Isfahan

This article is about the city of Isfahan. For other uses, see Isfahan (disambiguation).

"Espahan" redirects here. For the village in Razavi Khorasan Province, see Espahan, Razavi Khorasan.

Isfahan اصفهان
city
Ancient names: Spadana, Spahān
Seal
Nickname(s): Nesf-e Jahān (Half of the world)
Isfahan
Isfahan Isfahan in Iran
Coordinates: 32°38′N 51°39′E
Country	Iran
Province	Isfahan
County	Isfahan
District	Central
Government
• Governor General	Rasul Zargar
• Mayor	Mehdi Jamali Nejad
Area
• Urban	493.82 km2 (190.66 sq mi)
Elevation	1,574 m (5,217 ft)
Population (2012)
• city	1,755,382
• Population Rank in Iran	3th
	Population Data from 2012 Census
Time zone	IRST (UTC+3:30)
• Summer (DST)	IRDT 21 March – 20 September (UTC+4:30)
Website	www.isfahan.ir

Isfahan (Persian: اصفهان‎‎,  pronunciation ), also Romanized as Esfahān; historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan, Esfahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 kilometres (211 miles) south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,755,382 and is Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad. The Greater Isfahan Region had a population of 3,793,101 in the 2011 Census, the third most populous metropolitan area in Iran after Tehran and Mashhad.

The cities of Zarrinshahr, Fooladshahr and Najafabad, Se-deh, Shahinshahr, Mobarakeh, Falavarjan and Charmahin all constitute the metropolitan city of Isfahan.

Isfahan is located on the main north–south and east–west routes crossing Iran, and was once one of the largest cities in the world. It flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th century under the Safavid dynasty, when it became the capital of Persia for the second time in its history. Even today, the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous for its Persian–Islamic architecture, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, mosques, and minarets. This led to the Persian proverb "Esfahān nesf-e- jahān ast" (Isfahan is half of the world).

The Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world and an outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture. It has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The city also has a wide variety of historic monuments and is known for the paintings, history and architecture.

History

Prehistory

The history of Isfahan can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period. In recent discoveries, archaeologists have found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.

Pre-Islamic era

Isfahan, capital of the Kingdom of Persia

Isfahan at the end of 6th century (top), consisting of two separate areas of Sassanid Jay and Jewish Yahudia. At 11th century (bottom), these two areas are completely merged.

Russian army in Isfahan in 1890s

Detail of Khaju Bridge

It is noteworthy to say that what was to become the city of Isfahan in later historical periods probably emerged as a locality and settlement that gradually developed over the course of the Elamite civilization (2700–1600 BCE).

During the Median dynasty, this commercial entrepôt began to show signs of a more sedentary urbanism, steadily growing into a noteworthy regional centre that benefited from the exceptionally fertile soil on the banks of the Zayandehrud River in a region called Aspandana or Ispandana.

Once Cyrus the Great (reg. 559–529 BCE) unified Persian and Median lands into the Achaemenid Empire (648–330 BCE), the religiously and ethnically diverse city of Isfahan became an early example of the king's fabled religious tolerance. It is said that after Cyrus the great freed the Jews from Babylon some Jews returned to Jerusalem whereas some others decided to live in Persia and settle in what is now known as Isfahan. But, actually this happened later in the Sasanid period when a Jewish colony was made in the vicinity of the Sasanid Gay.

The tenth century Persian historian Ibn al-Faqih al-Hamedani wrote:

"When the Jews emigrated from Jerusalem, fleeing from Nebuchadnezzar, they carried with them a sample of the water and soil of Jerusalem. They did not settle down anywhere or in any city without examining the water and the soil of each place. They did all along until they reached the city of Isfahan. There they rested, examined the water and soil and found that both resembled Jerusalem. Upon they settled there, cultivated the soil, raised children and grandchildren, and today the name of this settlement is Yahudia."

