Rasht
Encyclopedia
Rasht is a city in and the capital of Gilan Province
, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 551,161, in 159,983 families.
Rasht is the largest city on Iran's Caspian Sea
coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia
, Russia
and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali
. Rasht is also a major tourist center with the resort of Masouleh
in the adjacent mountains and the beaches of Caspian as some of the major attractions.
Historically, Rasht was a major transport and business centre which connected Iran to Russia and Europe, and was therefore entitled the "Gate of Europe
". The city has a history that goes back to the 13th century but its modern history dates back to the Safavid era during which Rasht was a major centre of the silk trade with numerous textile workshops. The name Rasht comes most plausibly from the verb reshtan, weaving. Rasht has, along with regions around Tabriz and Teheran, one of the earliest industry plants during the last quarter of the 19th century, prominently in fields such as fishing, caviar production, the Caspian sea oil pipeline construction and textiles. During the 20th century, until the mid-70s, Gilan and the Rasht region was the third-ranking industrial city in Iran by number of workers and per capita productivity. It lost its cultural and industrial status to a large extent after the 1970s.
The people of Rasht played a prominent role in instigation and radicalization of the Constitutional Revolution. Rasht is the birthplace of Mīrzā Kūchak Khān
, one of the leading figures of the Constitutional Revolution (1905–1907). His own movement in Gilan, which went by the name of Jangalihã, represented a pro-modern and social democratic programme for reformation of Muslim rituals and traditions. Mirza Kuchak khăn established the short-lived Persian Socialist Soviet Republic
in 1920 after the defeat of the constitutional forces and in coalition with Iranian communists. The republic had the support of the newly established Russian Red Army. The Soviet Government, after a turn of military and political strategy proposed by Trotsky, withdrew its support and the republic itself was tormented by the inner conflicts between the newly established Iranian Communist Party (1919) and the Jangalis and other factions. The republic was finally defeated by the Iranian army under the command of Reza Shah.
of Iran
. It belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages
. The Iranian languages form a top-level constituent of the Indo-European
language family. Gileki is closely related to Mazanderani and is subdivided into two main dialects: Bie-pas and Bie-pish. Bie-pas dialect is mainly spoken in west of Sepidrud including Rasht and Fuman while Bie-pish dialect belongs to eastern part of Gilan including Lahijan and Langrud.
was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national legend in modern Iranian history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran
that became known as the Nehzat-e Jangal (Forest movement)
. This uprising started in 1914 and remained active against internal and foreign enemies until 1921 when the movement was defeated.
Unfortunately, given the shortcomings of the advanced social thinkers and activists of the time on one hand and the stronger establishment of the old autocracy on the other hand, again the same privileged class and their political representatives took control of the new regime. The freedom fighters were not satisfied and in fact were disarmed, in some cases using force. Meanwhile the direct and indirect manipulation of the country's internal politics by Tsarist Russians
and the British
added to the sufferings of the people and resulted in social unrest.
It was during such tumultuous period that Mirza Kuchak Khan, in collaboration with the Society of Islamic Union, started his uprising in the northern forests (Southern Caspian
). Mirza Kuchak Khan's return to Rasht was not easy since he had been expelled from Gilan by the Russian consulate for five years. His cause seems to have been a mixture of that of the newly emerging national bourgeoisie and downtrodden peasants and therefore gained momentum soon after it started. The Jangal forces (locally referred to as 'Jangalis' i.e., 'forest people' in Persian) defeated the local governmental and Russian troops which added to their reputation as potential saviors of the ideas of the constitutional revolution.
