Tabriz (Persian/Azerbaijani:تبریز) is the most populated city in Iranian Azerbaijan, it is fourth largest city in Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals, and residence of the crown prince under the Qajar dynasty. The city has proven extremely influential in the country’s recent history. Tabriz is located in a valley to the north of the long ridge of the volcanic cone of Sahand, south of the Eynali mountain. The valley opens out into a plain that slopes gently down to the northern end of Lake Urmia, 60 km to the west. With cold winters and temperate summers the city is considered a summer resort.
The estimated population of the city is around 1,400,000[1] based on results of the Iranian census bureau. Tabriz is the fourth most populated city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad, and Esfahan, while also being a major Iranian heavy industrial and manufacturing center. Some of these industries include automobile, machine tools, oil and petrochemical and cement production.[2]
According to The Cambridge History of Iran, Tabriz was founded in early Sassanids times in 3rd or 4th century AD or, more probably, in 7th century.[7]
During the Islamic conquest of Iran, Arab armies in Azerbaijan mostly turned attention toward Ardebil and Tabriz was not even listed among the cities of Azerbaijan that Iranian armies were mobilized. These accounts suggest that Tabriz was not more than a small village at this time.[8]
From the Muslim conquest to Qajars
File:Blue Mosque11.jpgBlue Mosque is built during Kara Koyunlu dynasty.
After the conquest of Iran by Muslims, Arab tribe Azd from Yemen resided in Tabriz and development of post-Islamic Tabriz began as of this time. Yaqut, the Islamic geographer says that Tabriz was a village before Rawwad from the tribe of Azd came to Tabriz.[8] In AD 791, Zubaidah, the wife of Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, rebuilt Tabriz after a devastating earthquake and beautified the city so much as to obtain the credit for having been its founder[3][9].
After the Mongol invasion, Tabriz came to eclipse Maragheh as the later Ilkhanid capital of Azerbaijan until sacked by Timur in 1392.[10] Chosen as a capital by Arghun Khan, fourth ruler of the Ilkhanate, for its favored location in the northwestern grasslands,[11] in 1295, his successor Ghazan Khan made it the chief administrative center of an empire stretching from Egypt to the Oxus River and from the Caucasus to the Indian Ocean. Under his rule new walls were built around the city, and numerous public buildings, educational facilities, and caravansarais were erected to serve traders traveling on the ancient Silk Road. The ByzantineGregory Choniades is said to have served as the city's Orthodox bishop during this time.[citation needed]
During the Middle Ages, a Jewish community existed in the town. In the 16th century a Jewish Yemenite traveler to the town described the deteriorating conditions of Jewish life there.[12] From 1375 to 1468, Tabriz was the capital of Kara Koyunlu state in Azerbaijan[13], and from 1469 to 1501 the capital of Ak Koyunlu state.
Before the expansion of Altaic languages in the area, Iranian languages[14] were spoken in Tabriz and Azerbaijan. The 13th century manuscript Safina-yi Tabriz has poems in what its Tabriz-born author has called the Tabrizi dialect (Zaban-i-Tabrizi)[15]. Samples of the Tabrizi dialect of the wider Old Azari language include quatrains recorded in Tabrizi dialect by Abd al-Qadir Maraghi, phrases from Baba Faraji Tabrizi and poems in Tabrizi in the Safina-yi Tabriz, and poetry from Homam Tabrizi, Mama Esmat Tabrizi, Maghrebi Tabrizi and others. Before the Safavid revolution, Tabriz was predominantly a Shafi'ite and Sunni city.
Between 1585 and 1603, Tabriz was occupied by the Ottomans but was then returned to the Safavids after which it grew as a major commercial center, conducting trade with the Ottoman Empire, Russia, central Asia, and India. In 1724 the city was again occupied by the Ottomans and retaken by Iranian army. In 1780, a devastating earthquake near the city killed over 200,000 which is regarded as 25th most deadly disaster of all times.[16] Between 1790 and 1797, Jews in Tabriz were accused of a blood libel and massacred.[12] The city was held by Russia on 1826 after a series of battles but the Iranian army retook Tabriz in 1828. Tabriz was the residence for Crown Prince within Qajar Dynasty. By 1828, the Jewish community in Tabriz had ceased to exist.[12]
Contemporary age
Thanks to the vicinity to the west and to the communications with nearby countries' enlightenment movements, Tabriz became center of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. This made Tabriz a major pole for Iranian Constitutional Revolutionary movements between 1905 and 1911, which led to the establishment of a parliament in Iran. Sattar Khan and Bagher Khan two Tabrizi reformists whose led Tabriz people's solidarity had a great role in achievement of this revolution.
