhouni is a salt marsh with a salinity of 31.5% and an average dept ...
wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
. Planting olive trees in the city is economically viable because such trees can survive water shortages. The highest recorded temperature was on 11 July 2001 and the lowest recorded temperature was on 16 January 1996.


Economy


Textiles

Traditionally the cornerstone of Isfahan’s economy, the textile industry employed 18,000–20,000 workers in some 25 cotton- and wool-weaving mills by the mid-1960s—roughly half of Iran’s total textile output at the time, and far ahead of other provincial centres such as
Yazd Yazd (; ) is a city in the Central District of Yazd County, Yazd province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. At the 2016 census, its population was 529,673. Since 2017, the historical city of Yazd is rec ...
and
Kerman Kerman (; ) is a city in the Central District (Kerman County), Central District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. History Kerman was founded as a def ...
. Although many natural-fibre mills later contracted, the city reinvented itself as the nation’s leading producer of synthetic yarns: Polyacryl Iran Corporation, launched with
DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
technology in the late 1970s, operated five plants that by the late 1990s were turning out 70,000 metric tonnes of polyester and acrylic staple, yarn and tops—nearly 80 percent of all manmade fibre made in Iran.


Steel and metalworking

The original Āryāmehr (Esfahan) Steel Mill southwest of the city and the newer Mobarakeh Steel Complex together form the country’s largest integrated metals hub, supplying billets, bars, sheets and structural profiles to downstream pipe, appliance, and machinery plants across the province and beyond. Their presence has anchored a supporting network of mining, transport and engineering firms and stimulated the growth of planned satellite towns.


Agro-food and consumer goods

Modern vegetable-oil refineries, two large sugar-beet factories, and numerous plants producing flour, dairy products, meat, fruit juices and canned foods give Isfahan a national role in food processing. Small and medium-sized enterprises continue to package dried fruits for export, while soft-drink bottling, leather goods, and assorted consumer products round out a diversified industrial landscape.


Chemicals and construction materials

The province’s chemical base spans fertilisers, explosives, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Cement, tiles, bricks, building stone and concrete remain pillars of the construction-materials sector, serving both domestic mega-projects and export markets.


Energy

The nuclear facilities located in and near Isfahan include the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center (INTC), the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), the Isfahan Fuel Manufacturing Plant (FMP), the Isfahan Fuel Element Cladding Plant, the Isfahan Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center (NFRPC), and the Isfahan Nuclear Waste Storage Facility, and In July 2022, Iran announced plans to build a new
nuclear research reactor Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for nuclear power plant, electricity production, heat ge ...
at the Isfahan site.


Suspected nuclear weapon development

Isfahan is suspected of being the primary location for Iran's secret nuclear weapon development program. In September 2008,
IAEA The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
experts stated that they only had limited access in Isfahan, and that a quantity of
uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...
sufficient for six
nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...
s, were removed from Isfahan to undisclosed locations while still at a stage in the enrichment process which was not monitored. In June 2022, the IAEA reported that 90% of Iran's most
highly enriched uranium Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238 ...
was moved to the facilities in Isfahan, which house the equipment used to convert uranium gas into
uranium metal Uranium is a chemical element; it has symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium radioactive ...
.


Military facilities

According to some sources, the Polyacryl Iran Corporation, the Linear Alkyl Benzene Complex and the Chemical Industries Group (CIG) in Isfahan serve as installation sites for
chemical weapon A chemical weapon (CW) is a specialized munition that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on humans. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), this can be any chemical compound intended as ...
s. Reports from the NCRI asserted that
nerve agent Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemistry, organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (ACh ...
s produced near Semnan were delivered to a missile plant in Isfahan for integration into ballistic-missile warheads, such as those of the Scud-B. The Chemical Industries Group, headquartered in the city, is widely described as the backbone of Iran’s weapons industry. According to United States intelligence assessments, CIG also manufactures solid-fuel propellant powders for the country’s ballistic-missile and artillery-rocket programmes. Within this conglomerate, a modern chemical complex erected by Sweden’s
Bofors AB Bofors ( , , ) is a former Swedish arms manufacturer which today is part of the British arms manufacturer BAE Systems. The name has been associated with the iron industry and artillery manufacturing for more than 350 years. History Locate ...
company in the late 1970s as a dual-use fertiliser-and-explosives facility did not begin operations until 1987, due to Iraqi artillery and missile strikes during the Iran-Iraq war. The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, officially known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air and Space Force (IRGCASF; , acronymed in Persian as NEHSA), is the Iran's ballistic missiles program, strategic missile, air forc ...
(IRGC AF) has an airbase in the city. The
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF; ) is the air force, aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present air force was created when the Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed in 1979 following the Iranian Revoluti ...
(IRIAF) has an airbase, the 8th Predator Tactical Fighter Base (TFB.8), which is the home base for Iranian
F-14 The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for t ...
s. The local
Sepah Pasdaran The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khomeini as a military branch in May 1979 i ...
is named "Master of the Era" ("" in Arabic and Farsi), after the
Mahdi The Mahdi () is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the Eschatology, End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad, and will appear shortly before Jesu ...
. The
Amir Al-Momenin University of Military Sciences and Technology Amir Al-Momenin University of Military Sciences and Technology is the biggest IRGC staff military college for ground forces officers based in Isfahan. This academy has hosted international armed forces games matches. It was established in 2006. ...
is based in the city.