The Parthians (250 BCE – 226 CE) continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the Achaemenids, fostering the Hellenistic dimension within Iranian culture and political organization introduced by Alexander the Great's invading armies. Under the Parthians, Arsacid governors administered a large province from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to accommodate the needs of a capital city.

The next empire to rule Persia, the Sassanids (226 – 652 CE), presided over massive changes in their realm, instituting sweeping agricultural reform and reviving Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian religion. The city was then called by the name Gay and the region by the name Aspahan or Spahan. The city was governed by "Espoohrans" or the members of seven noble Iranian families who had important royal positions, and served as the residence of these noble families as well. Extant foundations of some Sassanid-era bridges in Isfahan suggest that the kings were also fond of ambitious urban planning projects. While Isfahan's political importance declined during the period, many Sasanian princes would study statecraft in the city, and its military role developed rapidly. Its strategic location at the intersection of the ancient roads to Susa and Persepolis made it an ideal candidate to house a standing army, ready to march against Constantinople 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 been mentioned about the origin of Isfahan, in fact little is known of Isfahan before the rule of the Sasanian dynasty (c. 224–c. 651 CE). The historical facts suggest that in the late 4th and early 5th centuries Queen Shushandukht, the Jewish consort of Yazdegerd I (reigned 399–420) settled a colony of Jews in Yahudiyyeh (also spelled Yahudiya), a settlement 3 kilometres northwest of the Zoroastrian city of Gay (the Achaemid and Parthian 'Gabae' or 'Gabai', the Sasanid 'Gay' and the Arabicized form 'Jay') that was located just on the northern bank of the Zayanderud River. The gradual population decrease of Gay or Jay and the simultaneous population increase of Yahudiyyeh and its suburbs after the Islamic conquest of Iran resulted in the formation of the nucleus of what was to become the city of Isfahan. It should be noted that the words Aspadana, Ispadana, Spahan and Sepahan from which the word Isfahan is derived all referred to the region in which the city was located.

Islamic era

When the Arabs captured Isfahan in 642, they made it the capital of al-Jibal (“the Mountains”) province, an area that covered much of ancient Media. Isfahan grew prosperous under the Persian Buyid (Buwayhid) dynasty, which rose to power and ruled much of Iran when the temporal authority of the Abbasid caliphs waned in the 10th century. The Turkish conqueror and founder of the Seljuq dynasty, Toghril Beg, made Isfahan the capital of his domains in the mid-11th century; but it was under his grandson Malik-Shah I (reigned 1073–92)that the city grew in size and splendour.

After the fall of the Seljuqs (c. 1200), Isfahan temporarily declined and was eclipsed by other Iranian cities such as Tabriz and Qazvin, but it regained its important position during the Safavid period (1501–1736). The city's golden age began in 1598 when the Safavid ruler Shah Abbas I (reigned 1588–1629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest and most beautiful cities of the 17th century. In 1598 Shah Abbas the Great moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central and Persian Isfahan, called Ispahān in early New Persian, so that it wouldn't be threatened by his arch rival, the Ottomans. This new importance ushered in a golden age for the city, with architecture, prestige, and Persian culture flourishing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was also settled by thousands of deportees and migrants from the Caucasus (most notably Georgians) that Abbas and his predecessors had settled en masse in Persia's heartland. Many of the city’s inhabitants were of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent. Engelbert Kaempfer, who was in Safavid Persia in 1684-85, estimated their number at 20,000. Following an agreement between Shah Abbas I and his Georgian subject Teimuraz I of Kakheti ("Taimuraz Khan"), whereby the latter submitted to Safavid rule in exchange for being allowed to rule as the region’s wāli (governor) and for having his son serve as dāruḡa ("prefect") of Isfahan in perpetuity, a Georgian prince converted to Islam served as governor. He was accompanied by a certain number of soldiers, and they spoke in Georgian among themselves. There must also have been some Georgian Orthodox Christians. The royal court in Isfahan had a great number of Georgian ḡolāms (military slaves) as well as Georgian women. Although they spoke Persian or Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian. During the time of Abbas and on Isfahan was very famous in Europe, and many European travellers made an account of their visit to the city, such as Jean Chardin. This all lasted until it was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722 during the Safavids heavy decline.

