Hamadan

Hamadan همدان
City
Ancient names: Ecbatana, Hangmatana
Hamadan Hamedan in Iran
Coordinates: 34°47′54″N 48°30′54″E / 34.79833°N 48.51500°E / 34.79833; 48.51500Coordinates: 34°47′54″N 48°30′54″E / 34.79833°N 48.51500°E / 34.79833; 48.51500
Country	Iran
Province	Hamadan
County	Hamedan
Bakhsh
Government
• Mayor	Majeed Shakiri (since 2021)[1][2]
Elevation	1,850 m (6,069 ft)
Population  (2016 Census)
• Rank	13th in Iran
• Urban	673,405 [3]
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4:30 (IRDT)
Website	www.hamedan.ir

Hamadan^[4] (pronounced [hæmedɒːn]) or Hamedan (Persian: همدان‎, Hamedān) (Old Persian: Haŋgmetana, Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. At the 2019 census, its population was 783,300 in 230,775 families.^[5][6]The majority of people living in Hamadan identify as ethnic Persians.

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.^[7][8][9]

History[]

16th century map of Hamadan by Matrakçı Nasuh

The Ganjnameh, a cuneiform inscription in Hamadan

Silver Drachma of Parthian king Mithridates II made in Ecbatan mint

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."^[10]

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.

Climate[]

Hamadan spot (light blue in center) in Hamadan province topography map

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 humid 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.

Heydare, Hamadan

Alvand Mountain

Mishan, a plain of Alvand Mountain

Panoramic view[]

Hamadan at night. Hamadan was redesigned in 1928 by German architects and urban planners to resemble the spokes of a hexagram.^{[12][self-published source?]}

People[]

According to the survey of 1997, the population of the province of Hamadan was 1,677,957.^[13] Based on official statistics of 1997, the population of Hamadan county was 563,444 people. The majority of population are Persians (87%) with a sizeable minority of Azeris,^[14] and a small group of Persian Jews.^{[citation needed]}

Culture[]

The Saint Mary Church of Hamadan

A church in Ekbatan Hospital in Hamadan

The Stone Lion

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.

Distinctions[]

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 cousin 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.

Gallery[]

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  Tomb of Baba Taher

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  Inside the tomb of Baba Taher

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  The Tomb of Avicenna

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  The handwriting of Canon of Medicine in the Tomb of Avicenna

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  Tomb of Esther and Mordechai, a tomb believed by some to hold the remains of Esther and Mordechai

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  Inside the structure alleged by some to be the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai

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  Emamzade Abdollah Mosque

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  Dome of Alavian related with Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani

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  Qorban Tower

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  Ganj Nameh

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  Ali-Sadr Cave

Sport[]

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.

Some sport complexes in this city include: Qods Stadium, Shahid Mofatteh Stadium, Takhti Sport Complex and the National Stadium of Hamadan.

Education[]

Hamadan University of Technology, in Hamadan

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^[15]
• Hamadan Medical University^[16]
• Hamadan University of Technology^[17]
• Islamic Azad University of Hamadan^[18]

Famous Hamadanians[]

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  Shirin Ebadi

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  Fazlollah Zahedi and his family

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  Abolhassan Banisadr

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  Ahmad NikTalab

• Abolhassan Banisadr, economist, politician, and the first post-revolutionary elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Ahmad NikTalab, a famous contemporary poet
• Aminollah Rezaei, Poet, the Father of Iranian Surrealism
• 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
• Wojtek, a bear who was born in Hamedan and would grow up to become a corporal in the Polish army during World War 2.
• Viguen, known as the king of Persian pop and jazz music

International relations[]

Twin towns – Sister cities[]

Hamadan is twinned with:

See also[]

• Ganj Nameh
• Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani
• Baba Taher Orian
• Ali Sadr Cave
• Hamadan Airport
• Wojtek (soldier bear)

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Bibliography of the history of Hamadan

External links[]

Media related to Hamadan at Wikimedia Commons

• Ecbatana, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• Gandj Nameh, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• The Bisotun inscription, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• Photos from Hamadan City
• Hamadan City
• Hamadan: Older than history
• Hamadan; Capital of Median Empire
• Iconos satellite photo (January, 2005)
• Google Satellite Picture
• Hamedan Cultural Heritage Organization (in Persian)
• Hegmataneh Official Website
• Hamadān entries in the

v t Largest cities or towns in Iran 2016 census
	Rank	Name	Province	Pop.	Rank	Name	Province	Pop.
Tehran Mashhad	1	Tehran	Tehran	8,693,706	11	Rasht	Gilan	679,995	Isfahan Karaj
	2	Mashhad	Razavi Khorasan	3,001,184	12	Zahedan	Sistan and Baluchestan	587,730
	3	Isfahan	Isfahan	1,961,260	13	Hamadan	Hamadan	554,406
	4	Karaj	Alborz	1,592,492	14	Kerman	Kerman	537,718
	5	Shiraz	Fars	1,565,572	15	Yazd	Yazd	529,673
	6	Tabriz	East Azarbaijan	1,558,693	16	Ardabil	Ardabil	529,374
	7	Qom	Qom	1,201,158	17	Bandar Abbas	Hormozgan	526,648
	8	Ahvaz	Khuzestan	1,184,788	18	Arak	Markazi	520,944
	9	Kermanshah	Kermanshah	946,651	19	Eslamshahr	Tehran	448,129
	10	Urmia	West Azarbaijan	736,224	20	Zanjan	Zanjan	430,871