Transportation


Roads and freeways

From 2002 to 2013, Isfahan's internal highway network underwent an expansion. Freeways connect the city to Iran's other major cities, including Tehran, to the north, and Shiraz, to the south. Highways also service satellite cities surrounding the metropolitan area. The Isfahan Eastern Bypass Freeway is under construction. In 2021, a new AVL system was deployed in the city.


Bridges

The oldest bridge over the
Zayanderud The Zayanderud or Zayandehrud (; from "fertile" or "life-giver", and "river"), also spelled as ''Zayanderud'' or ''Zayanderood, ...'', is the largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran. Geography The Zayandeh starts in the Zard ...
is the
Shahrestan Bridge The Shahrestan bridge is the oldest bridge on the Zayandeh River in Iran.Khatereh Moravej torbaty, Hosein Pour NaderiBased on comparative study of historic bridges of Isfahan/ref> The foundations date back to the Sasanian The Sasanian Empir ...
, whose foundations were built during the
Sasanian Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
(3rd–7th century
Sassanid The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
era); it was repaired during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the
Khaju Bridge The Khaju Bridge (, ) is one of the historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran. Serving as both a bridge and a weir, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter a ...
, which Shah Abbas II built in 1650. It is long, with 24 arches; and it also serves as a sluice gate. Another bridge is the Choobi (Joui) Bridge. Further upstream again is the Si-o-Seh Pol or bridge of 33 arches. It was built during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great by Sheikh Baha'i and connected Isfahan with the
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 around the ...
suburb of
New Julfa New Julfa (, ''Now Jolfā'', or , ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; , ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenians, Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayanderud. Established and named after the Gülüstan, Nakhchivan, older city of Julf ...
. It is by far the longest bridge in Isfahan at . Another notable bridge is the Marnan Bridge.


Ride sharing

Snapp! Snapp! () is an Iranian vehicle for hire company, headquartered in Tehran that launched in February 2014. Users can request a ride via the iOS, Android, or web application, by indicating their location and destination. The price of the trip is s ...
and Tapsi are two of the carpooling apps in the city. The city has built 42 bicycle-sharing stations and of paved bicycle paths. As part of Iran's Islamic religious laws, women are forbidden to use the public bicycle-sharing network, as decreed by the representative of the Supreme Leader in Isfahan, Ayatollah
Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (Seyyed) Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (sometimes spelled as Tabatabaei-Nejad) is an Iranian Shia cleric and Friday leading prayer that represents the Isfahan Province in Assembly of Experts, Iran's Assembly of Experts. Views In 2015, he said women sh ...
, and General Attorney Ali Esfahani.


Mass transit

The
Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company () is a public transport agency running Transit buses in Isfahan city and surrounding satellite cities and settlements in the Greater Isfahan Region, Central Iran. The municipalities served other than Isfahan are: Ab ...
operates transit buses in the city. East-West BRT Bus Rapid Transit Line buses carry up to 120,000 passengers daily. The municipality signed a memorandum with Khatam-al Anbiya to construct a
tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
network in the city. The
Isfahan Metro Isfahan Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Isfahan, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Ar ...
was opened on 15 October 2015. It consists of one north–south line with a length of , and two more lines are under construction, alongside three suburban rail lines. The city is served by a
railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
, with the
Islamic Republic of Iran Railways The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (abbreviated as IRIR, or sometimes as RAI, or as IRI Railway) () is the national state-owned railway system of Iran. The Raja Passenger Train Company is an associate of the IR, and manages its passenger t ...
running trains to Bandarabbas and
Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...
. The first high-speed railway in Iran, the Tehran-Qom-Isfahan line is being constructed to connect Isfahan to Tehran and Qom.


Airports

Isfahan is served by
Isfahan Shahid Beheshti International Airport Isfahan Shahid Beheshti International Airport () is an international airport serving the city of Isfahan, Iran. Overview The airport is named in honor of Shahid Beheshti. For administrative and census purposes, it is considered a village in ...
, which in 2019 was the 7th busiest airport in Iran, and is adjacent to Khatami Air Base.


Economy

In 2014, industry, mines, and commerce in Isfahan province accounted for 35% to 50% (almost $229 billion) of the Iranian
Gross Domestic Product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performanc ...
. In 2019, Isfahan province's governorate said that tourism was the number one priority. According to Isfahan province's administrator for
Department of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare The Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare () is an Iranian government body responsible for the oversight of Cooperative business, regulation and implementation of policies applicable to labour and social affairs. It also oversee ...
, Iran had the cheapest labor workforce anywhere in the world. The labor force had grown from 1990 to 2020. However, in 2018 the
unemployment rate Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is the proportion of people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work d ...
was 15%. The , established in 1992, maintains a privatized power grid in the city. As of September 2020, the handicrafts industry of Isfahan Province was contributing $500 million annually to the economy. Isfahan Fair, a exhibition center aimed at increasing tourism, is under construction. The municipality has implemented internet payment software. In 2025 Zimbabwe signed MaU around trade with the city.