On June 12, 1918 Manjil
was the site of a battle between the Jangali troops and the joint British
and White Russian
forces. The latter force (led by General Dunsterville and Kernel Bicherakhov) although formally just trying to organize the return of Russian soldiers back home, in reality was planning to pass through Manjil as the only passage to the Caspian in order to reach Baku
and fight against the newly formed Baku
commune (led by Stepan Shahumian). General Dunsterville's private diaries and notes, including those kept during his command of the Dunsterforce Mission to North Persia and Baku, are transcribed from the original by General Dunsterville's great granddaughter, and are co-located on the Great War Primary Documents Archive http://www.gwpda.org/Dunsterville/Dunsterville_main.html. Mirza Koochek Khan's troops were defeated in this war because of the use of artillery, armored car and airplanes by the joint forces. Mirza's field commander was a German officer (Major Von Pashen) who had joined the Jangal movement after being released by them from the British prison in Rasht.
The Jangal movement was further boosted and gained gravity after the victory
of the Bolsheviks in Russia. In May 1920 the Soviet Navy led by Fyodor F. Raskolnikov and accompanied by Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze
entered the Caspian port of Anzali
. This mission was declared to be only in pursue of the Russian vessels and ammunition taken to Anzali by the White Russian
counter-revolutionary general Denikin, who had been given asylum by British forces in Anzali.
, Germany
, Netherlands
, France
, Australia
, Japan
and African countries like Senegal
and Cameroon
as well as countries from Oceania
like Micronesia
. Rasht is known for its famous building of municipality located in a square named "Meidaane Shahrdari" meaning "the square of municipality" which was constructed circa 1900 but being renovated each year. Due to the high amount of humidity in Rasht which damages and destroys the aged buildings, the native, older architectural texture of Rasht is gradually being replaced with the modern skyscrapers and apartments.
The culture of consumerism
is prevalent among the people of Rasht as a cultural and urban center which is historically engaged in close commercial and political ties with the United Kingdom
, Russia
and France
. Due to this background which makes the inhabitants much familiar with the industrial, cultural and political developments of the west, the finance and credit institutions are more willing to open representative offices and bureaus in Rasht and it has made the city a center of various banks and financial organizations. There are many commercial centers, malls and financial institutions in Rasht including one branch of the Exports Development Bank of Iran which is an international bank dealing with the Iranian exports. The organizers and directors of national Iranian or non-Iranian banks afford to spend considerable amounts of budgets to construct attractive and modern buildings for their offices in Rasht.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, there have always been requests on behalf of Russian, Turkish
and Azeri banks to open branches in Rasht and that is why the city is endowed as the "gate of Europe" in Iran. The head consulate of the Russian Federation government is located in Rasht and some of the other Caspian region countries are also keen to establish representative headquarters in Rasht alongside their embassies in Tehran
. Some evidences are the University of Guilan
which was constructed jointly by the governments of Iran
and West Germany
about 40 years ago, the building of IRIB representatives in Rasht which was constructed jointly by the Iranian and Belgian
engineers.
The people of Rasht have always been regular fans of football which is the beloved sport in the city. Most of them are the fans of Pegah Gilan
which is a professional football club playing in the Iranian premier football league, Persian Gulf Cup. Pegah FC is the newer version of former Esteghlal Rasht football club that belonged to the municipality of Rasht, but purchased later by the Bulgaria
-based factory of Pegah
and changed its name and properties to Pegah Gilan
. The home stadium of Pegah (meaning dawn in Persian language) is Sardar Jangal Stadium
which was established in September 2007 and holds more than 15,000 audiences. This number is increasable to 20,000 and more. This stadium is the second largest stadium of Rasht after the Dr. Azodi Stadium
which is an old one dating back to almost 40 years ago and needs basic renovation.
Following football, wrestling
, judo
and weightlifting are the most popular sports of youth in Rasht and that is due to the enchanting appearance of Iranian wrestlers and weightlifters in the international competitions like Olympics. The outstanding figure of world weightlifting and the two-time olympics Gold medal winner Hossein Rezazadeh
is a main inspirer of Rasht youth to try Weightlifting as their professional job. Asghar Ebrahimi
who was the squad captain of Iranian weightlifting team at the 2008 Olympics is from Rasht and a successful example of those youth from Rasht who tried this national field of sport after Hossein Rezazadeh
.
