Hamadan
Encyclopedia
Culture
Handicrafts: Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramic, and beautiful carpets.
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 207 sites of historical and cultural significance in the city of Hamadan alone.
A traditional tomb
Tomb of Esther and Mordechai
The Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is located in Hamadan, Iran. Believed to house the remains of the biblical Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai, it is the most important pilgrimage site for Jews in the country.-Description:...
housing the biblical Esther
Esther
Esther , born Hadassah, is the eponymous heroine of the Biblical Book of Esther.According to the Bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus...
and her uncle Mordechai is located in Hamadan.
The scientist and writer known in the west as Avicenna
Avicenna
Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā , commonly known as Ibn Sīnā or by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian polymath, who wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived...
(Abu Ali Sina) is buried in Hamadan.
The 11th century Persian poet Baba Taher
Baba Taher
Baba Tahir, was an 11th century poet in Persian literature and mystic.-Biography:Baba Tahir is known as one of the most revered and respectable early poets in Iranian literature. Most of his life is clouded in mystery. He was born and lived in Hamadan, the capital city of the Hamedan Province in...
is also interred in Hamadan.
It is the birthplace of famous, 14th century saint and mystic, Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani
Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani
Mir Syed Ali bin Shahab-ud-Din Hamadani was a Persian Sūfī of the Kubrāwī order, a poet and a prominent Muslim scholar. He was born on Monday, 12th Rajab 714 AH in Hamadan and died in 786 AH in Kunar and was buried in Khatlan...
(R.A), known as Shah E Hamadan in Kashmir. It was through his efforts that a majority of Kashmiri's converted to Islam. He migrated to Khatlan and travelled to Kashmir thrice during his life. He lies buried in Khatlan.
It is the birthplace of Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadani, author of the Maqamat
Maqamat
Maquamat may have the following meanings.*Plural for Magam*Plural for Maqama*Maqamat Badi' az-Zaman al-Hamadhani, Arabic collection of stories*Maqamat al-Hariri, Arabic collection of stories...
.
People
According to the survey of 1997, the population of Hamadan province was 1,677,957. Based on official statistics of 1997, the population of Hamadan county was 563444 peoples (with overwhelming majority living in Hamadan city). In Hamadan city, 97% of the people identified their language as PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and 3% other languages.
Contemporary culture and extras
The residents of Hamadan are very proud of the city's historical heritage. Another source of their pride is Avicenna (aka Bouali, Buali, Ebn-e-sina, Pur-e-Sina) who is buried in Hamadan. Primary schools, high schools, and the main city's university are named after him. Even shops and businesses are named after him. Bouali Street is a very busy one and a favorite pastime of Hamadanians is to stroll up and down the street where they frequently bump into their acquaintances. The city has a population of around 600,000 including its outer suburbs. Hamadan is generally a prosperous city; the northern districts are mainly lower middle-class or working class, whereas the southern half of city is where the upper middle class and the rich live.Sport
PAS Hamedan F.C.PAS Hamedan F.C.
PAS Hamedan Football Club is an Iranian football club based in Hamedan, Iran.-Establishment:PAS Hamedan was formed as a result of the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C...
participate in the IPL
Iran's Premier Football League
The Iran Pro League , is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system.The league system resembles the system being used in England currently...
and are Hamadan's highest status football club which were founded on June 9, 2007 after the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C.
Main sights
- Ali Sadr CaveAli Sadr CaveThe Ali Sadr Cave originally called Ali Saad or Ali Saard is the world's largest water cave which attracts millions of visitors every year. It is located about 100 kilometers north of Hamedan, western Iran...
- AvicennaAvicennaAbū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā , commonly known as Ibn Sīnā or by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian polymath, who wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived...
mausoleum - Baba Tahir Mausleum
- Estakhr e Abbas Abad- a lake with a magnificent view of the city.
- Tomb of Esther and MordechaiTomb of Esther and MordechaiThe Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is located in Hamadan, Iran. Believed to house the remains of the biblical Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai, it is the most important pilgrimage site for Jews in the country.-Description:...
