These are ~
NINE (9)
ORIGINAL
1920S
PHOTOGRAPHS
TAKEN in IRAN / PERSIA
NEAR HAMADAN, IRAN
&
ISFAHAN, IRAN
From the Private Archive of
American Foreign Service Officer,
Earl Thomas “Tom” Crain
PHOTO MEASUREMENTS:
ALL NINE Photographs are 6.50” x 9”
These antique originals feature scenes from 1919 to early 1920s (maybe older) Iran / Persia – including shots taken in the Hamadan & Isfahan regions and also Tehran: Locals; Madrassa; Naderi Throne / Peacock Throne (?) Market / Bazaar / Street Merchants; –
SEE IMAGES
One of the photos is captioned on back as ‘Peacock Throne’ – but when researching the image I find it resembles the ‘Naderi Throne’ – the Peacock Throne was looted from India by Persian invaders but according to what I read it disappeared of the face of the earth. Perhaps there is some reason to believe that the Naderi Throne is the Peacock Throne brought back from India.
Naderi Throne
The Naderi Throne of Iran is a gemmed and enameled throne made during the Qajar era, now kept in the national treasury of the Central Bank of Iran. The throne has no relation to Nader Shah: the name derives from the word nader meaning "rare" or "unique" in the Persian language.
The Peacock Throne was a famous jeweled throne that was the seat of the Mughal emperors of India. It was commissioned in the early 17th century by emperor Shah Jahan and was located in the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences, or Ministers' Room) in the Red Fort of Delhi. The original throne was subsequently captured and taken as a war trophy in 1739 by the Persian emperor Nadir Shah, and has been lost since. A replacement throne based on the original was commissioned afterwards and existed until the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
The Naderi throne was made by the order of Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar (1772–1834) and is seen in many paintings of his era. Unlike the platform-like Sun Throne, the Naderi Throne has the appearance of a chair.
The throne was kept in Golestan Palace but it was later transferred to the National Treasury of the Central Bank of Iran. It was last used in the coronation ceremony of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1967.
The throne can be taken apart into 12 separate sections. It was intended to be portable, to be carried along when the Shah traveled to his summer residences. It is made of wood, covered with gold and encrusted with jewels. Among the 26,733 jewels covering the throne, there are four very large spinels on the backrest, the largest of them weighing 65 ct. There are also four very large emeralds on the backrest, the largest of them weighing approximately 225 ct. The largest ruby on the throne is 35 ct.
The height of the throne is approximately 225 cm. It has inscribed verses attributed to Fat'h Ali Shah. Diaries written by travelers who visited Fat'h Ali Shah's court at the time also mention a throne similar to this one, though the throne may have been refurbished by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.
The designs which can be seen on the throne include a peacock tail on the backrest, ducks, dragons, leaves and tree branches. A lion rests on the front panel of the footstool.
Earl T. Crain whom went by “Tom”– is Listed in the November 1936 Photographic Register of the American Foreign Service Journal as a ‘Foreign Service Officer (Career)’
Tom Crain arrived in Iran in 1935 and was there until at least 1937 - I believe the photographs in this lot of 9 were taken earlier in the 1920s and belonged to Crain’s father-in-law, mother-in-law & wife, Agnes.
Agnes Hildebrand married Earl “Tom” Crain – Her father was Henri (Henry) Hildebrand – Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Tehran, Iran – 1925, etc.