Aquaculture and agriculture

Isfahan city produces 1,300 tons of salmon. More than 28% of the country's ornamental fish is supplied from Isfahan province, from 780 farms, which in 2017 farmed 65.5 million fish.
Opium Opium (also known as poppy tears, or Lachryma papaveris) is the dried latex obtained from the seed Capsule (fruit), capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid mor ...
was produced and exported from Isfahan from 1850 until it became illegal, and was an important source of income. Isfahan has a large number of aqueducts, farmers having to divert water from the river to farms by canal. Niasarm is one of the largest
canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
s. From 2012 to 2013 there were large protests by farmers against the Isfahan-Yazd water tunnel. In 2019, eastern city farmers demanded water, otherwise they would sabotage water pipes. Fruits and vegetables central market is where farmers sell their product wholesale, selling 10,000 tons a day.


High tech and heavy industries

The industrialization of Isfahan dates from the Pahlavi period, as in all of Iran, and was marked by the growth of the textile industry, which earned the city the nickname "Manchester of Persia". The Isfahan Scientific and Research Town started in 2001, to act as a mediator between government, industry, and academia in establishing a knowledge-based economy. Isfahan is the third-largest medicine manufacturing hub in Iran. The Telecommunication Company of Iran and the Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran provide 4G, 3G, broadband, and
VDSL Very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) and very high-speed digital subscriber line 2 (VDSL2) are digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies providing data transmission faster than the earlier standards of asymmetric digital subscriber li ...
.


Recreation and tourism

In 2018–19 some 450,000 foreign nationals visited the city. Some 110 trillion
rials Rial, riyal, or RIAL may refer to: * Rial (surname), a surname (and list of people with the name) * Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning, McGill University * Rial Racing, a former German Formula One team Currency Various currencies ...
(over $2 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials in 2020) were invested in the province's tourism sector. Nazhvan Park hosts a reptile zoo with 40 aquariums. There are the Saadi water park and the Nazhvan water park for children. There are party gardens and wedding halls.


Medical tourism

The
Isfahan Healthcare city Isfahan Healthcare city is a complex built close to Aghababaei highway, Isfahan, consisting of a hospital with 1000 beds with the goal of earning revenue from medical tourism Medical tourism is the practice of traveling abroad to obtain medic ...
complex, built on a site near the Aqa Babaei Expressway, is intended to boost the city's medical tourism revenues.


Shopping

The city is served by Refah Chain Stores Co.,
Iran Hyper Star Iran Hyper Star is an Iranian subsidiary of French multinational retailer Carrefour in Iran. History Iran HyperStar was founded by the collaboration of Majid Al Futtaim and Carrefour. Branches Iran Hyperstar currently has 40 branches in T ...
,
Isfahan City Center Isfahan City Center is a large commercial and entertainment complex in Isfahan, Iran. As of October 2023, it is the second largest shopping mall after Iran Mall in Iran, and the fourth largest in the world. History The mall was developed by M ...
, Shahrvand Chain Stores Inc., and
Kowsar Market The YJ-7 () is a People's Republic of China, Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile. It is manufactured by the Third Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).Gormley et al.: page 18 The export version of the YJ-7 is the ...
.


Cinemas

There are nine cinemas. Historically, cinemas in old Isfahan were entertainment for the worker class. Religious people considered cinema to be mostly an impure place and going to the cinema to be ''
haram ''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...
'' under Islam. During the
1979 revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
, many cinemas in Isfahan were burned down. Cinema Iran, now a ruin, was one of the oldest cinemas in the city. Great foreign filmmakers such as
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter and photographer. Varda's work employed location shooting in an era when the limitations of sound technology made it easier ...
and
Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...
shot scenes from their films in Isfahan.


Sports

Isfahan has three
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
clubs including
Sepahan S.C. Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club (, ''Bâšgâh-e Farhangi-Varzeši-ye Fulâd-e Mobârake-ye Sepâhân''), commonly known as Sepahan, is an Iranian sports club based in Isfahan. It is best known for their association football, football secti ...
,
Zob Ahan Isfahan F.C. Zob Ahan Esfahan Football Club (, ''Bâšgâh-e Futbâl-e Zobâhan-e Esfahân'') is an Iranian football club based in Fuladshahr, Iran. It competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The team is sponsored by the ''Isfahan Steel Company'', which al ...
,
Sanaye Giti Pasand F.C. Sanaye Giti Pasand Isfahan Football Club is an Iranian Football (soccer), football club based in Isfahan, Iran. They currently compete in the Azadegan League. Season-by-season The table below shows the achievements of the club in various compet ...
, Polyacryl Esfahan F.C. (historic). Sepahan has won the most league football titles among Iranian clubs (2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2014–15). The Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan handball team plays in the
Islamic Republic of Iran Handball Federation The Islamic Republic of Iran Handball Federation (IRIHF) is the governing body for Handball in Iran. It was founded in 1975, and has been a member of International Handball Federation, IHF since 1978. It is also a member of the Asian Handball Fed ...
. Sepahan has a youth women running team that became national champions in 2020. Giti Pasand has a
futsal Futsal is a variant of association football played between two teams of five players each on a court smaller than a football pitch. Its rules are based on the Laws of the Game (association football), Laws of the Game of association football, and i ...
team, Giti Pasand FSC. They won the
AFC Futsal Club Championship The AFC Futsal Club Championship is the current highest Asian futsal club competition, hosted by the Asian Football Confederation. It is futsal equivalent to AFC Champions League. For the inaugural edition, AFC Futsal Committee decided to make ...
in 2012 and were runners-up in 2013. Giti Pasand also fields a women's volleyball team,
Giti Pasand Isfahan VC Sanaye Giti Pasand Isfahan Volleyball Club () was an Iranian professional volleyball team based in Isfahan, Iran. The team is owned by Sanaye Giti Pasand Company . They compete in the Iranian Volleyball Super League. Giti Pasand was dissolved after ...
, that plays matches in the Iranian Women's Volleyball League. Basketball clubs include
Zob Ahan Isfahan BC Zob Ahan Basketball Club (, ''Bashgah-e Beskâtbal-e Zubâhen Esfehan'') is an Iranian professional basketball club based in Isfahan, Iran. They compete in the Iranian Basketball Super League. Zob Ahan has won a record seven Iranian Super League c ...
and
Foolad Mahan Isfahan BC Foolad Mahan Isfahan Basketball Club ({{langx, fa, باشگاه بسکتبال فولاد ماهان سپاهان اصفهان, ''Bashgah-e Beskâtbal-e Fulâd Mahan Sipahan Esfehan'') was an Iranian professional basketball club based in Esfahan, ...
. There are Pahlevani zoorkhanehs in the city.