- Excavated Ancient Ekbatana City
- GanjnamehGanjnamehGanj Nameh is an ancient inscription, 5 km southwest of Hamedan, on the side of Alvand Mountain in Iran. The inscription, which has been carved in granite, is composed of two sections. One ordered by Darius I and the other ordered by Xerxes I...
- Gonbad-e Alavian
- Hamadan Museum of Natural History
- Hamadan Stone Lion
- LalejinLalejinLalejin , also Romanized as Lalīn; and also known as Shahr-e Lālejīn) is a city in and capital of Lalejin District, in Bahar County, Hamadan Province, Iran...
- Mohammadi House
- Nazari House
Sister cities
- Kulyab, Tajikistan
TajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east.... - Isparta
IspartaIsparta is a city in western Turkey and the provincial capital of the Isparta Province. The city's population is 222,556 and elevation from sea level is 1035 m. Another name of the city is "City of Roses"....
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Colleges and universities
- Bu-Ali Sina University
- Hamedan Medical University
- Islamic Azad University of Hamadan
- Hamadan University of Technology
Famous Hamadanians
- Abolhassan BanisadrAbolhassan BanisadrAbulhassan Banisadr is an Iranian politician, economist and human rights activist who served as the first President of Iran from 4 February 1980 after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the abolition of the monarchy until his impeachment on 21 June 1981 by the Parliament of Iran...
, Economist, Politician, the first post-revolutionary elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Amir Nosrat'ollah BalakhanlouAmir Nosrat'ollah BalakhanlouAmir Nosrat'ollah Balakhanlou , , was an Iranian politician. Born in Tehran, he served as a two-time Mayor and MP for Hamedan in 1950s and early 1960s.-Biography:...
, Born in Tehran — Two-time Mayor and MP for Hamadan (1950s and early 1960s). شهردار مردمی شهر همدان - Amir-Shahab RazavianAmir Shahab RazavianAmir-Shahāb Razaviān , born in 1965 in Hamadan, Iran, is an Iranian film director, filmmaker and producer.Razavian began his cinematic activities at Hamedan Amateur Film-making Centre in 1980 while still studying at high-school...
, film director, writer and producer - Ardeshir Bahmani, A veteran teacher and a national expert on Hafez poems
- Baba-Taher-e Oryan, Iranian famous Poet (1100 A.c)
- Bahar SoomekhBahar SoomekhBahar Soomekh is an Iranian-American actress and environmental activist. She began acting in the early 2000s, and is perhaps best known for her roles in the films Crash , Mission: Impossible III , and Saw III .-Early life:...
, Renown Iranian-born Jewish American actress (Hamadanian father) - Ebrahim Bahrololoum Razavi, Philosopher, and the first Iranian to receive a doctorate degree in Philosophy )University of BaghdadUniversity of BaghdadThe University of Baghdad is the largest university in Iraq and the second largest Arab university following the University of Cairo.- Nomenclature :Both University of Baghdad and Baghdad University are used interchangeably....
) (1954) - Ein-Alqozat Hamadani (عین القضات همدانی), Great philosopher and sufist (1100 A.C)
- Ehsan YarshaterEhsan YarshaterEhsan Yarshater is the founder and director of The Center for Iranian Studies, and Hagop Kevorkian Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies at Columbia University. He was the first full-time professor of Persian at a U.S. university since World War II....
, Historian, scientists, and founder of Encyclopædia Iranica; born in Hamadan - Fazlollah ZahediFazlollah ZahediMohammad Fazlollah Zahedi was an Iranian general and statesman who replaced democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq through a western-backed coup d'état, in which he played a major role.-Early years:Born in Hamedan in 1897, Fazlollah Zahedi was the son of Abol Hassan...
, Military general - Fereydoun Moshiri, Originally is from Hamadan, but was born in Tehran, Contemporary Poet
- Hanieh TavassoliHanieh TavassoliHānieh Tavassoli is an Iranian actress. She is the sister of the journalist and film critic Homā Tavassoli. she has one older sister and a younger sister-References:...