The dominant cuisine of Rasht people is the various types of fish
and Rashti people are said to spend much on books, clothes and food
. They spend the leisure times going to cinemas, art exhibitions, music concerts and international book fairs that are being held in the city most of times in a year. Also the municipality kicks off sports, cultural or IT-related competitions to involve the youth in healthy and constructive activities. The most beloved competition is the annual blogging competition which awards the top young bloggers each year.
and Mashhad
but after it was renamed to Sardar Jangal International airport in 2007, additional routes where established.
The airport is a in close affiliation with hundreds of flights by national and international airlines including Mahan Air
, Iran Air
, Iran Aseman Airlines
, Kish Air
and receives more than 2000 flights annually.
.
Due to the special climate and high measure of humidity in Rasht which is mostly being accompanied by heavy rains, the people are truly calm and tranquil with peaceful approach toward complexities and controversies.
They are well-known internationally for their exclusive manner of hospitiality and reception of guests with delicious local foods and cuisines.
The people of Rasht speak Gileki as the maternal language and Persian
as the national language. In some rural areas near the Rasht, school teachers give their courses in Gileki rather than Persian.
.
Rasht was first mentioned in historical documents in 682 CE, but it is certainly older than this. It has seen the Sassanid era, the armies of Peter the Great
and later Russian rulers, and British colonialism. The people of Rasht also played a major role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.
Gilan Province
Gilan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 551,161, in 159,983 families.
Rasht is the largest city on Iran's Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali , also Romanized as Bandar-e Pahlavī, Bandar Pahlavi, and Bandar Pahlevi, or simply as Pahlavī, Pahlevī, and Pehlevi; earlier, Enceli and Enzeli) is a city in and the capital of Bandar-e Anzali County, Gilan Province, Iran...
. Rasht is also a major tourist center with the resort of Masouleh
Masouleh
Masuleh is a city in and the capital of Sardar-e Jangal District, in Fuman County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 554, in 180 families....
in the adjacent mountains and the beaches of Caspian as some of the major attractions.
Historically, Rasht was a major transport and business centre which connected Iran to Russia and Europe, and was therefore entitled the "Gate of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
". The city has a history that goes back to the 13th century but its modern history dates back to the Safavid era during which Rasht was a major centre of the silk trade with numerous textile workshops. The name Rasht comes most plausibly from the verb reshtan, weaving. Rasht has, along with regions around Tabriz and Teheran, one of the earliest industry plants during the last quarter of the 19th century, prominently in fields such as fishing, caviar production, the Caspian sea oil pipeline construction and textiles. During the 20th century, until the mid-70s, Gilan and the Rasht region was the third-ranking industrial city in Iran by number of workers and per capita productivity. It lost its cultural and industrial status to a large extent after the 1970s.
The people of Rasht played a prominent role in instigation and radicalization of the Constitutional Revolution. Rasht is the birthplace of Mīrzā Kūchak Khān
Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mīrzā Kūchik Khān was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian history...
, one of the leading figures of the Constitutional Revolution (1905–1907). His own movement in Gilan, which went by the name of Jangalihã, represented a pro-modern and social democratic programme for reformation of Muslim rituals and traditions. Mirza Kuchak khăn established the short-lived Persian Socialist Soviet Republic
Persian Socialist Soviet Republic
The Persian Socialist Soviet Republic was a short-lived Soviet republic in the Iranian province of Gilan that lasted from June 1920 until September 1921...
in 1920 after the defeat of the constitutional forces and in coalition with Iranian communists. The republic had the support of the newly established Russian Red Army. The Soviet Government, after a turn of military and political strategy proposed by Trotsky, withdrew its support and the republic itself was tormented by the inner conflicts between the newly established Iranian Communist Party (1919) and the Jangalis and other factions. The republic was finally defeated by the Iranian army under the command of Reza Shah.