Earl T. Crain was a Career Foreign Service Officer / Diplomat for the United States stationed around the world –
Tom Crain was stationed in Central America and Cuba in the early 1930s -
He arrived as an American Foreign Service Officer in Iran in 1935 at the lead-up to WWII –
In 1941 he is listed as Third Secretary at the US Embassy Madrid -
He was back in Cuba in the later 1940s & 50s - listed as 1st Secretary at the US Embassy in Havana -
By the 1960s he was Consul General in Milan, Italy –
NEW INFORMATION on Earl Thomas Crain has reached me as of 2/14/2019 – Turns out that Crain was a gigantic American Hero during the Spanish Civil War – especially for Americans that fought against Francisco Franco’s fascist forces in Spain – The story is told in a book on the Spanish Civil War a friend has obtained (trying to get my hands on it- I HAVE THE BOOK NOW - SEE LAST 3 IMAGES FOR PAGES FROM THE BOOK - see other listings for other pages of text - the book is: 'PRISONERS of the GOOD FIGHT: THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936-1939' by Carl Geiser) - I am told Crain did more than any other American diplomat or Foreign Service Officer to protect and provide for American POWs of Franco – I will get more details soon – BUT – according to the book, Crain was 3rd Secretary at the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain – and I have photographs of him in Iran in 1936 (see the EBay listing that includes those photos), some of Crain exploring the mountain passes through Iran to the Caspian Sea – perhaps using the route even before WWII to supply provisions and what-not to anti-fascist forces in Spain & elsewhere in Europe??? According to the book – Earl T. Crain is a true American hero – gigantic so…
Crain was carrying out his mission as an American Foreign Service Officer in Iran 1935-1937 when he met Agnes and her parents. Those were years of adventure, romance and living dangerously for the young, handsome American Foreign Service Officer by the looks of the EIGHTY-FIVE all original photos I have up on EBay in another listing right now.
The photos in this current lot are from before Crain arrived in Iran in 1935 – this lot of 9 photos is from the 1920s – not long after the end of World War One (WWI) – a war in which Hamadan, Iran saw heavy fighting between Russian and Turko-German forces.
I have several other separate EBay listings for original Earl T. Crain photographs right now - and more to come - that feature Earl T. Crain / Tom Crain throughout his American Foreign Service Officer and Diplomatic career / life – including in 1963 Bagnoli, Naples, Italy (or Milan) with President John F. Kennedy; 1967 Milan, Italy with Robert F. Kennedy; several other rare photos featuring Crain in Milan - including with U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk & U.S. Ambassador Reinhardt; Governor Romney (Michigan); Governor Knowles (Wisconsin); U.S. Military Generals & Admirals and Ambassadors or Heads of State from around the world; also 1940s-1950s Havana, Cuba while Crain was 1st Secretary at the US Embassy in Havana (including a photo of Crain with Batista, Amb. Beaulac, etc. also a listing on EBay for a rare 1947 map of Havana that belonged to Crain); also Nicaragua and Costa Rica, etc. -
I believe Crain graduated from the University of Illinois but have evidence he attended a College in Havana, Cuba (Candler College) in the 1920s.
SEE the images of all the photos for this EBay listing and SEE my other EBAY listings for more of Earl T. Crain’s American Foreign Service Officer & Diplomat photo collection, etc. –
Contact me with any questions you may have.
All 9 photos in this listing are rare 1919-1920s, one of a kind originals taken in Iran.
Combined shipping if you win multiple listings… but all domestic shipping is free anyway!
My international shipping rates are very reasonable as well…
Interesting Historical Facts about Isfahan & Hamadan, Iran where I believe these photographs were taken (Tehran photos too):
Isfahan :
Isfahan is a city in central Iran, known for its Persian architecture. In the huge Naqsh-e Jahan Square is the 17th-century Imam (Shah) Mosque, whose dome and minarets are covered with mosaic tiles and calligraphy. Ali Qapu Palace, built for Shah Abbas and completed in the late 16th century, has a music room and a verandah overlooking the square’s fountains. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is known for its intricate tiling.
Isfahan (historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan, Esfahan or Hispahan) (Persian: اصفهان , translit. Esfahān [esfæˈhɒːn] (About this soundlisten)) is a city in Iran. It is located 406 kilometres (252 miles) south of Tehran, and is the capital of Isfahan Province.
Isfahan has a population of approximately 1.6 million, making it the third largest city in Iran after Tehran and Mashhad, but was once one of the largest cities in the world.
Isfahan is an important city as it is located at the intersection of the two principal north–south and east–west routes that traverse Iran. Isfahan flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries under the Safavid dynasty when it became the capital of Persia for the second time in its history under Shah Abbas the Great. Even today the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous for its Perso–Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings and artefacts. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian pun and 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. UNESCO has designated it a World Heritage Site.