Isfahan declined once more, and the capital was subsequently moved to Mashhad and Shiraz during the Afsharid and Zand periods respectively until it was finally settled in Tehran in 1775 by Agha Mohammad Khan the founder of the Qajar dynasty.

In the 20th century Isfahan was resettled by a very large number of people from southern Iran, firstly during the population migrations in the early century, and again in the 1980s following the Iran-Iraq war.

Modern age

Modern architecture at Isfahan City Center

Today Isfahan, the third largest city in Iran, produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, and handicrafts. Isfahan also has nuclear experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear fuel (UCF). Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the entire region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys.

The city has an international airport and is in the final stages of constructing its first Metro line.

Over 2000 companies work in the area using Isfahan's economic, cultural, and social potentials. Isfahan contains a major oil refinery and a large airforce base. HESA, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant (where the IR.AN-140 aircraft is made), is located nearby. Isfahan is also becoming an attraction for international investments, like investments in Isfahan City Center, which is the largest shopping mall in Iran and the largest shopping mall with a museum in the world and has the largest indoor amusement park in the middle-east.

Isfahan hosted the International Physics Olympiad in 2007.

Geography and climate

The city is located in the lush plain of the Zayanderud River, at the foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The nearest mountain is Mount Soffeh (Kuh-e Soffeh) which is situated just south of Isfahan. No geological obstacles exist within 90 kilometres (56 miles) north of Isfahan, allowing cool northern winds to blow from this direction. Situated at 1,590 metres (5,217 ft) above sea level on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains, Isfahan has an arid climate (Köppen BSk). Despite its altitude, Isfahan remains hot during the summer with maxima typically around 35 °C (95 °F). However, with low humidity and moderate temperatures at night, the climate can be very pleasant. During the winter, days are mild while nights can be very cold. Snow has occurred at least once every winter except 1986/1987 and 1989/1990.

Climate data for Isfahan (1961–1990, extremes 1951–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	20.4 (68.7)	23.4 (74.1)	29.0 (84.2)	32.0 (89.6)	37.6 (99.7)	41.0 (105.8)	43.0 (109.4)	42.0 (107.6)	39.0 (102.2)	33.2 (91.8)	26.8 (80.2)	21.2 (70.2)	43.0 (109.4)
Average high °C (°F)	8.8 (47.8)	11.9 (53.4)	16.8 (62.2)	22.0 (71.6)	28.0 (82.4)	34.1 (93.4)	36.4 (97.5)	35.1 (95.2)	31.2 (88.2)	24.4 (75.9)	16.9 (62.4)	10.8 (51.4)	23.0 (73.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	2.7 (36.9)	5.5 (41.9)	10.4 (50.7)	15.7 (60.3)	21.3 (70.3)	27.1 (80.8)	29.4 (84.9)	27.9 (82.2)	23.5 (74.3)	16.9 (62.4)	9.9 (49.8)	4.4 (39.9)	16.2 (61.2)
Average low °C (°F)	−2.4 (27.7)	−0.2 (31.6)	4.5 (40.1)	9.4 (48.9)	14.2 (57.6)	19.1 (66.4)	21.5 (70.7)	19.8 (67.6)	15.1 (59.2)	9.3 (48.7)	3.6 (38.5)	−0.9 (30.4)	9.4 (48.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−19.4 (−2.9)	−12.2 (10)	−8 (18)	−4 (25)	4.5 (40.1)	10.0 (50)	13.0 (55.4)	11.0 (51.8)	5.0 (41)	0.0 (32)	−8 (18)	−13 (9)	−19.4 (−2.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	17.1 (0.673)	14.1 (0.555)	18.2 (0.717)	19.2 (0.756)	8.8 (0.346)	0.6 (0.024)	0.7 (0.028)	0.2 (0.008)	0.0 (0)	4.1 (0.161)	9.9 (0.39)	19.6 (0.772)	112.5 (4.429)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	4.0	2.9	3.8	3.5	2.0	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.0	0.8	2.2	3.7	23.5
Average snowy days	3.2	1.7	0.7	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.9	7.8
Average relative humidity (%)	60	51	43	39	33	23	23	24	26	36	48	57	39
Mean monthly sunshine hours	205.3	213.3	242.1	244.5	301.3	345.4	347.6	331.2	311.6	276.5	226.1	207.6	3,252.5
Source #1: NOAA
Source #2: Iran Meteorological Organization (records)