Climate
Language
Gileki is spoken by more than 3 million people. The vast majority of the speakers live in the Gilan ProvinceGilan Province
Gilan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin....
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages
Iranian languages
The Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....
. The Iranian languages form a top-level constituent of the Indo-European
Indo-European languages
The Indo-European languages are a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major current languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and South Asia and also historically predominant in Anatolia...
language family. Gileki is closely related to Mazanderani and is subdivided into two main dialects: Bie-pas and Bie-pish. Bie-pas dialect is mainly spoken in west of Sepidrud including Rasht and Fuman while Bie-pish dialect belongs to eastern part of Gilan including Lahijan and Langrud.
Mirza Kuchak Khan
Mīrzā Kūchak KhānMirza Kuchak Khan
Mīrzā Kūchik Khān was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian history...
was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national legend in modern Iranian history. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
that became known as the Nehzat-e Jangal (Forest movement)
Constitutionalist movement of Gilan
The Jangal movement, in Gilan, was a rebellion against the monarchist rule of the Qajar central government of Iran. It is considered as the extension of Constitutional Revolution of Iran and lasted from 1914 to 1921.-History of the movement:...
. This uprising started in 1914 and remained active against internal and foreign enemies until 1921 when the movement was defeated.
Unfortunately, given the shortcomings of the advanced social thinkers and activists of the time on one hand and the stronger establishment of the old autocracy on the other hand, again the same privileged class and their political representatives took control of the new regime. The freedom fighters were not satisfied and in fact were disarmed, in some cases using force. Meanwhile the direct and indirect manipulation of the country's internal politics by Tsarist Russians
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
added to the sufferings of the people and resulted in social unrest.
It was during such tumultuous period that Mirza Kuchak Khan, in collaboration with the Society of Islamic Union, started his uprising in the northern forests (Southern Caspian
Alborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
). Mirza Kuchak Khan's return to Rasht was not easy since he had been expelled from Gilan by the Russian consulate for five years. His cause seems to have been a mixture of that of the newly emerging national bourgeoisie and downtrodden peasants and therefore gained momentum soon after it started. The Jangal forces (locally referred to as 'Jangalis' i.e., 'forest people' in Persian) defeated the local governmental and Russian troops which added to their reputation as potential saviors of the ideas of the constitutional revolution.
On June 12, 1918 Manjil
Manjil
Manjil is a city in the Central District of Rudbar County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 16,028, in 4,447 families.-History and Geography:Manjil is located between N36º45´18˝-N36º41´42˝ and E49º23´6˝ and E49º31´ 48˝...
was the site of a battle between the Jangali troops and the joint British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and White Russian
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
forces. The latter force (led by General Dunsterville and Kernel Bicherakhov) although formally just trying to organize the return of Russian soldiers back home, in reality was planning to pass through Manjil as the only passage to the Caspian in order to reach Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and fight against the newly formed Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
commune (led by Stepan Shahumian). General Dunsterville's private diaries and notes, including those kept during his command of the Dunsterforce Mission to North Persia and Baku, are transcribed from the original by General Dunsterville's great granddaughter, and are co-located on the Great War Primary Documents Archive http://www.gwpda.org/Dunsterville/Dunsterville_main.html. Mirza Koochek Khan's troops were defeated in this war because of the use of artillery, armored car and airplanes by the joint forces. Mirza's field commander was a German officer (Major Von Pashen) who had joined the Jangal movement after being released by them from the British prison in Rasht.
The Jangal movement was further boosted and gained gravity after the victory
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
of the Bolsheviks in Russia. In May 1920 the Soviet Navy led by Fyodor F. Raskolnikov and accompanied by Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze
Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze
Grigol Ordzhonikidze ორჯონიკიძე - Grigol Orjonikidze, , generally known as Sergo Ordzhonikidze ; – February 18, 1937) was a Georgian Bolshevik, later member of the CPSU Politburo and close friend to Joseph Stalin...
entered the Caspian port of Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali
Bandar-e Anzali , also Romanized as Bandar-e Pahlavī, Bandar Pahlavi, and Bandar Pahlevi, or simply as Pahlavī, Pahlevī, and Pehlevi; earlier, Enceli and Enzeli) is a city in and the capital of Bandar-e Anzali County, Gilan Province, Iran...