After World War II, the Soviets set up the communist Azerbaijan People's Government in north-west Iran with its capital at Tabriz. The new communist government, under the leadership of Ja'far Pishevari, held power for a year from 1946, after which Tabriz returned to Iran after the forced Soviet withdrawal.
In 2002, during a construction project at north side of the Blue Mosque (Part of Silk Road Project), an ancient graveyard was revealed. This was kept secret until a construction worker alerted the authorities. Radiocarbon analysis by Allameh Tabatabi University has shown the background of the graves to be more than 3800 years old. A museum of these excavations including the Blue Mosque was opened to public in 2006.
There is another excavation in Abbasi Street at site of Rab'-e Rashidi. This academic institution is dated back to more than 700 years ago and was established in Ilkhanid period.
Capital of Iran
Tabriz was known as capital of Iran several times: during Kara Koyunlu dynasty from 1375 until 1468, then during Ak Koyunlu within 1468-1501, Some of the existing historical monuments including Blue Mosque are belonged to Kara Koyunlu period. Finally, it was capital of the Iranian Empire within the Safavid period from 1501 until their defeat in 1514 [17].
During the Qajar dynasty, Tabriz was residence of Iranian Crown Prince (1794–1925).
City of the firsts
Due to its location as a western gateway of Iran, many modern developments have been adopted first in this city, leading to its moniker as a "city of firsts".[18] These include:
Iran's first printing house was founded in Tabriz (1811).
Iran's first modern school was founded in Tabriz by Hassan Roshdieh (1888).
The first Iranian special school for deaf children was founded in Tabriz by Jabbar Baghcheban (1924).
The first Iranian special school for blind students was founded in Tabriz by a German mission (1926).
Iran's first modern-style municipal government was set up in Tabriz.
Tabriz Chamber of Commerce was the first of its kind founded in Iran (1906).
The first public libraries in modern Iran were founded in Tabriz.
Iran's first cinema was founded in Tabriz (1900), while the first cinema in Tehran was founded by a Tabrizi (1921).
Tabriz was the first city in Iran to install a telephone system (about 1900).
Geography
Topography
Tabriz is located in northwest of Iran in East Azerbaijan province between Eynali and Sahand mountains in a fertile area in shore of Aji River and Ghuri River.
The local area is earthquake-prone and during its history, the city has been devastated and rebuilt several times.
Climate
Tabriz has a semi-arid climate climate with regular seasons (KöppenBSk). The annual precipitation is around 380 millimetres (15 in), a good deal of which falls as snow during the winter months and rain in spring and autumn. The city enjoys mild and fine climate in spring, dry and semi-hot in summer, humid and rainy in autumn and snowy cold in winter. The average annual temperature is 13oC. Cool winds blow from east to west mostly in summer.[19]
Due to appearance of modern industries especially chemical industries in west of the city, air pollution level increases continuously since second half of twentieth century. However according to the efforts by industries and new limiting environmental national code the level of industrial pollution decreased,yet still the reports are illustrating main reasons for air pollution as: vehicles and major factories like oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical factories. According to research, 558,167 tons of pollutants are produced everyday in Tabriz.[21]
City authority lies with the mayor, who is elected by a municipal board. The municipal board is periodically elected by the city residents.
Municipality of Tabriz is used as the Municipal central office.
Districts
The city is divided into 10 municipal districts each of them includes couple of old neighborhoods of city. Following shows a list of old districts of the city.
File:Tabriz Population Change.jpgTabriz Population Change.
According to official census of 2006, the population of Tabriz is about 1,400,000 [22]. The majority of the city's population are Iranian Azeris. Persians, Armenians, Assyrians and Kurds form sizable minorities.
Today, the predominant language spoken in Tabriz is Azerbaijani Turkic, which belongs to the Turkic languages family. Azeri is a member of Oghuz branch of Turkic language, and it is closely related to Turkish and Turkmeni. The modern Azeri language is evolved from the Eastern Oghuz dialect of Western (Oghuz) Turkic, which spread to Southwestern Asia during medieval Turkic migrations and was heavily influenced by Persian and Arabic. Classical literature in Azeri was formed in 14th century, based on the Tabrizi and Shirvani dialects, which were used by classical Azeri poets and writers such as Nasimi, Fuzuli and Khatai. Most inhabitants also speak the Persian language, which is the official language of Iran and the sole language of education.[3]. Also, Armenian language is another traditional language, spoken and written by Christians in Tabriz.