Demographics

In 2019, the mean age for first marriages was 25 years for females and 30 years for males. There are almost 500,000 people living in slums, including in the northern part, and especially in the eastern sector of the city. Esfahani is one of the main dialects of
Western Persian Iranian Persian (), Western Persian or Western Farsi, natively simply known as Persian (), refers to the varieties of the Persian language spoken in Iran and by others in neighboring countries, as well as by Iranian communities throughout the ...
. Jewish districts speak a unique dialect. During the Pahlavi era, a large group of the
Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish language ** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) **Central Kurdish (Sorani) **Southern Kurdish ** Laki Kurdish *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern ...
Gulbaghi tribe were moved from the north of Kurdistan province to the city of Isfahan and the cities of Kashan and Naein. Today, the Gulbaghi tribe are mostly assimilated elements in the population of these cities. While immigrants may reside and work in this city, in 12 surrounding communities they are denied entry.


Religion

There are many churches and synagogues in the city, with the churches being for the most part in
New Julfa New Julfa (, ''Now Jolfā'', or , ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; , ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenians, Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayanderud. Established and named after the Gülüstan, Nakhchivan, older city of Julf ...
.


Mosques

* Agha Nour mosque (16th century) * Hakim Mosque * Ilchi mosque *
Jameh Mosque A congregational mosque or Friday mosque (, ''masjid jāmi‘'', or simply: , ''jāmi‘''; ), or sometimes great mosque or grand mosque (, ''jāmi‘ kabir''; ), is a mosque for hosting the Friday noon prayers known as ''jumu'ah''.See: * * * * ...
* Jarchi mosque (1610) * Lonban mosque * Maghsoudbeyk mosque (1601) * Mohammad Jafar Abadei mosque (1878) * Rahim Khan mosque (19th century) * Roknolmolk mosque * Seyyed mosque (19th century) * Shah Mosque (1629) – It was damaged in 2022 *
Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque (;) is a Shi'ite mosque, located on the eastern side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan, Isfahan province, Iran. Construction of the mosque started in and was finished in and it is one of the masterpieces of Iranian ...
(1618) * Agha Mirza Muhammad Baqir Chahar Suqi Mosque


Imamzadehs (shrine tombs)

*
Imamzadeh Ahmad Imamzadeh Ahmad (; ) is a Shi'ite imamzadeh in Isfahan, Iran. The Imamzadeh comprises a mausoleum, to the north and west of which are two ''iwans''; the tomb faces a vast ''sahn'' where several famous people, like Amir Kabir's daughter and Naser ...
*
Imamzadeh Esmaeil and Isaiah mausoleum The Imamzadeh Ismail and Shayah Mosque (; ) is a Twelver Shi'ite imamzadeh, mausoleum, and mosque complex, located in Esfahan, in the province of Isfahan, Iran, which dates from both the Seljuk and Safavid periods. The complex was added to the Ir ...
* Imamzadeh Haroun-e-Velayat * Imamzadeh Ja'far *
Imamzadeh Shah Zeyd Imamzadeh Shah Zeyd () is an imamzadeh in Isfahan, Iran. It belongs to the early Safavid era. It is well known for paintings on its walls. These paintings are about the Battle of Karbala. Cavalries are in most of the paintings, but there are also o ...


Churches and cathedrals

Churches are mostly located in the New Julfa region. The oldest is St. Jakob Church (1607). Some other historically important ones are St. Georg Church (17th century), St. Mary Church (1613),
Bedkhem Church Holy Bethlehem Church of New Julfa or Bedkhem Church, (Armenian language, Armenian: , Persian: ), is an Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Apostolic church in the New Julfa, Julfa quarter in Isfahan, Iran. One of the most important historical chu ...
(1627), and
Vank Cathedral The Holy Savior Cathedral (, ''Surb Amenaprkich Vank''; , ''Kelisâye Âmenâperkich''), also known the Church of the Saintly Sisters, is an Armenian Apostolic cathedral located in the New Julfa district of Isfahan, Iran. It is commonly referred ...
(1664). Pacifique de Provins established a French mission in the city in 1627.