Esfahan, Iran
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     17     9 −2     14     12 0     18     17 5     19     22 9     8.8     28 14     0.6     34 19     0.7     36 22     0.2     35 20     0     31 15     4.1     24 9     9.9     17 4     20     11 −1 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: WMO
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.7     48 28     0.6     53 32     0.7     62 40     0.8     72 49     0.3     82 58     0     93 66     0     98 71     0     95 68     0     88 59     0.2     76 49     0.4     62 38     0.8     51 30 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

A handicraft shop

A handicraft from Isfahan

Main sights

See also: Tourism in Iran

Shah Mosque. Painting by the French architect, Pascal Coste, visiting Persia in 1841

Si-o-se Pol

Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan, Iran

View of Ali Qapu Palace

A carpet shop in Grand Bazaar, Isfahan

Khaju Bridge

An ancient item from Isfahan City Center museum

Armenian Vank Cathedral

Bazaars

• Shahi Bazaar – 17th century
• Qeysarie Bazaar - 17th century

Bridges

The Zayande River starts in the Zagros Mountains, flows from west to east through the heart of Isfahan, and dries up in the Gavkhooni wetland.

The bridges over the river include some of the finest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest bridge is the Shahrestan bridge or "Pol-e Shahrestan", whose foundations was built by the Sasanian Empire (3rd-7th century Sassanid era) and has been repaired during the Seljuk period.پل شهرستان. Further upstream is the "Pol-e Khaju", which was built by Shah Abbas II in 1650. It is 123 metres long with 24 arches, and also serves as a sluice gate.

The next bridge is the "Pol-e Chubi". It was originally built as an aqueduct to supply the palace gardens on the north bank of the river. Further upstream again is the Si-o-Seh Pol or bridge of 33 arches. Built during the rule of Shah Abbas the Great, it linked Isfahan with the Armenian suburb of New Julfa. It is by far the longest bridge in Isfahan at 295 m (967.85 ft).

Other bridges include:

• Pol-e Shahrestan (The Shahrestan bridge)
• Marnan Bridge
• Pol-e Khaju (Khaju Bridge) – 1650.
• Si-o-Seh Pol (The Bridge of 33 Arches) – 1602.
• Pol-e-Joui or Choobi (Joui bridge). – 1665

Churches and cathedrals

• Bedkhem Church – 1627
• St. Georg Church – 17th century
• St. Mary Church – 17th century
• Vank Cathedral – 1664

Emamzadehs

• Emamzadeh Ahmad
• Emamzadeh Esmaeil, Isfahan
• Emamzadeh Haroun-e-Velayat – 16th century
• Emamzadeh Jafar
• Emamzadeh Shah Zeyd

Gardens and Parks

• Birds Garden
• Flower Garden
• Nazhvan Recreational Complex

Houses

• Alam's House
• Amin's House
• Malek Vineyard
• Qazvinis' House – 19th century
• Sheykh ol-Eslam's House