Religion
The majority of people are followers of ShiaIslam. Some Armenians and Assyrians live in Tabriz and have their own churches and organizations. There used to be a small Jewish community, but most of them have moved to Tehran.[3]
The music and folk songs of Tabriz are popular, and traditions have a long history. The prominent Iranian Azeri poet Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar was born in Tabriz. The handicrafts in the Bazaar of Tabriz, and in particular the Tabriz rug, are famous worldwide. The culture, social values, language and the music is a mixture of what exists in rest of Iran.
The professional music of Azeri people are divided into two "distinct types", the music of "ashyg" and the "mugam". Mugam "is not common" among Iranian Azeris, who "prefer the School of Tabriz".
On the other hand, the music of the ashyg is found in most places in northwestern Iran and particularly in Tabriz, Maraghe, Khoy, and Orumïye (Rezaye). In Iran, the primarily distinct styles of Mugam and the music of the ashyg "still share common characteristics" including "the initial range, which is restricted to a pentachord (jins), readily identifiable modes, melodic lines consisting predominantly of sequential notes, time signatures (4/4, 6/8, 3/4), brevity of compositions, arrangements of dance melodies, tone colour, the dragging of the voice and vocal techniques which are similar to those of popular singing and small instrumental ensembles (three or four musicians)."[23]
Ashighs are traveling bards, who sing and play the saz or qopuz, a form of lute. Their songs are partly improvised around a common base.[clarification needed]
Painting
One of the Iranian painting styles is called "Tabrizian style" which has been shaped in the era of Ilkhanids, Kara Koyunlu and the Safavids.[24]
Azerbaijanis and specially people from Tabriz are famous for their special delicious cuisine in Iran. there are bunch of famous restaurants in Tabriz which are well known in Iran which are serving different kind of Iranian foods. Behind these big restaurants there there are a lot of small magazines which are serving different kind of fast food to various kind of Kabab. However best taste of traditional food is prepared and served in family houses. Here is a list of traditional Tabriz cuisines:
Chelow Kabab - is the national dish of Iran, prepared with Kebab and roasted tomatoes (and roasted hot peppers occasionally) on a plate of steamed rice. Tabriz is famous for its Chelow Kabab in Iran.
Sample of Tabrizi traditional foods.
Dolma is a traditional delicious Turkic food. It is prepared with eggplant, capsicum, tomato or zucchini filled with a mixture of meat, split pea, onion and various spices.
Kofta (Koufteh) Tabrizi is a special recipe Tabriz and looks like big meatballs which prepared with mixture of ground meat, rice, leek and some other additives. The word kofta is derived from Persiankūfta: In Persian, کوفتن kuftan means "to beat" or "to grind".[25]
There are also delicious confections, biscuits and cookies, some of which are Tabriz specialities including Ghorabiye, Eris, Nugha, Tasbihi, Latifeh, Ahari, Lovadieh, Lokum and etc.
Main sights
Tabriz was devastated by several earthquakes during history (e.g., in 858, 1041, and 1721) and as a result, from numerous monuments only few of them or part of them have survived until now. Moreover, some of the historical monuments have been destroyed fully or partially within construction projects (e.g. Ark of Tabriz is in a real hazard of destruction now, because of ongoing construction project of "Mosal'laye Emam" close to it). Nonetheless, there are still numerous monuments remaining until now, which are listed as follows:[21].
Tabriz has 132 parks, including 97 small parks, 31 regional and 4 city parks. According to 2005 statistics, area of parks in Tabriz is 2,595 km2 also area of green spaces of Tabriz is 8,548 km2, which means 5.6 sq.m per person. The oldest park in Tabriz, called Golestan Park, was established at first Pahlavi's era in city center. Tabriz has 8 traveller-parks with capacity of 10.000 travellers, as well.[21]
It is claimed that Tabriz is the 2nd industrial city of Iran. Modern industries in this city include the manufacturing of machinary, vehicles, chemicals and petrochemical materials, refinery, cement, electrical and electronical equipment, home appliances, textiles and leather, nutrition and dairy factories and woodcraft.[3][21].
There are numerous industrial complexes in Tabriz industrial area. Iranian Tractor Manufacturing Co (ITMCO) is one of the biggest industrial complexes in the region. This complex has the highest foundry and forging capacity in middle east, the biggest manufacturer of tractor in Iran, which has some domestic & abroad branches too. Although initially the complex was established with the aim of producing tractor and agricultural machines as a starting point for modernization of traditional Iranian agricultural system, nowadays its products include a large variety from auto parts to machine tools and some domestic van and trucks. Behind ITMCO there are several other industrial complexes including Machine Sazi Tabriz Co, Iran Diesel Engine Manufacturing Co (IDEM), Pump Iran, Tabriz Petrochemical Complex, Tabriz Oil Refinery and couple of industrial regions which are including hundreds of small industries. Beside this Tabriz is a site for numerous food and some of the most famous chocolate factories in Iran which honored the city as chocolate city of Iran.