Synagogues

* Kenisa-ye Bozorg (Mirakhor's kenisa) * Kenisa-ye Molla Rabbi * Kenisa-ye Sang-bast * Mullah Jacob Synagogue * Mullah Neissan Synagogue * Kenisa-ye Keter David


Civic administration

Isfahan has a smart city program, a unified human resources administration system, and a transport system. It also has
waste management Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, together with monitor ...
. In 2015, the comprehensive atlas of the Isfahan metropolis, an online
statistical database A statistical database is a database used for statistical analysis purposes. It is an OLAP (online analytical processing), instead of OLTP (online transaction processing) system. Modern decision, and classical statistical databases are often clos ...
in Farsi, was made available, to help in planning. In 2020, the municipality directly employed 6,250 people with an additional 3,000 people in 16 subsidiary organizations. There have been four development programs since 1967, In 2020, the municipality created a document outlining future development programs for the city. The color theme for the city has been turquoise for some time.


Municipal government

The mayor is Ghodratollah Noroozi. The chairman of the city council is Alireza Nasrisfahani. There is also a leadership council within the city council. The representative of the
Supreme Leader of Iran The supreme leader of Iran, also referred to as the supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution, but officially called the supreme leadership authority, is the head of state and the highest political and religious authority of Iran (above the Presi ...
, as well as the representative from Isfahan in the
Assembly of Experts The Assembly of Experts (), also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran. All directly elected members must first be vetted ...
, is
Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (Seyyed) Yousef Tabatabai Nejad (sometimes spelled as Tabatabaei-Nejad) is an Iranian Shia cleric and Friday leading prayer that represents the Isfahan Province in Assembly of Experts, Iran's Assembly of Experts. Views In 2015, he said women sh ...
. The city is divided into 15 municipal districts.


Public works

City waste is processed and recycled at the Isfahan Waste Complex. The is responsible for piping water, waterworks installation and repair, maintaining sewage equipment, supervising sewage collection, and treatment and disposal of sewage in the city. Twenty five fire departments provide service. Twenty private security armed service contractors existed as of 2012.


Human resources and public health

As of June 2020, 65% of the population of Isfahan province had social security insurance. Isfahan is known as the
multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...
capital of the world, due to the presence of polluting industries. In 2015, almost 15% of the people suffered from depression, from being cut off from the Zayandeh River, due to severe drought. A male empowerment/rehab center opened in 2023, followed by a female support addiction center.


Mass surveillance

In 2024–25, the Iranian regime used the city as a testing ground for enforcing
hijab Hijab (, ) refers to head coverings worn by Women in Islam, Muslim women. Similar to the mitpaḥat/tichel or Snood (headgear), snood worn by religious married Jewish women, certain Christian head covering, headcoverings worn by some Christian w ...
and
chastity Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains from sexual activity that is considered immoral or from any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for exampl ...
laws, employing cameras for surveillance and deploying government agents to report women who do not adhere strictly to the government-approved hijab dress code.


Education and science

The first elementary schools in the city were
maktabkhaneh A kuttab ( ''kuttāb'', plural: ''kataatiib'', ) or maktab () is a type of elementary school in the Muslim world. Though the ''kuttab'' was primarily used for teaching children in reading, writing, grammar, and Islamic studies, such as memorizing ...
s. In
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Polish children sought refuge in the city; eight primary and technical trade schools were established. Between 1942 and 1945, approximately 2,000 children passed through, with Isfahan briefly gaining the nickname "City of Polish Children". In 2019, there were 20 schools for trainables attended by 5,000 children.


Notable schools

* Chahar Bagh School (early 17th century) * Kordi * Kassegaran school (1694) * Khajoo Madrasa * Nimavar School (1691) * Sadr Madrasa (19th century) In total, there are more than 7,329 schools in Isfahan province.


Colleges

In 1947, the
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan University of Medical Sciences also known as Medical University of Isfahan (MUI) (, ''Danushgah-e 'lum-e Pezeshki-ye vâ Xedâmat-e Behedashti-ye Dârmati-ye Esfehan'') is a university specializing in basic medical sciences, clinical s ...
was established; it now has almost 9,200 students and interns. In 1973, the American School of Isfahan was built; it closed during the 1978–79 revolution. In 1974, the first technical university in Iran, the Isfahan University of Technology, was established in the city. It focuses on science, engineering, and agriculture programs. In 1977, the Isfahan University of Art was established. It was temporarily closed after the Iranian revolution, 1979 revolution, and was reopened in 1984, after the Iranian Cultural Revolution. Aside from seminaries and religious schools, the other public, private major universities of the Isfahan metropolitan area include: the Mohajer Technical And Vocational College of Isfahan, Payame Noor University, the Islamic Azad University of Isfahan, the Islamic Azad University of Najafabad, and the Islamic Azad University of Majlesi. There were also in 2007 more than 50 technical and vocational training centres in the province, under the administration of the Isfahan Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO), that provide free, non-formal, workforce-skills training programs. As of 2020, 90% of workforce-skills trainees were women.


Notable philosophers

Major philosophers include Mir Damad, known for his concepts of time and nature, as well as for founding the School of Isfahan, and Mir Fendereski, who was known for his examination of art and philosophy within a society.


Culture

Ancient traditions included Tirgan, Sepandārmazgān festivals, and historically, men used to wear the Kolah namadi. The Isfahan School of painting flourished during the Safavid era. The annual Isfahan province theatre festival takes place in the city. Theater performances began in 1919 (1297 AH), and currently there are 9 active theaters. The awarding of an Isfahan annual literature prize began in 2004. Since 2005, November 22 is Isfahan's National Day, commemorated with various events. New Art Paradise, built in District 6 in 2019, has the biggest open-air amphitheatre in the country. Based on a statue creators' symposium in 2020, the city decided to add 11 permanent art pieces to the city's monuments. The Isfahan international convention center is under construction.