, Actress - Gitti Khosravi, opera singer, woman writer and artist
- Hosseini Davar, Celebrated pro-Mossadeq poet
- Jalal Cheshmeh-Ghassabani, National Mountaineer who has successfully climbed Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
twice - Joseph EminJoseph EminJoseph Emin , was a prominent figure of the Armenian national liberation movement who travelled to various European countries and Russia in order to secure support for the liberation of Armenia from Persia and the Ottoman Empire...
, (1726–1809), A major activist in the attempts to liberate Armenia during the 18th century - Hamed Monsheezade, one of founders of Iran's LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
right's movement. He was found dead under suspicious circumstances on April 1, 1973, his body having been beaten and castrated. - Mir Sayyid Ali HamadaniMir Sayyid Ali HamadaniMir Syed Ali bin Shahab-ud-Din Hamadani was a Persian Sūfī of the Kubrāwī order, a poet and a prominent Muslim scholar. He was born on Monday, 12th Rajab 714 AH in Hamadan and died in 786 AH in Kunar and was buried in Khatlan...
, A celebrated sufi saint and poet. - Mirza Esmaeel Farid, aka Farid od-Dowleh, Fath'Ali Shah Qajar's son, Governor of Hamadan
- Mirzadeh EshghiMirzadeh EshghiMirzadeh Eshghi or Eshqi , born Sayed Mohammad Reza Kordestani , was a political writer and poet of Iran.He was born in Hamadan, the son of Hajj Sayed Abolghasam Kordestani; he learned French in the Ecole d'Alliance, and moved to Istanbul for a while...
, A celebrated nationalist poet - Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi Celebrated poet (1300 A.C)
- Parviz Parastouei, Acclaimed actor
- Shirin EbadiShirin EbadiShirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
, Lawyer and the 2003 Nobel Peace LaureateNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who... - Mirza Gholam-Hossein Bargharari, Philosopher and poet
- Mohammad-Ali Zolfi-Gol, Chemist and the current chancellor of Buali Sina University
- Samuel RahbarSamuel RahbarSamuel Rahbar is an Iranian born scientist who discovered the linkage between diabetes and HbA1C, a form of hemoglobin used primarily to identify plasma glucose concentration over time....
, Scientist - Abolmohsen SalemiAbolmohsen SalemiAbolmohsen Salemi was a famous journalist, lawyer, poet and writer in Hamedan and Tehran. His newspaper, Mobarez Hamedan was published for many years in Hamedan and Tehran....
(1913–2008), journalist, lawyer, poet, writer and newspaper publisher.
See also
- Ganj Nameh
- Baba Taher OrianBaba TaherBaba Tahir, was an 11th century poet in Persian literature and mystic.-Biography:Baba Tahir is known as one of the most revered and respectable early poets in Iranian literature. Most of his life is clouded in mystery. He was born and lived in Hamadan, the capital city of the Hamedan Province in...
- Ali Sadr CaveAli Sadr CaveThe Ali Sadr Cave originally called Ali Saad or Ali Saard is the world's largest water cave which attracts millions of visitors every year. It is located about 100 kilometers north of Hamedan, western Iran...
- Hamadan AirportHamadan AirportHamadan Airport is an airport in Hamadan, Iran .The significance of this airport is the unusual shape of the runway. The runway goes uphill for the first half and downhill the second half....
- Wojtek (soldier bear)
External links
- Hamedan Medical University http://www.umsha.ac.ir
- 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
- Hegmataneh Official Website
- Hamadān entries in the Encyclopædia Iranica
- Various Photos of Hamadan - Photos of Esthers Shirne, Tomb of Avicenna, Gonbad Alavian, Tomb of Baba Taher, Stone Lion, GanjnamehGanjnamehGanj Nameh is an ancient inscription, 5 km southwest of Hamedan, on the side of Alvand Mountain in Iran. The inscription, which has been carved in granite, is composed of two sections. One ordered by Darius I and the other ordered by Xerxes I...
and the City.
