Shiraz (
listen
(help·info) Persian: شیراز Persian pronunciation: [ʃiːˈrɒːz]) is the sixth most
populous city in Iran[5] and
is the capital of Fars
Province. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the Rudkhaneye
Khoshk seasonal river. Shiraz has a moderate climate and has been a regional
trade center for more than one thousand years.
The earliest reference to the city, as Tiraziš, is on Elamite clay
tablets dated to 2000 BC.[6] In the 13th century,
Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, thanks to the
encouragement of its ruler and the presence of many Persian scholars and
artists. Shiraz was the capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty from 1750 until 1781, as well as
briefly during the Saffarid period.
Shiraz is known as the city of poets, wine and flowers.[7] The
word "shir" in Persian means "lion", but it could also mean
"milk". It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to
the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city. Shiraz has had
major Jewish and Christian communities. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid
mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; pile carpet-weaving and weaving
of kilim, called gilim and
jajim in the villages and among the tribes.[8] In
Shiraz industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile
products, wood products, metalwork and rugs dominate.[9]
Shirāz also has a major oil refinery and is also a major center for Iran's
electronic industries: 53% of Iran's electronic investment has been centered in
Shiraz.[10] Shiraz is home to
Iran's first solar power plant.[11]
- The tombs of Hafez,[40] Saadi, and Khaju e Kermani (whose
tomb is inside a mountain above the city's old Qur'an Gate). Other lesser known tombs are that
of Shah
Shoja' (the Mozafarid emir of Persia, and patron of Hafez), and
the Haft Tanan mausoleum, where 7 Sufi mystics are buried. The Tomb of Baba Kuhi
sits atop a mountain overlooking the city, and the tomb of Karim Khan Zand is at the Pars Museum of
Shiraz. One of the most historical buildings is the Kian. This building was constructed around the
time of Cyrus the
Great, and has been a popular tourist attraction ever since.
- The oldest mosque is Atigh Jame' Mosque, which is one of the
older mosques of Iran, followed by Vakil Mosque and Nasir al-Mulk
mosque. The Vakil Mosque is situated west of the famous Vakil Bazaar. It covers an
area of 8,660 square meters and was built in 1187 (AH) during Zand Dynasty. On
the two sides of the entrance gate there are magnificent tile-works and arches.
The left and right corridors of the entrance gate are connected to the main
room.
- Shah
Chiragh ("The King of Lights") Shrine.
- The citadel of Arg of Karim Khan sits adjacent to the Vakil Bazaar and Vakil Bath at the city's central
district. The most famous of houses are Zinat-ol-Molook
House and Gahavam's House, both in the old quarters of
the city.
- The Qur'an Gate is the
entrance to Shiraz. It is located near the gorge of Allah-o-Akbar and is flanked
by the Baba Kuhi and Chehel Maqam mountains. The gateway is where two copies of
the Qurans known
- The Eram Garden (Bagh-e
Eram) in Shiraz is a striking location for visitors with a variety of plants as
well as a historic mansion. Although the exact date of the construction of the
garden is not clear, historical evidence suggests it was constructed during the
Seljuk Dynasty on the orders of the celebrated Seljuk monarch Sanjar. Other
historical Persian gardens Afifabad Garden and The
Museum of Weapons and Delgosha
Garden
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