Cuisine

Gosh-e fil and Doogh are local snacks. Other traditional breakfasts, desserts, and meals include Khoresht mast, Beryani, and meat with beans and pumpkin aush. Gaz (candy), Gaz & Poolaki are two Iranian candies types that originated in Isfahan. Teahouses are supervised and allowed to offer Hookah until 2022. As of 2020, there were almost 300 teahouses with permits.


Music

The Bayat-e Esfahan is one of the Mode (music), modes used in Iranian traditional music. On 12 and 13 January 2018, the Iranian singer Salar Aghili performed in the city without the female members of his band, due to interference by local officials at the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance.


News media

During the Qajar Iran, Qajar era, ''Farhang (newspaper), Farhang'', the first newspaper publication in the city, was printed for 13 years. Iran's Metropolises News Agency (IMNA), formerly called the Isfahan Municipality News Agency, is based in the city. The state-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting system (IRIB) has a TV network and radio channel in the city.


Cultural sites

The city centre consists of an older section centered around the
Jameh Mosque A congregational mosque or Friday mosque (, ''masjid jāmi‘'', or simply: , ''jāmi‘''; ), or sometimes great mosque or grand mosque (, ''jāmi‘ kabir''; ), is a mosque for hosting the Friday noon prayers known as ''jumu'ah''.See: * * * * ...
, and the Safavid expansion around
Naqsh-e Jahan Square The Naqsh-e Jahan Square (), also known as the Shah Square () prior to 1979, and sometimes known as the Imam Square, is a maidan, square situated at the center of Isfahan (city), Isfahan, Iran. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now an impo ...
, with nearby palaces, bazaars, and places of worship, which is called Seeosepol.


Baths

Ancient baths include the Jarchi hammam and the bathhouse of Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī; a public bath called "Shaykh Bahai hammam, Garmabeh-e-shaykh" in Isfahan, which for many years was running and providing hot water to the public without any visible heating system which would usually need tons of wood, was built by Baha' al-din al-'Amili. The Khosro Agha hammam was demolished by unknown persons in 1992. The Ali Gholi Agha hammam is another remaining bathhouse. Chardin writes that the number of baths in Isfahan in the Safavid era was 273.


Bazaars

The Grand Bazaar, Isfahan, and its entrance, the Qeysarie Gate, were built in the 17th century. Social hubs were opium dens and coffeehouses clustered around the Charbagh, Chahar bagh and the Chehel Sotoun. The best-known traditional coffeehouse is Qahva-ḵāna-ye Golestān.


Cemeteries

The Bagh-e Rezvan Cemetery is one of the biggest and most advanced in the country. Other cemeteries include the New Julfa Armenian Cemetery and the Takht-e Foulad.


Gardens and parks

The Pardis Honar Park, in District 6, has cost 30 billion Iranian toman, toman as of 2018. Some other zoological gardens and parks (including public and private beach parks, and non-beach parks) are: Birds Garden, Flower Garden of Isfahan, Nazhvan Recreational Complex, amusement park, and the East Park of Isfahan.


Historical houses

The Alam's House, Alam's house is a historical house in Isfahan. The owner of the house was one of the
Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...
aristocrats. The house has a yard, which is surrounded from every side by residential parts.' The Amin's House as a historical house located in Isfahan belongs to the
Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...
era. There are many decorations such as stucco, mirror decorations and marquetry doors in the house. There are other historical houses in Isfahan, including Malek Vineyard, Qazvinis' House, Sheykh ol-Eslam's House, Constitution House of Isfahan.


Mausoleums and tombs

Mausoleums and tombs located in Isfahan are Al-Rashid Mausoleum (12th century), Baba Ghassem Mausoleum (14th century),Mausoleum of Safavid Princes, Nizam al-Mulk Tomb (11th century), Saeb Mausoleum, Shahshahan mausoleum (15th century), Soltan Bakht Agha Mausoleum (14th century).


Minarets

Menar Jonban was built in the 14th century. The tomb is an Iwan measuring high. Other menars include Ali minaret (11th century), Bagh-e-Ghoushkhane minaret (14th century), Chehel Dokhtaran minaret (12 century), Dardasht minarets (14th century), Darozziafe minarets (14th century), and Sarban minaret.


Museums

There are some museums in Isfahan such as Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan, Museum of Contemporary Art (17th-century building),
Isfahan City Center Isfahan City Center is a large commercial and entertainment complex in Isfahan, Iran. As of October 2023, it is the second largest shopping mall after Iran Mall in Iran, and the fourth largest in the world. History The mall was developed by M ...
museum (mall established 2012), Museum of Decorative Arts, Isfahan, Museum of Decorative Arts (1995), Natural History Museum of Isfahan (1988, 15th-century building).


Palaces and caravanserais

Palaces and caravanserais located in Isfahan includes Ālī Qāpū, Ali Qapu (Imperial Palace, early 17th century), Chehel Sotoun (Palace of Forty Columns, 1647), Hasht Behesht (Palace of Eight Paradises, 1669), Talar-e-Ashraf (Palace of Ashraf) (1650), Shah Caravanserai.


Squares and streets

Chaharbagh Boulevard (1596), Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard, Kohneh Square, Meydan Kohne (Old Square), Naghsh-e Jahan Square, Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as Shah Square or Imam Square (1602), Amadegah, Taleghani Street (Shah Street) are squares and streets in Isfahan.