Mausoleums and Tombs

• 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

• Ali minaret – 11th century
• Bagh-e-Ghoushkhane minaret – 14th century
• Chehel Dokhtaran minaret – 12 century
• Dardasht minarets – 14th century
• Darozziafe minarets – 14th century
• Menar Jonban – 14th century
• Sarban minaret

Mosques

• Agha Nour mosque – 16th century
• Hakim Mosque
• Ilchi mosque
• Jameh Mosque
• 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
• Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque – 1618

Museums

• Contemporary Arts Museum Isfahan
• Museum of Decorative Arts
• Natural History Museum of Isfahan – 15th century
• Isfahan City Center Museum

Schools (madresse)

• Chahar Bagh School – early 17th century
• Harati
• Kassegaran school – 1694
• Madreseye Khajoo
• Nimavar school – 1691
• Sadr school – 19th century

Palaces and caravanserais

• Ali Qapu (The Royal Palace) – early 17th century
• Talar Ashraf (The Palace of Ashraf) – 1650
• Hasht-Behesht (The Palace of Eight Paradises) – 1669
• Chehel Sotoun (The Palace of Forty Columns) – 1647
• Shah Caravanserai

Squares and streets

A view of Meydan Kohne

• Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as "Shah Square" or "Imam Square" – 1602.
• Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
• Chaharbagh Boulevard – 1596.
• Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard

Tourist attractions

Isfahan is an important historical center for different groups of tourists in the domestic and international world. The central historical area in Isfahan is called Seeosepol (the name of a famous bridge).

Other sites

• Atashgah – a Zoroastrian fire temple.
• Jarchi hammam
• New Julfa (The Armenian Quarter). – 1606
• The Bathhouse of Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī.
• Pigeon Towers – 17th century.
• Takht-e Foulad
• Isfahan City Center

Transportation

See also: Transport in Iran

Old building of Isfahan city hall

Airport

Isfahan is served by the Isfahan International Airport which handles domestic flights to Iranian cities and international flights.Turkish Airlines operates 4 weekly flights to Istanbul, and there are a number of flights to Arabic countries such as UAE, Iraq and Kuwait every day.

Metro and inter-city public transportation

Isfahan Metro is under construction and will include 2 lines with 43 km (27 mi) length. The line 1 was planned to be finished by end of 2010 with 21 km (13 mi) length and 20 stations however The first phase of that so far is opened on 15 October 2015 with 11 km (7 mi) length and 10 stations.

Rail

Isfahan is connected to three major rail lines: Isfahan–Tehran, Isfahan–Shiraz (recently opened), Isfahan–Yazd and via this recent one to Bandar Abbas and Zahedan.

Road transport

Isfahan's internal highway network is currently under heavy expansion which began during the last decade. Its lengthy construction is due to concerns of possible destruction of valuable historical buildings. Outside the city, Isfahan is connected by modern highways to Tehran which spans a distance of nearly 400 km (248.55 mi) to North and to Shiraz at about 200 km (124.27 mi) to the south. The highways also service satellite cities surrounding the metropolitan area.

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  Traffic in Isfahan

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  Traffic Police

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  Charbagh ST in Spring

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  Domestic Flights Hall of Isfahan International Airport

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  Isfahan Metro Wagons

Culture

An old master of hand-printed carpets in Isfahan bazaar

The Damask rose 'Ispahan', reputedly developed in Ispahan

Rug manufacture

Main article: Isfahan rug

Isfahan has long been one of the centers for production of the famous Persian Rug. Weaving in Isfahan flourished in the Safavid era. But when the Afghans invaded Iran, ending the Safavid dynasty, the craft became stagnant.