"Isfahan" is derived from Middle Persian Spahān. Spahān is attested in various Middle Persian seals and inscriptions, including that of Zoroastrian Magi Kartir, and is also the Armenian name of the city ( Սպահան ). The present-day name is the Arabicized form of Ispahan (unlike Middle Persian, and similar to Spanish, New Persian does not allow initial consonant clusters such as sp. The region appears with the abbreviation GD (Southern Media) on Sasanian numismatics. In Ptolemy's Geographia it appears as Aspadana, translating to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that Spahān derives from spādānām "the armies", Old Persian plural of spāda (from which derives spāh 'army' and spahi (soldier – lit. of the army) in Middle Persian).
Human habitation of the Isfahan region can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period. Recent discoveries archaeologists have found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.
Zoroastrian era
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 civilisation (2700–1600 BCE).
Under Median rule, 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.
An ancient artifact from Isfahan City Center museum
Once Cyrus the Great (reg. 559–529 BCE) had 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 was Cyrus who, having just taken Babylon, made an edict in 538 BCE, declaring that the Jews in Babylon could return to Jerusalem (see Ezra ch. 1). Now it seems that some of these freed Jews settled in Isfahan instead of returning to their homeland. The 10th-century Persian historian Ibn al-Faqih 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. Thereupon they settled there, cultivated the soil, raised children and grandchildren, and today the name of this settlement is Yahudia."
The Parthians in the period 250–226 BCE continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the Achaemenids, fostering the Hellenistic dimension within Iranian culture and the political organisation introduced by Alexander the Great's invading armies. Under the Parthians, Arsacid governors administered the provinces of the nation from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to accommodate the needs of a capital city.
Isfahan at the end of the 6th century (top), consisting of two separate areas of Sassanid Jay and Jewish Yahudia. At 11th century (bottom), these two areas are completely merged.
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. 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 came from seven noble and important Iranian royal 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 the period, many Sassanid 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'.[9] Although many theories have been mentioned about the origin of Isfahan, in fact little is known of it 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 km 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 River. The gradual population decrease of Gay (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. 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 both circular in design, a characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities.
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 (r. 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.
During his visit in 1327, Ibn Battuta 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." It regained its importance 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 in the 17th century world. In 1598 Shah Abbas the Great moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central Isfahan; he name it Ispahān (New Persian) so that it wouldn't be threatened by the Ottomans. This new status ushered in a golden age for the city, with architecture and Persian culture flourishing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and migrants from the Caucasus, that Abbas and other Safavid rulers had permitted to emigrate en masse, settled in the city. So now the city had enclaves of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent. Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Persia in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000. During the Safavid era, the city contained a very large Armenian community as well. As part of Abbas's forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, he resettled as many as 300,000 Armenians) from near the unstable Safavid-Ottoman border, primarily from the very wealthy Armenian town of Jugha (also known as Old Julfa) in mainland Iran. In Isfahan, he ordered the foundation of a new quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was named New Julfa.Today, the New Jolfa district of Isfahan remains a heavily Armenian-populated district, with Armenian churches and shops, the Vank Cathedral being especially notable for its combination of Armenian Christian and Iranian Islamic elements. It is still one of the oldest and largest Armenian quarters in the world. Following an agreement between Shah Abbas I and his Georgian subject Teimuraz I of Kakheti ("Tahmuras 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, the Georgian prince converted to Islam and served as governor. He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers, some of whom were 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 both Persian and Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian. During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became very famous in Europe, and many European travellers made an account of their visit to the city, such as Jean Chardin. This prosperity lasted until it was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722 during a marked decline in Safavid influence.
Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in a move of the capital to Mashhad and Shiraz during the Afsharid and Zand periods respectively, until it was finally moved to Tehran in 1775 by Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty.
In the early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Ifsahan's archeologically important buildings. The work was started by Mohammad Hossein Khan during the reign of Fath Ali Shah.
Modern age
In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by a very large number of people from southern Iran, firstly during the population migrations at the start of the century, and again in the 1980s following the Iran–Iraq War.
Today, Isfahan produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods including sweets. There are nuclear experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear bank of the Zayanderud River. The gradual population decrease of Gay (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. 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 both circular in design, a characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities.
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 (r. 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.