Other sites

Isfahan has other places to visit, including Atashgah of Isfahan, Atashgah – a Zoroastrian agiary, fire temple,
New Julfa New Julfa (, ''Now Jolfā'', or , ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; , ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenians, Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayanderud. Established and named after the Gülüstan, Nakhchivan, older city of Julf ...
(1606), Dovecote#Isfahan`s Ancient Dovecotes, Pigeon Towers that are placed all around the city namely 22 towers inside Gavart, Hase – 17th century, Isfahan Observatory, Asarkhane Shahi.


International relations

Since 1994, Isfahan has been a member of the League of Historical Cities and a full member of Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network. The Chinese have expressed readiness to be the first country that opens a consulate in a diplomatic zone in the central city. Isfahan allows Afghans in Iran, Afghan nationals to reside in the city. In 2019, prior to a census, it was predicted there would be 250,000 undocumented Afghanis. There are plans to create a diplomatic district next to the Isfahan international convention center, Imam Khamenei international convention center where foreign countries would locate their consulates. The building housing the Consulate General of Russia, Isfahan, General Consulate of the Russian Federation in Isfahan is a registered cultural heritage site. The Isfahan municipality created a citizen diplomacy service program to boost Public diplomacy of Iran, establishing connections with sister cities around the world.


Twin towns – sister cities

Isfahan is Sister city, twinned with: # Xi'an, Shaanxi, China (1989) # Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1997) # Florence, Italy (1998) # Iași, Romania (1999) # Barcelona, Spain # Yerevan, Armenia (2000) # Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (2000) # Kuwait City, Kuwait (2000) # Havana, Cuba (2001) # Lahore, Pakistan (2004) # Saint Petersburg, Russia (2004) # Dakar, Senegal (2009) # Baalbek, Lebanon (2010) # Samarkand, Uzbekistan since July 2021 # Porto, Portugal since July 2021 #Kazan, Russia 2025 # Gyeongju, South Korea (2013)


Cooperation agreements

Isfahan cooperates with: *Barcelona, Spain (2000) In addition, the
New Julfa New Julfa (, ''Now Jolfā'', or , ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; , ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenians, Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayanderud. Established and named after the Gülüstan, Nakhchivan, older city of Julf ...
quarter of Isfahan has friendly relations with: * Issy-les-Moulineaux, France (2018)