Food

• Isfahan is famous for its Beryouni. This dish is made of baked mutton & lungs that are minced and then cooked in a special small pan over open fire with a pinch of cinnamon. Beryouni is generally eaten with a certain type of bread, taftoon. Although it can also be served with other breads.
• Fesenjān – a casserole type dish with a sweet and tart sauce containing the two base ingredients, pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts cooked with chicken, duck, lamb or beef and served with rice.
• Gaz – the name given to Persian Nougat using the sap collected from angebin, a plant from the tamarisk family found only on the outskirts of Isfahan. It is mixed with various ingredients including rose water, pistachio and almond kernels and saffron.
• "Khoresh-e mast" (yoghurt stew) is a traditional dish in Isfahan. Unlike other stews despite its name, it is not served as a main dish and with rice; Since it is more of a sweet pudding it is usually served as a side dish or dessert. The dish is made with yogurt, lamb/mutton or chicken, saffron, sugar and orange zest. Iranians either put the orange zest in water for one week or longer or boil them for few minutes so the orange peels become sweet and ready for use. People in Iran make a lot of delicate dishes and jam with fruit rinds. This dish often accompanies celebrations and weddings.
• Pulaki – the name given to a type of Isfahani candy which is formed to thin circles like coins and served with tea or other warm drinks.

Notable people

Persian Pottery from the city Isfahan, 17th century.

Music

• Jalil Shahnaz (1921–2013), Soloist of Tar, traditional Persian instrument
• Jalal Taj Eesfahani, (1903-1981) Musician, singer and vocalist
• Freydoon Rassouli, artist and founder of Fusionart movement
• Alireza Eftekhari, (1956– ), singer
• Hassan Shamaizadeh, songwriter and Singer
• Leila Forouhar, pop singer

Film

• Reza Arhamsadr (1924–2008 ), actor
• Asghar Farhadi (1972– ), Oscar-winning director
• Mohamad Ali Keshvarz, 1930, actor
• Jahangir Forouhar, 1916–1997, actor and father of Leila Forouhar (Iranian singer)
• Bahman Farmanara, 1942–, director
• Kiumars Poorahmad, 1949–, director
• Rasul Sadr Ameli, 1953–, director
• Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, 1956–2001, former princess of Iran and actress
• Homayoun Ershadi, 1947–, Hollywood actor and architect
• Soroush Sehat, Actor & Director

Painters

• Bogdan Saltanov, 1630s–1703, Russian icon painter of Isfahanian Armenian origin
• Freydoon Rassouli, American painter born and raised in Isfahan
• Mahmoud Farshchian, 1930–, miniaturist

Political figures

• Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, 1928–1981, cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran
• Mohammad-Ali Foroughi, a politician and Prime Minister of Iran in World war II era
• Hossein Fatemi, 1919–1954, PhD, politician (foreign minister in Mohamed Mossadegh Cabinet)
• Ahmad Amir-Ahmadi, 1906–1965, military leader and cabinet minister
• Hossein Kharrazi, chief of army in the Iran–Iraq war
• Mohsen Nourbakhsh, 1948–2003, economist, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran
• Nusrat Bhutto, Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party from 1979–1983, wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and mother of Benazir Bhutto.
• Dariush Forouhar, (August 1928 – November 1998) was a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran (Nation of Iran Party)
• Mohammad Javad Zarif, (January 1960 – ) Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations

Religious figures

• Salman the Persian
• Allamah al-Majlisi, 1616–1698, Safavid cleric, Sheikh ul-Islam in Isfahan
• Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, 1928–1981, cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran

Sportspeople

• Mahmoud Yavari, محمود یاوری,–1939, footballer, former player for Shahine Esfahan, former player and later coach for Iranian National Team
• Abdolali Changiz, football star of Esteghlal FC in the 1970s
• Mansour Ebrahimzadeh, former player for Sepahan FC, former head coach of Zobahan
• Rasoul Korbekandi, goalkeeper of the Iranian National Team
• Moharram Navidkia, captain of Sepahan
• Ghasem Haddadifar, captain of Zobahan
• Ehsan Hajsafi, player for the Sepahan and FSV Frankfurt
• Arsalan Kazemi, forward for the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team and the Iran national basketball team.
• Mohammad Talaei, world champion wrestler
• Mohsen Sadeghzadeh, Former Captain of Iran Basketball national team and Zobahan

