Kashan (; ) is a city in the Central District of

Kashan County Kashan County () is in Isfahan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Kashan. History The etymology of the city's name comes from Kasian, the original inhabitants of the city, whose remains are found at Tapeh Sialk dating back 9,000 yea ...

, in the northern part of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

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 ...

, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

History

Earliest evidence of human presence around Kashan date back to

Paleolithic 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 that have been found at

Neyasar Neyasar () is a city in, and the capital of, Neyasar District of Kashan County, 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 t ...

, Kaftar Khoun and Sefid-Ab. Middle Paleolithic stone tools were discovered at travertine spring of Niasar and the travertine of Kaftar Khoun.

Upper Paleolithic The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago (the beginning of the Holocene), according to some theories ...

groups were living around

Sefid-Ab Sefid-Ab is an archeological site in central Iran and is the first known evidence for Upper Paleolithic occupation of that region. The site is associated with an old spring which was an important water source for Upper Paleolithic people in th ...

spring at SW of Kashan. By some accounts, although not all, Kashan was the origin of the

three wise men 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...

who followed the star that guided them to Bethlehem to witness the

nativity of Jesus The Nativity or birth of Jesus Christ is found in the biblical gospels of Gospel of Matthew, Matthew and Gospel of Luke, Luke. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Palestine, in Herodian kingdom, Roman-controlled Judea, th ...

, as recounted in the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

. For example, medieval traveler Friar

Odoric of Pordenone Odoric of Pordenone (c. 1280–14 January 1331) was a Franciscan friar and missionary explorer from Friuli in northeast Italy. He journeyed through India, Sumatra, Java, and China, where he spent three years in the imperial capital of Khanbaliq ...

related this story in 1330 after having visited there. According to a legend dating from 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,

Abu Lu'lu'a (, from Middle Persian: ''Pērōz''), also known in modern Persian-language sources as () or (), was a Sasanian Persian slave who assassinated Umar ibn al-Khattab (), the second Islamic caliph, in November 644. After having been captured ...

, the

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 ...

skilled craftsman who was enslaved by the Islamic conquerors and who eventually assassinated the caliph

Umar ibn al-Khattab Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muh ...

in 644, fled to Kashan after the assassination. The shrine that was built over his supposed tomb is one of Kashan's landmarks (see gallery below). During the rule of

Timurid Empire The Timurid Empire was a late medieval, culturally Persianate, Turco-Mongol empire that dominated Greater Iran in the early 15th century, comprising modern-day Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, much of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and parts of co ...

, Kashan was patronized by

Ulugh Beg Mīrzā Muhammad Tarāghāy bin Shāhrukh (; ), better known as Ulugh Beg (; 22 March 1394 – 27 October 1449), was a Timurid sultan, as well as an astronomer and mathematician. Ulugh Beg was notable for his work in astronomy-related ma ...

, grandson of

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 ...

. After the era of Timurid rulers, Kashan then came simultaneously under the rule of

Qara Qoyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu (, ; ), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, English Black Sheep, Turkmen tribal federation tha ...

, and then

Aq Qoyunlu The Aq Qoyunlu or the White Sheep Turkomans (, ; ) was a culturally Persianate society, Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two trib ...

. Kashan was also a leisure vacation spot for Safavid kings. The earthquake of 1778 leveled the city of Kashan and all the edifices of

Shah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the leaders of numerous Per ...

Abbas Safavi, leaving 8000 casualties. But the city started afresh. This city is also known as Dar al-Mominin.

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 248,789 in 67,464 households. The following census in 2011 counted 275,325 people in 80,015 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 304,487 people in 91,935 households.

Geography

Kashan is divided into two parts, mountainous and desert.

Location

The city of Kashan is located in the north of Isfahan province, north of the Karkas Mountains and west of

Dasht-e Kavir Dasht-e Kavir ( in classical Persian, from ''khwar'' (low), and ''dasht'' (plain, flatland)) or the Kavir Desert, also known as Kavir-e Namak or the Great Salt Desert, is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian Plateau. It is about ...

desert, where it is poor in terms of vegetation and where bushes and shrubs are more or less found.

Mountains

Dare mountain is next to Dare village and 14 kilometers southwest of Kashan with a height of 2,985 meters overlooking the city of Kashan, and mount Gargash is the second highest peak of the Karkas mountain range (the first is mount Karakas in Natanz), 33 kilometers southwest of Kashan and 12 kilometers southwest of Qamsar and 7 kilometers northeast of Kamu with a height of 3,600 meters. Ardahal peak is located 35 kilometers west of Kashan with a height of 3505 meters after Gargash, is the highest point of Kashan heights (continuation of the central mountain range) in the vicinity of Niaser and the villages Nashlej and Mashhad. Kashan has the least light and

air pollution 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 ...