Notable people

;Music * Alireza Eftekhari (1956–), singer * Leila Forouhar (1959–), pop singer * Hassan Kassai (1928–2012), musician *Saeidi brothers (born 1981), traditional singers * Hassan Shamaizadeh (born 1943), singer-songwriter * Jalil Shahnaz (1921–2013), tar (drum), tar soloist, a traditional Persian instrument ;Film * Rasul Sadr Ameli (1953–), director *Sara Bahrami (1983–), actor * Homayoun Ershadi (1947–), Hollywood actor and architect * Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (1956–2001), the former princess of Iran and actress * Bahman Farmanara (1942–), director * Jahangir Forouhar (1916–1997), actor and father of Leila Forouhar (Iranian singer) * Mohamad Ali Keshvarz (1930–2020), actor *Mahdi Pakdel (1980–), actor *Nosratollah Vahdat (1925–2020), actor ;Craftsmen and painters * Mahmoud Farshchian (1930–), painter and miniaturist * Bogdan Saltanov (1630s–1703), Russian icon painter of Isfahanian Armenian origin ;Political figures * Ahmad Amir-Ahmadi (1906–1965), military leader and cabinet minister * Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981), cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran * Nusrat Bhutto (1929–2011), Chairman of Pakistan People's Party, Pakistan Peoples Party from 1979 to 1983; wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto; mother of Benazir Bhutto *Meir Ezri (1924-2015), Israeli ambassador to Tehran * Hossein Fatemi, PhD (1919–1954), politician, foreign minister in Mohamed Mossadegh's cabinet * Mohammad-Ali Foroughi (1875–1942), politician and Prime Minister of Iran in the World War II era * Dariush Forouhar (1928–1998), a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran (Nation of Iran Party) * Hossein Kharrazi (1957–1987), chief of the army in the
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...
* Mohsen Nourbakhsh (1948–2003), economist, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran * Mohammad Javad Zarif (1960–), Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations ;Religious figures * Al-Masih ad-Dajjal, Jewish Mosiach and figure in Islamic eschatology * Lady Amin, Lady Amin (Banou Amin) (1886–1983), female jurisprudent, theologian and Muslim mystic (‘arif), a ''Lady Ijtihad, Mujtahideh'' * Amina Bint al-Majlisi, Amina Begum Bint al-Majlisi, female Safavid Ijtihad, mujtahideh. * Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981), cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran * Allamah al-Majlisi (1616–1698), Safavid cleric, Sheikh ul-Islam in Isfahan * Salman the Persian * Ibn Manda, Muhammad Ibn Manda (d. 1005 / AH 395), Sunni Hanbali scholar of hadith and historian * Abu Nu`aym, Abu Nu'aym Al-Ahbahani Al-Shafi'i (d. 1038 / AH 430), Sunni Shafi'i Scholar * Seyyed Ali Qazi Askar (1954) Iran's Supreme Leader of Iran, supreme leader representative, in Haj ;Sportspeople * Mohammad-Ali Asgari (1954–), football administrator * Abdolali Changiz (born 1957), football star of Esteghlal FC in the 1970s * Mansour Ebrahimzadeh (born 1956), former player for
Sepahan S.C. Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club (, ''Bâšgâh-e Farhangi-Varzeši-ye Fulâd-e Mobârake-ye Sepâhân''), commonly known as Sepahan, is an Iranian sports club based in Isfahan. It is best known for their association football, football secti ...
, and former head coach of Zob Ahan Esfahan F.C., Zobahan F.C. * Ghasem Haddadifar (born 1983), captain of Zobahan F.C. * Arsalan Kazemi (born 1990), forward for the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team and the Iran men's national basketball team, Iran national basketball team * Rasoul Korbekandi (born 1953), goalkeeper of the Iranian National Team * Moharram Navidkia (born 1982), captain of Sepahan S.C. * Mohammad Talaei (born 1973), world champion wrestler * Mahmoud Yavari (1939–2020), football player, and coach of Iranian National Team * Sohrab Moradi (1988–), Olympic weightlifting gold medalist, world record holder of 105 kg category * Milad Beigi (1991–) Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist, world champion * Sina Karimian (born 1988), K-1 cruiserweight kickboxing champion ;Writers and poets * Jaleh Esfahani (1921–2007), poet. * Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani (1892–1997), author * Hatef Esfehani, Persian Moral poet in the Afsharid Era * Kamal ed-Din Esmail (late 12th century – early 13th century) * Houshang Golshiri (1938–2000), writer and editor * Hamid Mosadegh (1939–1998), poet and lawyer * Mirza Abbas Khan Sheida (1880–1949), poet and publisher * Jajarmi, 14th century poet and anthologist * Saib Tabrizi (1592–1676), poet, creator of ''sabk-i Hind'' ;Others * Ispahani family, Persian people, Perso-Bangladeshis, Bangladeshi business family * Ali Abdi (activist), Ali Abdi (1985–), human and women rights activist * Abd-ol-Ghaffar Amilakhori, 17th-century noble * Adib Boroumand (1924–2017), poet, politician, lawyer, and leader of the National Front (Iran), National Front * George Bournoutian, American-Iranian professor, historian and author * Jesse of Kakheti, king of Kingdom of Kakheti, Kakheti in eastern Georgia (country), Georgia from 1614 to 1615 * Simon II of Kartli, king of Kingdom of Kartli, Kartli in eastern Georgia from 1619 to 1630/1631 * David II of Kakheti, king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1709 to 1722 * Constantine II of Kakheti, king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1722 to 1732 * Nasser Khalili, Nasser David Khalili (1945–), British property developer, art collector and philanthropist * Alexander Kostellow (1897–1954), Iranian-born American industrial designer *Jack Mahfar (born 1931), businessman * Arthur Upham Pope (1881–1969), American archaeologist and art historian, buried near
Khaju Bridge The Khaju Bridge (, ) is one of the historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran. Serving as both a bridge and a weir, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter a ...
* Alexandre de Rhodes (1591–1660), French Jesuit, designer of Vietnamese alphabet, buried in the city's Armenian cemetery


2025 Ammunition factory explosion

On 29 April 2025, an explosion occurred at a company warehouse of Ava Nar, a Persian gunpowder manufacturer, located in central Isfahan. In the explosion two people were killed and two others were injured. The cause of the explosion is yet to be known. This event took place only three days after the explosion at the Port of Shahid Rajaee explosion, Shahid Rajaee port.


Gallery

File:Persian-Potteries-17th-Century-Isfahan.jpg, Persian pottery from the city of Isfahan, 17th century File:Vanderaa1725.jpg, Isfahan, capital of the Kingdom of Persia File:Ispahan - Pont Alla - Werdie - Chan - Bruyn Cornelis De - 1725.jpg, Si-o-se-pol Bridge by Cornelis de Bruijn, 1705 File: Isfahan to the south side by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Isfahan to the south side, drawing by Eugène Flandin File:Ali minaret by Eugène Flandin.jpg, Ali minaret, 1840, drawing by Eugène Flandin File:"Les Russes à Ispahan" by Eugène Damblans in Le Petit Journal, 23 April 1916.jpg, Russian army in Isfahan in the 1890s


See also

* 15861 Ispahan * Acid attacks on women in Isfahan * Courts of Isfahan * Isfahan National Holy Association * Isfahan Seminary * Islamic City Council of Isfahan *Isfahan Zoo * List of the historical structures in the Isfahan province * Prix d'Ispahan


Notes


References


Citations


Works cited

*


Further reading

* Kheirandish, Elaheh. ''Baghdad and Isfahan: A Dialogue of Two Cities in an Age of Science CA. 750–1750'' (Harvard UP, 2021
excerpt
* *


External links

* *
tourismt guide
*
Public libraries atlas
(Persian)
Digital Library of Isfahan Municipality
*https://shora-isfahan.com/ {{Subject bar, commons=yes, wikt=yes, n=yes, q=yes, s=yes, b=no, voy=yes, v=yes, d=yes, d-search=Q42053, portal1=Asia, portal2=Geography, portal3=Iran, portal4=Cities Isfahan, Populated places in Isfahan County Cities in Isfahan province Former capitals of Iran Iranian provincial capitals Achaemenid cities Seleucid colonies Parthian cities Sasanian cities