. This mission was declared to be only in pursue of the Russian vessels and ammunition taken to Anzali by the White Russian
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
counter-revolutionary general Denikin, who had been given asylum by British forces in Anzali.
Modern day
Rasht is growingly turning into an industrialized town such as most of the Iranian large cities and province capitals. Enjoying the Kadus International Hotel and hundreds of tourist attractions, Rasht receives thousands of foreign tourists annually, mostly from AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and African countries like Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
as well as countries from Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
like Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
. Rasht is known for its famous building of municipality located in a square named "Meidaane Shahrdari" meaning "the square of municipality" which was constructed circa 1900 but being renovated each year. Due to the high amount of humidity in Rasht which damages and destroys the aged buildings, the native, older architectural texture of Rasht is gradually being replaced with the modern skyscrapers and apartments.
The culture of consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
is prevalent among the people of Rasht as a cultural and urban center which is historically engaged in close commercial and political ties with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Due to this background which makes the inhabitants much familiar with the industrial, cultural and political developments of the west, the finance and credit institutions are more willing to open representative offices and bureaus in Rasht and it has made the city a center of various banks and financial organizations. There are many commercial centers, malls and financial institutions in Rasht including one branch of the Exports Development Bank of Iran which is an international bank dealing with the Iranian exports. The organizers and directors of national Iranian or non-Iranian banks afford to spend considerable amounts of budgets to construct attractive and modern buildings for their offices in Rasht.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, there have always been requests on behalf of Russian, Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Azeri banks to open branches in Rasht and that is why the city is endowed as the "gate of Europe" in Iran. The head consulate of the Russian Federation government is located in Rasht and some of the other Caspian region countries are also keen to establish representative headquarters in Rasht alongside their embassies in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. Some evidences are the University of Guilan
University of Guilan
The University of Guilan is a major institute of higher education located in Rasht, a large city bordering the Caspian Sea, in the province of Gilan, in northern Iran....
which was constructed jointly by the governments of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
about 40 years ago, the building of IRIB representatives in Rasht which was constructed jointly by the Iranian and Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
engineers.
The people of Rasht have always been regular fans of football which is the beloved sport in the city. Most of them are the fans of Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan Football Club was an Iranian football club based in Rasht, Gilan, Iran that participated in Iran Pro League & Azadegan League from 2002 to 2008.-Club history:...
which is a professional football club playing in the Iranian premier football league, Persian Gulf Cup. Pegah FC is the newer version of former Esteghlal Rasht football club that belonged to the municipality of Rasht, but purchased later by the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
-based factory of Pegah
Pegah
-People:* Pegah Ahangarani, is an Iranian actress.* Pegah Anvarian is Iranian/Persian and a Los Angeles-based fashion designer....
and changed its name and properties to Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan
Pegah Gilan Football Club was an Iranian football club based in Rasht, Gilan, Iran that participated in Iran Pro League & Azadegan League from 2002 to 2008.-Club history:...
. The home stadium of Pegah (meaning dawn in Persian language) is Sardar Jangal Stadium
Sardar Jangal Stadium
Sardar Jangal Stadium is a sports stadium located in Rasht, Iran. It is used by Damash Gilan F.C. in Iran's Premier Football League as of the start of the 2007-08 season....
which was established in September 2007 and holds more than 15,000 audiences. This number is increasable to 20,000 and more. This stadium is the second largest stadium of Rasht after the Dr. Azodi Stadium
Dr. Azodi Stadium
The Dr. Azodi Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Rasht, Iran. It is currently used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of Damash Gilan F.C.. The stadium holds 20,000 people....
which is an old one dating back to almost 40 years ago and needs basic renovation.