. For this reason, it was chosen by international experts as the most appropriate and best place to establish the National Observatory of Iran, and the home of one of the largest large telescopes in the Middle East with the latest technology.

Climate

Kashan has a

hot 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 ...

, with (''BWh'') designation in

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

and (''BW'') in

Trewartha climate classification The Trewartha climate classification (TCC), or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC), is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köp ...

, with cold winters (although warmer than other Iranian cities) and very hot and dry summers. Kashan is significantly warmer than other cities in the

Iranian Plateau The Iranian plateau or Persian plateau is a geological feature spanning parts of the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. It makes up part of the Eurasian plate, and is wedged between the Arabian plate and the Indian plate. ...

due to its lower elevation.

Main sights

On August 9, 2007, Iran placed the Historical Axis of

Fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. F ...

Sialk Tepe Sialk () is a large ancient archeological site (a ''tepe'', "hill, tell") in a suburb of the city of Kashan, Isfahan Province, in central Iran, close to Fin Garden. The culture that inhabited this area has been linked to the Zayandeh Riv ...

, Kashan on its Tentative List for possible future nomination as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

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 ...

. The exact definition of what locations within Kashan proper might be nominated was not made clear. In 2012 Iran successfully nominated the

Fin Garden Fin Garden ( ''Bagh-e Fin'') is a historical Persian garden located in Kashan, Iran. It contains Kashan's Fin Bath, where Amir Kabir, the Qajarid chancellor, was murdered by an assassin sent by King Nasereddin Shah in 1852. Completed in 1590, ...

separately for inscription by UNESCO as a part of its Persian Gardens World Heritage Site. Despite this the "Historical-Cultural Axis of Fin, Sialk, Kashan" remains in full on Iran's Tentative List. The Boroujerdiha house is one of the historical places from 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 ...

period.

Kashan_-_Timche-ye_Amin_od-Dowleh_-_20140512_-_JB

Kashan's architectural sights include: * Abbāsi House *

Agha Bozorg Mosque The Agha Bozorg Mosque () is a mosque and madrasa in Kashan, in the province of Isfahan, Iran. The mosque and madrasa is located in the center of the city. An inscription dates the building form , with other evidence pointing that the mosque w ...

* Āmeri House *

Bazaar of Kashan Bazaar of Kashan ( ''Bāzār-e Kāshān'') is a bazaar in the center of the city of Kashan, Iran. See also *Iranian architecture * List of historical Iranian architects *History of Persian domes Buildings and structures completed in the 13th ...

* Boroujerdi House *

* Jalali Castle * Jameh Mosque of Kashan * Meydan Mosque *

Shrine of Abu Lu'lu'a A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...: ''escri ...

(shrine dedicated to the assassin of Umar, the second Islamic caliph) *

Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse (), also known as the Qasemi Bathhouse, is a traditional Iranian public bathhouse (''hammam'') in Kashan, Iran. It was constructed in the 16th century, during the Safavid era; however, the bathhouse was damaged in 177 ...

* Tabātabāei House * Tabriziha Mosque *

Tepe Sialk Tepe Sialk () is a large ancient archeological site (a ''tepe'', "hill, tell") in a suburb of the city of Kashan, Isfahan Province, in central Iran, close to Fin Garden. The culture that inhabited this area has been linked to the Zayandeh Rive ...

Today

Kashan is known for the manufacture of

carpet A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of Pile (textile), pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fiber, synthetic fibres such as polyprop ...

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

and other

textiles Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

Education

There are more than 10,000 students currently studying in various fields (e.g.:Applied sciences, Engineering, Art, Law, Medical sciences, Nano technology, literature, Carpet and Handicrafts, etc.) at universities of Kashan. Colleges and universities in Kashan include: * Kashan University of Medical Sciences * Islamic Azad University of Kashan * University of Kashan

Accessibility

* Road 71 * Freeway 7, located near the city Kashan is connected via freeways to

and

Natanz Natanz () is a city in the Central District of Natanz County, Isfahan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. It is south-east of Kashan. Demographics Population At the time of the 2006 National Census, th ...

to the South, and

Qom Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...