During his visit in 1327, Ibn Battuta 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." It regained its importance 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 in the 17th century world. In 1598 Shah Abbas the Great moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central Isfahan; he name it Ispahān (New Persian) so that it wouldn't be threatened by the Ottomans. This new status ushered in a golden age for the city, with architecture and Persian culture flourishing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and migrants from the Caucasus, that Abbas and other Safavid rulers had permitted to emigrate en masse, settled in the city. So now the city had enclaves of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent. Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Persia in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000. During the Safavid era, the city contained a very large Armenian community as well. As part of Abbas's forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, he resettled as many as 300,000 Armenians) from near the unstable Safavid-Ottoman border, primarily from the very wealthy Armenian town of Jugha (also known as Old Julfa) in mainland Iran. In Isfahan, he ordered the foundation of a new quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was named New Julfa.Today, the New Jolfa district of Isfahan remains a heavily Armenian-populated district, with Armenian churches and shops, the Vank Cathedral being especially notable for its combination of Armenian Christian and Iranian Islamic elements. It is still one of the oldest and largest Armenian quarters in the world. Following an agreement between Shah Abbas I and his Georgian subject Teimuraz I of Kakheti ("Tahmuras 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, the Georgian prince converted to Islam and served as governor. He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers, some of whom were 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 both Persian and Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian. During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became very famous in Europe, and many European travellers made an account of their visit to the city, such as Jean Chardin. This prosperity lasted until it was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722 during a marked decline in Safavid influence.
Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in a move of the capital to Mashhad and Shiraz during the Afsharid and Zand periods respectively, until it was finally moved to Tehran in 1775 by Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty.
In the early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Ifsahan's archeologically important buildings. The work was started by Mohammad Hossein Khan during the reign of Fath Ali Shah.
Modern age
In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by a very large number of people from southern Iran, firstly during the population migrations at the start of the century, and again in the 1980s following the Iran–Iraq War.
Today, Isfahan produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods including sweets. There are nuclear experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear
fuel (UCF) within 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. Mobarakeh Steel Company is the biggest steel producer in the whole of 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.
The city has an international airport and a metro line.
There are a major oil refinery and a large airforce base outside the city. HESA, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant, is located just outside the city. Isfahan is also attracting international investment, especially in the Isfahan City Center which is the largest shopping mall in Iran and the fifth largest in the world.
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), just south of the city. No geological obstacles exist within 90 kilometres (56 miles) north of Isfahan, allowing cool 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 BWk). 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 is quite 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.[25] The Zayande River starts in the Zagros Mountains, flowing from the west through the heart of the city, then dissipates in the Gavkhooni wetland.
Air pollution is one of the major environmental issues in Isfahan. Due to an increase in the number of cars in the city, thermal power plants, petrochemical complexes and the oil refinery in the west of the city, air pollution levels have increased markedly in the second half of the 20th century. With the introduction of national environment levels for heavy industry, industrial pollution has been reduced in recent years. However, the air quality in the city is far below world norms. Indeed, Isfahan has the highest air pollution index of all the major cities in Iran. This is thought to be partly due to its climate and geography.
Persian pottery from the city Isfahan, 17th century
The bridges on the Zayanderud river comprise some of the finest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest bridge is the Shahrestan bridge, whose foundations were built by the Sasanian Empire (3rd–7th century Sassanid era); it was repaired during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the Khaju bridge, which was built by Shah Abbas II in 1650. It is 123 metres (404 feet) long with 24 arches, and also serves as a sluice gate.
Another bridge is the Choobi (Joui) bridge, which was originally 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 reign 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).
Another notable bridge is the Marnan Bridge.