Following football, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and weightlifting are the most popular sports of youth in Rasht and that is due to the enchanting appearance of Iranian wrestlers and weightlifters in the international competitions like Olympics. The outstanding figure of world weightlifting and the two-time olympics Gold medal winner Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh is an Iranian former world and double Olympic champion in Olympic weightlifting. He is also a world record holder in the clean and jerk and considered as one of the greatest weightlifters of all time.- Career :...
is a main inspirer of Rasht youth to try Weightlifting as their professional job. Asghar Ebrahimi
Asghar Ebrahimi
Asghar Ebrahimi Farbod Kamachali is an Iranian weightlifter.-References:*...
who was the squad captain of Iranian weightlifting team at the 2008 Olympics is from Rasht and a successful example of those youth from Rasht who tried this national field of sport after Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh
Hossein Rezazadeh is an Iranian former world and double Olympic champion in Olympic weightlifting. He is also a world record holder in the clean and jerk and considered as one of the greatest weightlifters of all time.- Career :...
.
The dominant cuisine of Rasht people is the various types of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and Rashti people are said to spend much on books, clothes and food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
. They spend the leisure times going to cinemas, art exhibitions, music concerts and international book fairs that are being held in the city most of times in a year. Also the municipality kicks off sports, cultural or IT-related competitions to involve the youth in healthy and constructive activities. The most beloved competition is the annual blogging competition which awards the top young bloggers each year.
City of Firsts
- First Public Library of Iranhttp://www.nlai.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=466
- First Branch of the First Iranian Bank (Sepah Bank) was located in Rasht http://www.banksepah.ir/default.aspx?tabid=160
- First Municipality of Iran http://rasht.ir/Municipality_Establishment.asp
International airport
The Rasht International airport is the only airport in the small province of Gilan and was established in 1969 with an approximate area of 220 hectares. At first, the airport just handled domestic flights to TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
but after it was renamed to Sardar Jangal International airport in 2007, additional routes where established.
The airport is a in close affiliation with hundreds of flights by national and international airlines including Mahan Air
Mahan Air
Mahan Airlines, doing business as Mahan Air, is a private airline based in the Mahan Air Tower in Tehran, Iran. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe...
, Iran Air
Iran Air
Iran Air , formally Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the flag carrier airline of Iran, operating services to 60 destinations, 35 international and 25 domestic. The cargo fleet operates services to 20 scheduled and 5 charter destinations...
, Iran Aseman Airlines
Iran Aseman Airlines
Iran Aseman Airlines is an airline based in Tehran, Iran, operating scheduled domestic and regional flights within the Persian Gulf area, as well as charter and air taxi services...
, Kish Air
Kish Air
Kish Air is an airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates international, domestic and charter services as a scheduled carrier. Its main base is Mehrabad Airport, Tehran.-History:...
and receives more than 2000 flights annually.
People and culture
The first national library of Iran was established in Rasht under the Qajar dynasty. Furthermore, Nasime Shomal as the first modern newspaper of Iran after the constitutional revolution has been published in Rasht, but later moved its headquarters to QazvinQazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
.
Due to the special climate and high measure of humidity in Rasht which is mostly being accompanied by heavy rains, the people are truly calm and tranquil with peaceful approach toward complexities and controversies.
They are well-known internationally for their exclusive manner of hospitiality and reception of guests with delicious local foods and cuisines.
The people of Rasht speak Gileki as the maternal language and Persian
Persian 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...
as the national language. In some rural areas near the Rasht, school teachers give their courses in Gileki rather than Persian.
Colleges and universities
- University of PNUhttp://www.pnu.ac.ir (دانشگاه پیام نور)
- University of GuilanUniversity of GuilanThe University of Guilan is a major institute of higher education located in Rasht, a large city bordering the Caspian Sea, in the province of Gilan, in northern Iran....
http://www.guilan.ac.ir (دانشگاه گيلان) - Islamic Azad University of RashtIslamic Azad University of RashtIslamic Azad University of Rasht is an Iranian university in Rasht, Gīlān Province. It was founded on 1 September 1982....