Small businesses
A vast partition of the city's population are involved in small businesses like shoe making ateliers, stonecutting, furniture ateliers, confectionary, printing and dry nuts.
File:Tabriz rug01.jpgA sample of Tabriz rugsFile:Silver handcrafts of Tabriz1.jpgA silver handcrafts shop in Tabriz
Tabriz is the major center for production of the famous Iranian Rugs. Their high quality is greatly valued in world markets. Tabrizi rugs and carpets usually have ivory backgrounds with blue, rose, and indigo motifs. They often have very symmetrical and balanced designs. They usually have a single medallion that is surrounded with vines and palmettos.
One of the main quality characteristics of Tabriz rugs is the weaving style, using special ties that guarantee the durability of the rug in comparison for example with Kashanrugs.
Shopping centers are mostly located in city center, including Grand Bazaar of Tabriz, pedestrian malls on Tarbiyat street, Shahnaz street and Ferdowsi street. Also, there are some malls and a lot of elegant & luxurious boutiques of jewelry, rugs, clothes, handcrafts, confectionary and nuts, home appliances and so on in Abressan intersection, Roshdiyeh district and Kouy Valiasr.[5]
The special feature of Tabriz malls is that most of them are designated to a particular order, such as home appliances, jewelry, shoes, clothes, wedding ceremonies, ladies/babies/men specialties, leather products, handcrafts, agricultural products, computers, electronic components, industrial equipment, piping equipment, chemical materials, agricultural machines, stationery, books, rugs, construction stuff and others.
Likewise, there are seasonal/occasional shopping fairs opened mainly in Tabriz International Exhibition Center too.
Tabriz International Exhibition Center
Tabriz International Exhibition Complex which is located in eastern part of the city holds tens of exhibition based on yearly schedule. The most famous fair is TEXPO[26] which is a general trade fair and established on 1992 and normally holds on August 4–9 every year.
Schools and libraries
Universities
File:Daneshsara (Faculty of Education) of Tabriz.JPGDanesh Sara (faculty of education)File:Panoramic view of Tabriz art uni.jpgTabriz Art university
There are a couple of research centers supported by Iranian government in the city including: East Azerbaijan Park of Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University - Science and Research branch of East Azerbaijan.[28]
File:Former Roshdieh school.jpgformer Roshdieh school
Hundreds of public and private schools are serving students based on Iranian education system. Students are starting with primary school which is for five years, then three years in secondary and finally they are pursuing for three more years in high school. For those who are about entering to the university they have to fulfill one more year in college. Despite the common language in city is Azerbaijani, the entirety of the educational period in schools is in Persian. Some of the high schools are famous because of their history or higher educational quality. Here is a list of most famous high schools in the city:
Memorial school (American School of Tabriz) was opened on 1891 and is one of the most famous schools of its type. After World War II, the school's name was changed to Parvin High School, under Iran education ministry's management. Currently, it is divided into three separate high schools, and the original building is under reconstruction. Howard Baskerville used to teach in Memorial school.
Roshdieh school is the first modern Iranian school, which was established by Haji-Mirza Hassan Roshdieh. Currently, its building is used as the Tabriz branch of the National Iranian Documents and Library Office.
Vahdat Technical College is another famous school in Tabriz. It was developed by the Germans during World War II. The main building is in the shape of an 'A'.
Ferdowsi high school is one of the largest and most prominent academic high schools in Tabriz. The original building was constructed by German engineers before World War II (to serve as hospital). The building is in the shape of a letter 'H'.
Mansoor High School (now divided into two high schools with new names) is one of the most highest-ranking schools in Tabriz, which was established about 50 years ago. One of the high schools is known as Taleqani and the other as Motahhari.
Tiz'houshan School (Shahid Madani and Farzanegan) (SAMPAD/NODET) middle and high schools were established in 1989 for high I.Q. talented students. Students camn attend in Tiz'houshan after successfully passing the entrance exam.
Religious Schools
Valiasr Religious School and Talebieh Islamic Science School are two major religious schools in the city which are used for teaching Islamic Science.
Libraries
Tabriz National Library, also known as Central Library of Tabriz, is the most prestigious library in Tabriz, and its numerous unique handwriting old books made it a vulnerable source for researchers in Iranian literature. There are other libraries behind National library which are serving to public some of which are: Tarbiat library, library of Helal Ahmar, library of Shahid Motahhari, library of Shahriyar, library of Jafarieh and Farhangsara of Tabriz.