Churches and cathedrals
Bedkhem Church – 1627
St. Georg Church – 17th century
St. Jakob Church – 1607
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[31]
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
Isfahan City Center Museum
Museum of Decorative Arts
Natural History Museum of Isfahan – 15th century
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
Chehel Sotoun (The Palace of Forty Columns) – 1647
Hasht-Behesht (The Palace of Eight Paradises) – 1669
Shah Caravanserai
Talar Ashraf (The Palace of Ashraf) – 1650
Squares and streets
Chaharbagh Boulevard – 1596
Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard
Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as "Shah Square" or "Imam Square" – 1602
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
Tourist attractions
The central historical area in Isfahan is called Seeosepol (the name of a famous bridge).[32][33]
Other sites
Atashgah – a Zoroastrian fire temple
The Bathhouse of Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī
Isfahan City Center
Jarchi hammam
New Julfa (The Armenian Quarter) – 1606
Pigeon Towers[34] – 17th century
Takht-e Foulad
Education
Aside from the seminaries and religious schools, the major universities of the Esfahan metropolitan area are:
Universities
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 Falavarjan
Islamic Azad University of Majlesi
University of Isfahan
High schools
Adab High School
Farzanegan e Amin High School
Harati High School
Imam Mohammad Bagher Education Complex
Imam Sadegh Education Complex
Mahboobeh Danesh (Navaie)
Pooya High School
Saadi High School
Sa'eb Education Complex
Salamat High School
Saremiyh High School
Shahid Ejei High School
Saeb High School
There are also more than 50 technical and vocational training centres in the province under the administration of Esfahan TVTO, which provide free, non-formal training programs.
Over the past decade, Isfahan's internal highway network has been undergoing major expansion. Much care has been taken to prevent damage to valuable, historical buildings. Modern freeways connect the city to the country's major cities, including the capital Tehran (length approximately 400 km) to the north and Shiraz (200 km) to the south. Highways also service satellite cities surrounding the metropolitan area.
The Damask rose 'Ispahan', reputedly developed in Ispahan
Notable people
Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh
Houshang Golshiri
Mohammad Beheshti
Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi
Mohammad Ali Foroughi
Mohammad Javad Zarif
Mahmoud Farshchian
Mohammad Esfahani
Music
Jalal Taj Esfahani (1903–1981), musician, singer and vocalist[38]
Mohammad Esfahani (1966–), singer and songwriter[39]
Alireza Eftekhari (1956–), singer[40]
Fard
Leila Forouhar (1959–), pop singer[41]
Hassan Kassai (1928–2012), musician[42]
Nasrollah Moein (1951–), pop singer[43]
Hesameddin Seraj, musician, singer and vocalist[44]
Hassan Shamaizadeh, songwriter and singer[45]
Jalil Shahnaz (1921–2013), tar soloist, a traditional Persian instrument[46]
Film
Rasul Sadr Ameli (1953–), director
Reza Arhamsadr (1924–2008), actor
Sara Bahrami (1983–), actor[47]
Homayoun Ershadi (1947–), Hollywood actor and architect
Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (1956–2001), former princess of Iran and actress
Asghar Farhadi (1972–), Oscar-winning director[48]
Bahman Farmanara (1942–), director
Jahangir Forouhar (1916–1997), actor and father of Leila Forouhar (Iranian singer)
Mohamad Ali Keshvarz (1930–), actor[49]
Mahdi Pakdel (1980–), actor[50]
Kiumars Poorahmad (1949–), director[51]
Soroush Sehhat (1965–), actor and director[52]
Nosratollah Vahdat (1925–), actor[53]
Craftsmen and painters
Reza Badrossama (1949–), painter and miniaturist[54]
Mahmoud Dehnavi (1927–), craftsman and artist[55]
Mahmoud Farshchian (1930–), painter and miniaturist[56]
Freydoon Rassouli (1943–), American painter born and raised in Isfahan[57]
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[58]
Nusrat Bhutto, Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party from 1979–1983; wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto; mother of Benazir Bhutto
Hossein Fatemi, PhD (1919–1954), politician; foreign minister in Mohamed Mossadegh's cabinet
Mohammad-Ali Foroughi (1875–1942), a politician and Prime Minister of Iran in the World War II era[59]
Dariush Forouhar (August 1928 – November 1998), a founder and leader of the Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran (Nation of Iran Party)
Hossein Kharrazi, chief of the army in the Iran–Iraq War[60]
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[61]
Religious figures