- Guilan University of Medical Sciences
- Institute of Higher Education for Academic Jihad of Rasht (موسسه آموزش عالي غيرانتفاعي جهاد دانشگاهي رشت)
- Guilan Technical & Vocational Training Organization http://www.guilantvto.ir اداره کل آموزش فنی و حرفه ای استان گیلان
- Gilan Advanced Skills Training Center http://www.gilastc.ir مرکز آموزش مهارتهای پیشرفته گیلان
History
For a more comprehensive treatment of the region, see the history section of GilanGilan Province
Gilan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin....
.
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
and later Russian rulers, and British colonialism. The people of Rasht also played a major role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.
Timeline
- 682: Rasht is first mentioned in historical documents.
- 1669: Stenka RazinStenka RazinStepan Timofeyevich Razin Тимофеевич Разин, ; 1630 – ) was a Cossack leader who led a major uprising against the nobility and Tsar's bureaucracy in South Russia.-Early life:...
, a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
warlord, plundered the city. - 1714: Rasht destroyed by earthquake.
- 1722 - 1734: Occupied by Peter the GreatPeter I of RussiaPeter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
during the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723, known in Russian historiography as the Persian campaign of Peter the Great, was a war between Russia and Persia , triggered by the tsar's attempt to expand Russian influence in the Caspian and South Caucasus regions and to prevent its rival, Ottoman Turkey, from...
. - 1901: A major epidemic plague devastates the city.
- 1907: First Municipality Council of Rasht.
- 1917 - 1920: The Russian and British armed forces fight in the port city of Bandar-e AnzaliBandar-e AnzaliBandar-e Anzali , also Romanized as Bandar-e Pahlavī, Bandar Pahlavi, and Bandar Pahlevi, or simply as Pahlavī, Pahlevī, and Pehlevi; earlier, Enceli and Enzeli) is a city in and the capital of Bandar-e Anzali County, Gilan Province, Iran...
and Rasht. The British retreat and the Russians occupy the area. - 1920 - 1921 - short-living Persian Soviet Socialist Republic was established with its capital in Rasht
- 1937: A revolt, sparked by the desire to collect a "road tax" from the Russians, was suppressed.
- 1974: First university established in Rasht.
Sister cities
Rasht has signed the treaty of city twinning with the following cities:- Moscow
MoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... - KazanKazanKazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... 
BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
MultanMultanMultan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
Notables of Rasht
- Khosrow Golsorkhi
- Hushang EbtehajHushang EbtehajHushang Ebtehaj , with the pen name of H. E. Sayeh is an eminent Iranian poet of the 20th century, whose life and work spans many of Iran's political, cultural and literary upheavals....
The intellectual poet of 20th century in Iran - Mahmoud BehzadMahmoud BehzadProfessor Mahmoud Behzad , born in Rasht, the Capital city of Gilan province, is known as the father of new Biology science in Iran. He has written more than 100 books in Persian and participated in the authorship process of more than 200 books in Iran....
The father of modern biology of Iran - Aydin AghdashlooAydin AghdashlooAydin Aghdashloo is an Iranian painter, author, art critic, art historian and graphic designer.He currently lives in Tehran, Iran and lectures in different Iranian Universities besides his professional work.- Early life :...
(Born 1940) - Mīrzā Kūchak KhānMirza Kuchak KhanMīrzā Kūchik Khān was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian history...
One of the martyrs of freedom in Iran - Mahmoud Namjoo The world's weightlifting champion
- Mohammad MoinMohammad MoinMohammad Moin was a prominent Iranian scholar of Persian literature and Iranian Studies....
A famous linguistics and literature researcher - Prof. Majid SamiiMajid SamiiMadjid Samii is a distinguished German-Iranian neurosurgeon and medical scientist.Professor Samii was born in Rasht, Iran and got his professor degree in neurosurgery at the age of 33...