, which is an hour drive away to the north. Kashan railway station is along the main north–south railways of Iran. Kashan Airport reopened on 2 June 2016 after twenty years hiatus with an ATA Airlines flight from Mashhad International Airport. Old entrance of Kashan

Notable people

David Alliance, Baron Alliance David Alliance, Baron Alliance, (, ; born 15 June 1932) is an Iran-born British people, British businessman and Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrat politician. Personal David (originally Davoud) Alliance was born in Kashan, Imperial Sta ...

* Ghyath ad-Din Jamshid Kashani *

Kamal-ol-Molk Mohammad Ghaffari (; September 29, 1848 — August 18, 1940), better known as Kamal-ol-Molk (), was an Iranian painter and part of the Ghaffari family in Kashan, Qajar Iran. Biography Mohammad Ghaffari, better known as Kamal-ol-Molk, born in K ...

Amir Ghafour Amir Ghafour (; born 6 June 1991) is an Iranian volleyball player who plays as an opposite spiker for Iranian club Shahdab Yazd. He is a former member of the Iranian national team. Career National team He was invited to national team in 2011 ...

* Ehsan Hajsafi *

Javad Kazemian Javad Kazemian (; born 23 April 1981 in Kashan, Iran) is an Iranian former football winger. He is commonly mistaken for a striker as he is frequently involved in running towards the opposing box, but his preferred position is a right winger. ...

* Mohsen Feyz Kashani *

Sohrab Sepehri Sohrab Sepehri ( 7 October 1928 – 21 April 1980; ) was a notable Iranian poet and painter. He is considered to be one of the five most famous Iranian poets who have practiced modern poetry alongside Nima Youshij, Ahmad Shamlou, Mehdi Akhav ...

* Ustad Ali Maryam *

Afdal al-Din Kashani Afḑal al-Dīn Maraqī Kāshānī (), also known as Baba Afzal (), was a Persian poet and philosopher. Several dates have been suggested for his death, with the best estimate being around 1213/1214. Life The information on his life is scanty a ...

Reza Abbasi Reza Abbasi (), also known as Aqa Reza ( – 1635), was the leading Persian miniature, Persian miniaturist of the Isfahan School during the later Safavid period, spending most of his career working for Shah Abbas I. He is considered to be the l ...

* Sani ol molk * Kalim Kashani * Muhtasham Kashani * Ghotb Ravandi * Saeed Hajjarian * Mohammad Motamedi * Mulla Muhammad Mahdi Naraqi * Molla Fathollah Kashani * Sani ol molk *

Moluk Zarabi Moluk Farshforosh Kashani (, Moluk Żarrābi; March 22, 1907 Kashan – January 5, 2000 Tehran), known as Moluk Zarabi, was an Iranian singer of Persian traditional music and actor. Life Moluk Farsh Kashani was born in a music-loving family ...

* Pari Zangeneh Seyyed Mostafa Sabet

Twin towns – sister cities

* Neishabour, Iran

Gallery

File:Jardín de Fin, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 20.jpg, Bagh-e Fin File:Kashan 2017 (34089590781).jpg, Ameri House File:Casa histórica de Tabatabaeis, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 60.jpg, Tabatabaeis House File:Khane Tabatabaei interior.jpg, Interior of Tabatabaeis House File:Mezquita de Agha Bozorg, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 82.jpg, Agha Bozorg

School A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

and

Mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

File:18 Chardin Caravanseray in Kashan.jpg, Chardin Caravanseray File:Casa histórica de Boroujerdi, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 33.jpg, Borujerdis House File:Soleimaniye spring.jpg, Soleimaniye spring File:A manufactory of rose water in Kashan.jpg, A manufactory of rose water in Kashan File:Abu lulu tomb.jpg,

, not far from

File:Golabgiri.jpg, Golabgiri festival in Ghamsar File:Soltan amir bath house5.jpg, interior of Soltan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse File:Baños del Sultán Amir Ahmad, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 47.jpg, Roof of Soltan bath house File:Angels valley.jpg, Darre Pariyan (Angels Valley) File:Antiguo Bazar de Kashan, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 86.jpg,

File:Mezquita del Viernes, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 87.jpg, Friday Mosque of Kashan File:Mezquita de Emamzadeh Abu Lolo, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 59.jpg, Sultan Amir Ahmad Mosque File:Casa histórica de Abbasi, Kashan, Irán, 2016-09-19, DD 74.jpg, Abbasi House

Notes

References

External links

Kashan Municipality

Ghaffari Clan of Kashan

University of Kashan

Kashan University of medical sciences

Islamic Azad university of Kashan

Kashan Culture Foundation

Art from Kashan at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
{{Iranian Architecture Architecture in Iran Oases of Iran Cities in Isfahan province Populated places in Kashan County