Lady Amin (Banou Amin) (1886–1983), Iran's most outstanding female jurisprudent, theologian and great Muslim mystic (‘arif), a Lady Mujtahideh
Amina Begum Bint al-Majlisi was a female Safavid mujtahideh
Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981), cleric, Chairman of the Council of Revolution of Iran[58]
Abū Shujāʿ al-Iṣfahānī (5th c.) jurist and judge
Allamah al-Majlisi (1616–1698), Safavid cleric, Sheikh ul-Islam in Isfahan
Salman the Persian
Muhammad Ibn Manda (d. 1005 / AH 395), Sunni Hanbali scholar of hadith and historian
Abu Nu'aym Al-Ahbahani Al-Shafi'i (d. 1038 / AH 430), Sunni Shafi'i Scholar
Sportspeople
Abdolali Changiz, football star of Esteghlal FC in the 1970s
Mansour Ebrahimzadeh, former player for Sepahan FC, former head coach of Zobahan
Ghasem Haddadifar, captain of Zobahan FC
Ehsan Hajsafi, player for the Sepahan and Olympiacos FC
Arsalan Kazemi, forward for the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team and the Iran national basketball team
Rasoul Korbekandi, goalkeeper of the Iranian National Team
Moharram Navidkia, captain of Sepahan FC
Mohsen Sadeghzadeh, former captain of Iran national basketball team and Zobahan
Mohammad Talaei, world champion wrestler
Mahmoud Yavari (1939-), football player, coach of Iranian National Team
Sohrab Moradi (1988-), Olympic weightlifting gold medalist, world record holder of 105 kg category
Writers and poets
Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani (1892–1997), author
Hatef Esfehani, Persian Moral poet in the Afsharid Era
Zhaleh Esfahani (1921–2007), poet and writer[62]
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
Saib Tabrizi
Afshin Yadollahi (1969–2017), poet and writer[63]
Others
Abd-ol-Ghaffar Amilakhori, 17th-century noble
Adib Boroumand (1924-), poet, politician, lawyer, and leader of the National Front
George Bournoutian, professor, historian and author
Jesse of Kakheti, king of Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1614 to 1615
Simon II of Kartli, king of 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 David Khalili (1945–), property developer, art collector, and philanthropist
Arthur Pope (1881–1969), American archaeologist, buried near Khaju Bridge
Sports
Zob Ahan and Sepahan are the only Iranian clubs to reach the final of the new AFC Champions League.
Hamedan – see also Hamedan (disambiguation).
Hamadan
همدان
City
Ancient names: Ecbatana, Hangmatana
The Tomb of Avicenna
Hamadan is located in Iran
Country Iran
Province Hamadan
County Hamadan
Bakhsh Central
Government
Elevation 1,850 m (6,069 ft)
Population (2016 Census)
• Rank 13th in Iran
• Urban 554,405
Hamadān (pronounced [hæmedɒːn]) or Hamedān (Persian: همدان , Hamedān) (Old Persian: Haŋgmetana, Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 473,149, in 127,812 families.
Hamedan is believed to be among the oldest Iranian cities. It is possible that it was occupied by the Assyrians in 1100 BCE; the Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, states that it was the capital of the Medes, around 700 BCE.
Hamedan has a green mountainous area in the foothills of the 3,574-meter Alvand Mountain, in the midwest part of Iran. The city is 1,850 meters above sea level.
The special nature of this old city and its historic sites attract tourists during the summer to this city, located approximately 360 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of Tehran.
The major sights of this city are the Ganj Nameh inscription, the Avicenna monument and the Baba Taher monument. The majority of the population is Persian; however, there is a considerable Azerbaijani minority.
According to Clifford Edmund Bosworth, "Hamadan is a very old city. It may conceivably, but improbably, be mentioned in cuneiform texts from ca. 1100 BC, the time of Assyrian King Tiglath-pilesar I, but is certainly mentioned by Herodotus (i.98) who says that the king of Media Diokes built the city of Agbatana or Ekbatana in the 7th century BC."
Hamadan was established by the Medes. It then became one of several capital cities of the Achaemenid Dynasty.
Hamadan is mentioned in the biblical book of Ezra as the place where a scroll was found giving the Jews permission from King Darius to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (Ezra 6:2). Its ancient name of Ecbatana is used in the Ezra text. Because it was a mile above sea level, it was a good place to preserve leather documents.
During the Parthian era, Ctesiphon was the capital of the country, and Hamadan the summer capital and residence of the Parthian rulers. After the Parthians, the Sassanids constructed their summer palaces in Hamadan. In the year 633 the battle of Nahavand took place and Hamadan fell into the hands of the Muslim Arabs.