President of The World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies - Anoushiravan RohaniAnoushiravan RohaniAnoushirvan Rohani also spelled Anooshiravan Rowhani is an Iranian pianist and songwriter.Born in Rasht, Iran in 1939, Anoushiravan received music lessons from his father Reza Rohani, himself a poet and violinist...
- Ebrahim PoordavoodEbrahim PoordavoodEbrāhim Pourdāvoud , was born in Rasht, Iran, to a mother who was the daughter of a clergyman and a father who was a reputable merchant and landlord. He is one of the most formidable scholars of Iran during the 20th century. Pourdavoud translated Avesta into Persian in six volumes...
(Born 1885) - Fazlollah RezaFazlollah RezaFazlollah M. Reza is an Iranian university professor. He was born in Rasht, Iran.-Career:Reza graduated from Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran in 1938 by receiving his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering...
Former Iran's ambassador to UNICEF - Arsen MinasianArsen MinasianArsen Minasian was an Armenian-Iranian who was born in Rasht, Iran. He was the founder of Gilan's sanatorium in 1954 which is the first modern sanatorium in Iran....
The Armenian founder of the first modern sanatorium in Iran - Ardeshir MohassessArdeshir MohassessArdeshir Mohasses was an Iranian illustrator and cartoonist, residing in New York.-Biography:...
A cartoonist from Rasht - Sadeq SabaSadeq SabaSadegh Saba is an Iranian journalist, who currently works as the BBC's Iranian affairs analyst. He has been involved in BBC Persian Television. In July 2009, he became head of the BBC Persian section....
Head of BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Persian Service - Susan TaslimiSusan TaslimiSusan Taslimi is an Iranian actress, film director, theatre director, and screenwriter. She emigrated from Iran in 1989, now living and working in Sweden.-Biography:...
- Marjane SatrapiMarjane SatrapiMarjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born French contemporary graphic novelist, illustrator, animated film director, and children's book author...
World award-winning film director - Hamideh KheirabadiHamideh KheirabadiHamideh Kheirābādi was a celebrated Iranian film and theatre actress. She played in more than 200 feature films and in over 20 television series. Inside Iran, she is affectionately referred to as Nādereh and Mother of the Iranian Cinema...
- Youcef NadarkhaniYoucef NadarkhaniYoucef Nadarkhani is an Iranian Christian pastor who has been sentenced to die in Tehran...
Christian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy from Islam
Suburbs
- GolsarGolsarGolsar, pronounced golsâr , is a suburb of Rasht, the capital of the northern Iranian province of Gilan, south of the Caspian Sea.Golsar is a high-class district with many shops, restaurants, boutiques, and coffee-shops, and is a very popular neighborhood for teenagers and young adults to meet and...
- Rahnemaie ranandegi
- ManzariyehManzariyehManzariyeh is a city in the Central District of Shahreza County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,617, in 1,621 families....
- Masjad Safi
- Diyanati
- Chomarsara
- Lakan Shahr
- ChalleKhaneh
- Noghredasht
- Ostadsara
- Pirsara
- Rashtian
- Sagharisazan
- Andisheh Complex
- Park Shahr
- Takhti
- Tazeh Abad
- Sabzemeydan
- Lakani
- Ziabari
- Sam
- Moalem
- Estakhr
- Hamidian
- Bisotun
- Motahari
External links
- Pictures at Guilan.net
- Gilan Advanced Skills Training Center مرکز آموزش مهارتهای پیشرفته گیلان
- Rasht Municipality Organization شهرداري رشت
- Damash Rasht Football Team Fans Site
- Gilan Province
- City of Rasht Information Center
- Iran Chamber Society: Rasht
- Iran Chamber of commerce, Industries & Mines: Gilan
- Encyclopedia of the Orient
- Info Please
- Rasht
- Photos of Rasht in Panoramio