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ESFAHAN
 Esfahan,
Isfahan or ancient Aspadana 32° 40N 510 38E is and has been the capital of
the province of Esfahan since 900 years. The city is located on a high at
the foot of the Zagros mountains. The average elevation of the Province is
1,475 m and that of the city 1,570 m above sea level, giving purity to the
air under the brilliant blue sky and often violet-hued mountains when
there is no traffic jam in the main streets. The present population of the
province amounts to 3,774,204 (1992 census). City of Esfahan itself has a
population of l,159,102 (1992 census).
The most famous Persian description of the city of Esfahan is Esfahan
nesf-e Jahan (Esfahan is half the world), which the Esfahanis coined
in the 16th century to express the city's grandeur. You may well agree
that it has a ring of truth even today. Knight Jean Chardin, who lived in
Esfahan between 1673 and 1677, more than three centuries ago, writes:
"The city of Esfahan, including its outskirts, is one of the largest towns
in the world. ...The bazaars are always so crowded that those riding on
horseback send their footmen ahead to clear the way because there are
hundreds of places where people are on top of each other. |
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 A
noteworthy town in Sasstimes, Esfahan passto the Arabs in the mid- 7th
-century and served as a provincial capital. In the 11th century it was
captured by the Seljuk Turks, who made it ( 1051 ) the capital of their
empire. In the early 13th century Esfahan was taken by the Mongols.
Tamerlane conquered the city in 1388 and, after its inhabitants rebelled,
slaughtered nearly 70,000 persons in revenge; it is said that he built a
large hill with the skulls of the dead. Esfahan, chosen and designed
capital under Shah Abbas I (1598), was reconstituted with so many new
mosques, fine palaces, and bridges (masterpieces of world architecture),
avenues and parks that even European travelers wrote rapturously of its
beauties. At its zenith, under the Safavid dynasty in the 17th century,
Esfahan had a population of about 600,000, making it one of the world's
great cities of the time. ,However, the city declined rapidly it was
captured (1723) by the Afghans, who massacred most of its inhabitants.
Russian troops occupied Esfahan in 1916.
Esfahan has pleasant weather for most of the year, but it can get rather
cold in winter. Try not to visit around Now Ruz as finding accommodation
here then can be a hellish ordeal. The main street, Chahar Bagh,
runs north-south right through the main part of the city. If you use this
to orient yourself, you can't go far wrong, although Chahar Bagh
does change its name slightly from north to south. Most of the main sights
and the hotels are within. easy walking distance, and it's a pleasure .to
wander along the tree-Iined avenues. There are a few outlying sights that
are most easily visited by hired taxi. Much of the city has been
modernized over recent years and will continue to be so -plans are being
executed to knock down the intrusive row of shops along the north side of
Chahar Bagh in order to open the park behind to the street, and
much has been 'done to preserve the city's historic buildings since the
end of Iraq-Iran War.
The Zayandeh Rud river watering gardens and fields with its numerous
tributaries along its 360-km course, flows from west to east through the
city, and divides off 'New Jolfa and some other suburbs from the main part
of the city, but most of the main attractions are to the north of the
river. The river originates from Kuhrang on the slopes of Zard Kuh-e
Bakhtiari, and waters a network of channels carrying water to the houses
and gardens all over the city. That is why Esfahan enjoys such a pleasant
climate and temperate weather even in summer. Construction of three
tunnels at Kuhrang for the diversion of part of water from Karun River to
Zayandeh Rud, has considerably added to the amount of water reaching
Esfahan and its plains nowadays.
 The
historic sites of Esfahan are among the world's very rare monuments of
which one can say that the more you look at them the more they fascinate
and surprise you. That is why when you leave the town you have the feeling
that you should have stayed much longer. Esfahan is full of reminiscences:
some are engraved on the walls of .the palaces but the visitor hardly
notice them, fascinated as he is by the unreal blue color of an ornament,
by the elegance of a wooden column hewn out of cedar wood, by a thin ray
of light filtering through a hole in the keystone and shining upon the
inner facing of an enormous copula decorated with stars and arabesques
Here, beauty has assumed unknown aspects.
Esfahan has been an exceptionally attractive city for tourists from all
over the world. The excellent upkeep of its famous monuments contributes
to its continued significance and popularity among visitors.
Abundance of water and fertile soil has given Esfahan many cereals and
bean products and much fruit, such as melons, apples, and pomegranates.
The almond and cherry orchards of Najafabad (in the suburbs of Esfahan)
well repay a visit in early spring.
