Jahrom
Jahrom is one of the cities of Fars province in southern Iran, located 170 kilometers southeast of Shiraz, the capital of Fars province. Many tropical and subtropical plants are grown in Jahrom including citrus, date, palm and wheat. The name Jahrom can be literally translated as “hot place”, expressing the climate of the area, but etymologically it is interpreted as “green place”. The history of Jahrom dates back to about 2,500 years ago, when the Achaemenids founded the Persian Empire.
The splendor of Isfahan came during its reconstruction by the Safavid monarch Shah Abbas I, who moved his capital here at the end of the 16th century. Monuments from the Safavid era include palaces, mosques, minarets, churches, gardens, bridges, and caravanserais, many of which are considered masterpieces of Islamic art today. Naqsh-e Yahán (Mirror of the World) square, as well as the Aljama Mosque of Isfahan have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The city of Isfahan, called “the Middle of the World”, is the third most populous city in Iran, located in the heart of the country. Among the Christian churches dating back to the 17th century, Vank Cathedral and St. Mary’s Church are dazzling. Also, Ali Qapu Mansion, Menar Jonban, Khaju Bridge and Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque are other historical works of this city.
Isfahan has a long tradition of making high-quality carpets and silver jewelry.
Ilam
Ilam is the capital of the province of the same name. The city is bordered to the east by the Kabir Kuh mountain range and to the west by Iraq. The city is populated mainly by Kurds. Like many other parts of Iran, the history and architecture of Ilam spans various historical and contemporary periods.
Ilam’s Vali Castle, Falahati Mansion, and Mirqolam Castle are examples of some of the buildings that have survived to this day. The house with a patio is the main type of building of this period. And brick is the main construction material for these buildings. Passive thermal techniques indicated for traditional Iranian buildings are commonly used. The castle has a central courtyard surrounded by trees that together create shade and moisture, providing a green landscape to the courtyard. Here you can see a classic Iranian courtyard.
Gorgan
Gorgán (before Astrabad or Astarabad) is the capital of the Golestan province, in Iran. It is located about 400 kilometers northeast of Tehran, 30 kilometers from the Caspian Sea. The city enjoys an ideal climate, since it is located exactly between the Alborz mountain range and the rainy currents of the Caspian Sea. There are villages in the high mountains that offer an impressive landscape for lovers of hiking and trekking. In Gorgán you can find the carpet industry, the Turkmen carpet, made by the Turkmen. The motifs for these carpets come from the ancient Persian city of Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan.
Gonbad-e Qabus
The city of Gonbad-e Qabus is located in Golestan province, in northeastern Iran. Gonbad-e Qabus Tower is located on top of a hill, north of the city and in the extreme northwest of the national park. Also known as the Tower of Qabus or Maghbar-e Qabus (Mausoleum of Qabus), it is located 3 km southwest of the ruins of the ancient city of Gorgan. It is one of the most magnificent structures of the early Islamic centuries and remains prominent in the chaos of urban life and buildings, attracting the viewer’s eye even from miles away.
The height of the tower has been recorded as greater than 53 m in various sources, however, according to the latest photogrammetric studies it measures 53 m, of which 35 m correspond to the shafts and 18 m to the conical roof. The structure has a transformed circular plan and the radius of the dome is 4.8 m. The inner circumference is 30 m and the outer 60 m. The wall of the dome is 4.8 m thick, half the diameter.
Dezful
A city in the Khuzestan province, located in a region whose history dates back to the ancient Iranian civilization. The name Dezful derives from the words Dez (fortress) and Pol (bridge), which combined could mean fortified bridge. The bridge was built during the reign of Shapur I and according to the legends the king exploited the prisoners, in a war against the Romans, to build the bridge. The city has extremely hot and humid summers and mild winters.
Damghan
It is the capital of the Damghan district in Semnán province, Iran. This city, called Sad Darvazeh (City of Hundred Gates), was the capital of the Arsacid empire. In Greek texts, the name of this city was Hacatopolis. Given its privileged geographical location, Damghan stretches from Alborz in the north to the desert in the south. This historic city is rich in natural and historical attractions and attracts many visitors who manage to reconcile their interest between the mountains and the desert. Semnán was a major endpoint on the Silk Road. Therefore, both in the city and along the way there are still many architectural elements, caravanserais, mosques, bazaars and the famous desert lighthouses. Headlights marked the direction of caravans traveling on dark nights.
Damghan is the second largest pistachio-producing city in Iran and a large part of its economy depends on the production of pistachios. The pistachio processing and production units of Damghan, located 30 km north of the city, which thanks to its fertile land and pleasant climate, have become the main industries and occupations of the inhabitants of Damghan.
Bushehr
The capital of the Bushehr province, also known as Bandar-e Bushehr. The city is situated on an extensive plain along the Persian Gulf coastal region in southwestern Iran. The city is located near the ancient Sassanid port city, Rishahr. It was the main maritime port of the country and the administrative center of its province. It is about 1,218 kilometers south of Tehran. Bushehr has been the main commercial center of Iran for centuries.
The structures of the city are traditional in style, modest and adapted to the hot climate of the city. Despite tradition, today most Iranian cities are modernizing and adapting to the market. Just consider the high rate of urbanization, over 70%, that has emerged in Iran since the country’s development years after the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988).
Borujerd
Borujerd county capital in Lorestan province, western Iran. Among the cities of Iran, Borujerd is one of the oldest since the 9th century. In the Sassanid Empire, Borujerd was a small town near Nahavand. Borujerd attracted much attention during the Seljuk empire of the 9th and 10th centuries. It was a commercial and strategic city in the Zagros Mountains until the 20th century. In its golden age, during the Qajar dynasty (18th and 19th centuries), Borujerd was chosen as the capital of the Lorestan and Khuzestan region.
Today Borujerd is the second largest city in Lorestan and the main industrial, tourist and cultural center of the region. The city has preserved its ancient architecture and way of life, mainly thanks to the mosques, bazaars and houses built during the Qajar era. Its inhabitants are mainly of Lur origin, but there is a minority of Laks who also live in Borujerd and speak Laki, such as the Balavand, Ghisavand, Shahivand.
Birjand
Capital of the province of South Khorasan and center of Birjand county. This city is known for its export of saffron, barberry, handmade carpets and tapestries. Being close to the Afghan border, Birjand was on the “Silk Road” linking Afghanistan to the European continent. The city has a dry climate with a lot of difference in daytime and nighttime temperatures. This city is developing more and more, which makes it one of the main centers of eastern Iran.