During the Buwayhids, the city suffered much damage. In the 11th century, the Seljuks shifted their capital from Baghdad to Hamadan. The city of Hamadan, its fortunes following the rise and fall of regional powers, was completely destroyed during the Timurid invasion. During the Safavid era, the city thrived. Thereafter, in the 18th century, Hamadan was surrendered to the Ottomans, but due to the work of Nader Shah e Afshar, Hamadan was cleared of invaders and, as a result of a peace treaty between Iran and the Ottomans, it was returned to Iran. Hamadan stands on the Silk Road, and even in recent centuries the city enjoyed strong commerce and trade as a result of its location on the main road network in the western region of Persia and Iran.
During World War I, the city was the scene of heavy fighting between Russian and Turko-German forces. It was occupied by both armies, and finally by the British, before it was returned to control of the Iranian government at the end of the war in 1918.
Hamadan province lies in a temperate mountainous region to the east of Zagros. The vast plains of the north and northeast of the province are influenced by strong winds, that almost last throughout the year.
The various air currents of this region are: the north and north west winds of the spring and winter seasons, which are usually humid and bring rainfall. The west-east air currents that blow in the autumn and the local winds that develop due to difference in air-pressure between the elevated areas and the plains, like the blind wind of the Asad Abad region.
Hamadan is in the vicinity of the Alvand mountains and has a dry summer continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dsa), in transition with a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with snowy winters. In fact, it is one of the coldest cities in Iran. The temperature may drop below −30 °C (−22 °F) on the coldest days. Heavy snowfall is common during winter and this can persist for periods of up to two months. During the short summer, the weather is mild, pleasant, and mostly sunny.
According to the survey of 1997, the population of the province of Hamadan was 1,677,957. Based on official statistics of 1997, the population of Hamadan county was 563,444 people. The majority of population are Persians with a sizeable minority of Azeris, and a small group of Persian…
Hamadan is home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.
Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramics, and carpets.
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 207 sites of historical and cultural significance in Hamadan.
The Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is believed by some to hold the remains of the biblical Esther and her uncle Mordechai.
The scientist and writer Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina) is interred here; [Avicenna Mausoleum] was constructed in his honor in 1952. The 11th-century Iranian poet Baba Taher is also interred here.
Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadani, author of the Maqamat, was born here.
PAS Hamedan F.C. were founded on June 9, 2007 after the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C.. The team, along with Alvand Hamedan F.C., is in the Azadegan League.
Before the Persian Constitutional Revolution, education in Hamadan was limited to some Maktab Houses and theological schools. Fakhrie Mozafari School was the first modern school of Hamadan, which was built after that revolution. Alliance and Lazarist were also the first modern schools founded by foreign institutions in Hamadan.
Some of the popular universities in Hamadan include:
Bu-Ali Sina University
Hamadan Medical University
Hamadan University of Technology
Islamic Azad University of Hamadan
Famous Hamadanians
Shirin Ebadi
Fazlollah Zahedi and his family
Abolhassan Banisadr, economist, politician, and the first post-revolutionary elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Amir Nosrat'ollah Balakhanlou, born in Tehran — two-time mayor and MP for Hamadan City (1950s and early 1960s)
Amir-Shahab Razavian, film director, writer and producer
Baba-Taher-e Oryan, a famous poet (1100 A.c)
Ein-Alqozat Hamadani, a great philosopher and sufist (1100 A.C)
Ehsan Yarshater, historian, scientists, and founder of Encyclopædia Iranica
Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi, celebrated poet (1300 A.C)
Fazlollah Zahedi, military general
Fereydoun Moshiri, contemporary poet (originally from Hamadan, but born in Tehran)
Hanieh Tavassoli, actress
Joseph Emin, a major activist in the attempts to liberate Armenia during the 18th century
Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, poet and scholar
Mirzadeh Eshghi, a celebrated nationalist poet
Moshfegh Hamadani, writer, journalist and translator
Parviz Parastouei, acclaimed actor
Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, Persian statesman, historian and physician of the 13th-14th centuries
Shirin Ebadi, lawyer and the 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate
Samuel Rahbar, scientist
Viguen, known as the king of Persian pop and jazz music