Esfahan Parks
MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES
Esfahan shrines
Esfahan Bridge
Esfahan Bazar
ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE I I NUMBERS
ACCESS AND DISTANCES:
424 km to Tehran, on the north; 480 km to Shiraz and 420 km to Persepolis,
both on the south; 659 krn to Kerman and 320 km to Yazd, both on the
southeast;. 108 km to Shahr-e Kurd, on the southwest; 180 km to Ardestan,
200 km to Kashan, and 308 km to Qum, all on the northeast.
ACCIDENTS:
282222,288888.
AIR AGENT:
I. Iran Air Office No I, opposite the Abbasi Hotel 221045.
2. Iran Air Office No 2, on the east side of Chahar Bagh Ave, corner of
Seyed Ali Khan St 227778.
3. Iran Air Office No 3., Next to the northern gate of Esfahan University
245821.
4. Iran Tour & Travel Company, next to the main .Iran Air Office 23010
(acting as an .Iran Air agent).
5. Asseman Air, on the east side of Ferdowsi Street 223974,. 227717.
AIRPORT:
The airport is some 20 km to the east- northeast of Esfahan, and connected
to it by buses and taxis. Airport bus goes to and from Enghelab-e Eslami
Square. Airport Office: 51014.
Airport .Information: 51017.
Flight Information 313313.
Iran Air Ticket Offices:
* Iran Air, Ayatollah Madani St 221045
* Iran Air, Chahar Bagh Ave
* Iran Air, Ayeneh Khaneh Blvd 615821
AssemanTicket Offices:
1-Airport Office (New Airport) 255014
2-Airport 251017 3.
3-Airport Traffic 82200
BANKS AND EXCHANGE OFF:
I. Bank Melli Iran, Sepah Street, northwest cornof Imam Square
220038,226482.
2. Bank SaderatIran, Chahar Bagh Ave, Darvazeh Dowlat 30081-2.
3. Bank Saderat Iran, Imam Square 223954, 226022.
4. Bank Sepah (central), Sepaah Street 220823.
5. Iran Arz Exchange Office, Jahanguir Qashqa 'i Crossroads 61874.
6. Markazi Exchange Office, Apadana Crossroads, Ghodss Bldg 617514.
7. Sepahan Exchange Office, No 127, Nazar-e Sharghi Street 249225.
BUS TERMINAL:
Kaveh Street, about two km to the north of Shohada Square. Here you
can get buses to nearly all major towns of Iran. There is also a more or
less weekly direct service with Cooperative Bus Company No I to Istanbul.
I. Jay Terminal 510003
2. Kaveh Terminal 413605,414375
3. Soffeh Terminal 688441-2
4. Zayandeh Rud Terminal 759182-3
CITY DIALING CODE NUMBER:
The dialing code tor Est'ahan is 031.
DRUG STORE (24-HOUR):
I. Ali Asghar 222148.
2. Edalat, Chahar Bagh-e Bala Ave 244606
3. Emdad, Ferdowsi Ave 227713-4.
4. Esfahan, Amadegah St 223511.
5. Hakim Shafa 265846.
6. Kushesh, Sheikh Bahai Ave 234494.
7. Markazi, Masjid-e Seyed St 230036.
8. Sajjad 224197.
EMERGENCIES:
1. 115, 275555.
2. Esfahan Clinic 230015.
3. Jorjani Clinic 255996.
4. Sepahan Clinic 613082.
FIRE STATION:
224444.
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE:
Ostandari, on the west side of Dastgheib Street 222651-6.
Farmandari, in Motahari Street, 260085-6.
MEDICAL SERVICES:
There are several hospitals in Esfahan. The former Anglican Hospital
is next to the Church of St Luke in Abbas Abad Street. Somc ofthc
hospitals arc as j()llows:
I. Askarych 250041-9.
2. I;ciz 259031-5.
3. Ha?rat-e Qa'em 616001-9.
4. Sadoghi 282031-7.
5. Shahid Bcheshti 267001-3.
MUNICIPALITY:
On thc east side of Imam Hossein Sq. (I)arvazch Dowlat) 229021-9.
POLICE:
Khorshid Strcct. ofT Imam I-losscin Sq. (Oarvazch Oowlat) 113. 114,
228666, 688888.
POST ANI) TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
Thc main post office: on Neshat Street. southcast of Imam Square. Thc
central telcgraph officc: on Dastgheib Street. As clscwhcrc in the
provinces. international calls are difficult to make, and it's worth
paying a little extra to call from one of the larger hotels.
RAILWAY STATIO |
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"What
is admirable in so large a city with so many inhabitants is the abundance
and opulence which reigns despite the absence of sea or of a navigable
river. Everything without exception is drawn there by animals, including
incredibly heavy loads on camels' backs. But what seems unbelievable is
that the city obtains most of its food, except livestock, from an area of
not more than ten leagues around it. The area contains no less than
fifteen hundred villages; one must admit that most of its surroundings are
incomparably beautiful and fertile.