Writers and poets

• Hamid Mosadegh, 1939–1998, poet and lawyer
• Hatef Esfehani, Persian Moral poet in Afsharye Era
• Houshang Golshiri, 1938–2000, writer and editor
• Kamal ed-Din Esmail, late 12th century until early 13th century
• Mirza Abbas Khan Sheida, 1880–1949, poet and publisher
• Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani, 1892–1997, author
• Saib Tabrizi

Others

• Nasser David Khalili, 1945–, property developer, art collector, and philanthropist
• Arthur Pope, 1881–1969, American archaeologist, buried near Khaju Bridge

Education

Central Municipal Library of Esfahan.

Aside from the seminaries and religious schools, the major universities of the Esfahan metropolitan area are:

• Universities
  • University of Isfahan
  • Isfahan University of Art
  • Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
  • Isfahan University of Technology
  • Islamic Azad University of Isfahan
  • Islamic Azad University of Najafabad
  • Islamic Azad University of Majlesi
• High schools
  • Adab High School
  • Saadi High School
  • Harati High School
  • Saremiyh High School
  • Sa'eb Education Complex
  • Imam Mohammad Bagher Education Complex
  • Imam Sadegh Education Complex
  • Pooya High School
  • Mahboobeh Danesh(Navaie)
  • Shahid Ejei High School
  • Farzanegan e Amin High School
  • salamat high school

There are also more than 50 Technical and Vocational Training Centers under the administration of Esfahan TVTO which provide non-formal training programs freely throughout the province.

Sports

Sepahan FC 2015-16

Naghshe-Jahan Indoor stadium host of 2015 AFC Futsal Club Championship

Isfahan is the host of many national and international sport events therefore enjoying sport facilities such as Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium with 50,000 capacity which second phase is under development to increase capacity to 75,000 spectators. Isfahan has an important derby called as Naqsh e jahan derby. This competition is one of the most popular annual football events in Iran between Sepahan Isfahan and Zob Ahan Isfahan.

Both Zob Ahan and Sepahan are the only Iranian clubs to reach the final of the new AFC Champions League.

Isfahan has three association football clubs that play professionally. These are:

• Sepahan Isfahan
• Zob Ahan Isfahan.
• Giti Pasand

Giti Pasand also has a futsal team, Giti Pasand FSC, they are one of the best teams in Asia and Iran. They won the AFC Futsal Club Championship in 2012 and were runners-up in 2013.

Twin towns – Sister cities

Esfahan Street in Kuala Lumpur, and Kualalampur Avenue in Isfahan.

Isfahan is twinned with:

Baalbek, Lebanon Barcelona, Spain Kathmandu, Nepal Cairo, Egypt Dakar, Senegal Florence, Italy Freiburg, Germany Havana, Cuba Iaşi, Romania

Istanbul, Turkey Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuwait City, Kuwait Lahore, Pakistan Saint Petersburg, Russia Venice, Italy Xi'an, Shaanxi, China Yerevan, Armenia (1995)

See also

• List of the historical structures in the Isfahan province
• New Julfa
• 15861 Ispahan
• Prix d'Ispahan

References

• Urban Planning of Isfahan in the Seventeenth Century – Abouei, Reza, University of Sheffield, School of Architecture, 2005

Notes

External links

Isfahan travel guide from Wikivoyage

• Isfahan official website
• Isfahan Metro
• 360 degrees panorama gallery of Isfahan
• Isfahan Geometry on a Human Scale A Documentary film directed by Manouchehr Tayyab (31 min)

Preceded by Rey	Capital of Seljuq Empire (Persia) 1051–1118	Succeeded by Hamadan (Western capital) Merv (Eastern capital)
Preceded by Qazvin	Capital of Iran (Persia) 1598–1736	Succeeded by Mashhad
Preceded by Qazvin	Capital of Safavid dynasty 1598–1722	Succeeded by -