Infrastructure
Health systems
The government of Iran operates the public hospitals in the Tabriz metropolitan region, some of which are aligned with medical faculties. There are also a number of private hospitals and medical centers in the city.[5]
File:Boulevard in Tabriz01.jpgBoulevard of university.By Tabriz University in Winter.
Transportation
Inner City:
Most Tabriz residents travel by car through the system of roads and highways. Tabriz is also served by taxi and bus.
Tabriz is the second city in Iran after Tehran that B.R.T system has been established in. It includes a distance of about 18 km from Baseej Square in the east to railway station in the west of the city. There are 50 bus stops in the path of B.R.T.
Tabriz subway train network is still under construction. The government of Iran had planned to finish 6 km of line No.1 of the network in 2006, but this was not achieved due to financial problems.[29]
File:Metro El Goli.jpgShahgholi metro Station.File:Tabriz bus terminal.jpgTabriz bus terminal.
The city is linked to Iran National Railways (IRIR, Persian: رجا ) also to Europe by Turkey's railways via Ghotour (Azerbaijani, Persian قطور) bridge in West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Tabriz was the first city in Iran to be served by railways with the construction of the Tabriz-Jolfa line. Tabriz Railway Station is located in the western part of the city, at the end of Khomeyni Street.
Airport
Tabriz International Airport opened in 1950 and is the only international airport in East Azerbaijan (since 1991). Recently, it became the first Iranian airport to gain ISO9001-2000.
Its international air routes are to the following cities[30]:
Tractor Sazi F.C. or Tirakhtorsazi, as it called in the city, is an Iranian soccer club, based in Tabriz. They are playing in Iran's Pro League. The team was sponsored by Iran Tractor Manufacturing Co. (ITMCO). The club used to have a significant presence in the old Azadegan League (current IPL), but has been playing in Iran's second-highest league since relegation in the 2001-02 season. They also provided Iran with some of the most talented players during the nineties. In 2009, Trakhtorsazi, the well-known team of Azerbaijan province, improved to the first class league of Iran and has got the most enthusiased fans in Iran's league, according to surveys.[citation needed]
Behind soccer they are few other sport events holds in Tabriz. The major one is Azerbaijan Cycling Tour. Azerbaijan Cyclibng Tour is a professional cycling tour held annually in part of Iranian Azerbaijan and Republic of Azerbaijan. Tabriz also has an UCI Continentalcycling team that is competing in UCI-sanctioned competitions through Asian continents. The team is: Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team
The city has several swimming pools that are parts of sport complexes, both public and private: Takhti swimming pool, Tabriz Petrochemical Company's sports complex, Bargh swimming pool, Sahand swimming pool, Bagh Shomal swimming pool, Kargaran sports complex, Hotel Elgoli swimming pool, Hotel Shahryar swimming pool, Azarsatrup sports complex, Sauna Tabriz, Azaran sauna & pool, Zamzam swimming pool, Aseman residential complex swimming pool.[5]
Media
Sahand TV main building
Television
Tabriz has one state television channel called "Sahand TV" that broadcasts in both Persian and Azerbaijani language. It broadcasts internationally through satellite Intelsat 902.[32][33]
Radio
Tabriz has one government-controlled radio channel broadcasting in both Persian and Azerbaijani languages.[32]
Press
14 weekly magazines and 8 main newspapers are published in the city including: Amin, Mahd Azadi, Asr Azadi [34], Fajr Azarbaijan, Saeb Tabriz, Peyam Noor, Navaye Misho and Saheb.[35]
Notable people
Within its long history Tabriz was always origin for many Iranian illumination and modernization movements. This is why the city was home town for numerous Iranian dominant figures including many Iranian politicians, revolutionaries, artists, and military leaders. Here a partial list of some of most notable people who born or lived in Tabriz.
Azerbaijan and Turkey have consulate offices in Tabriz. Also the formerly Soviet Union and United States had consulate offices in Tabriz. US consulate office is closed after Islamic revolution on 1979 and USSR's office is closed after collapse of USSR on 1991.
^V. Minorsky. "Jihān-Shāh Qara-Qoyunlu and His Poetry (Turkmenica, 9)", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1954), p. 277
^Jean Druing, "The Spirit of Sounds: The Unique Art of Ostad Elahi", Cornwall Books, 2003, p172:"Maraghi mentions the Turkish and the Shirvani tanbour, which had two strings tuned in second (which the Kurds and Lors call Farangi) and was quite popular among the inhabitants of Tabriz (a region which was not yet Turkish speaking at the time) "
^صادقی, علی اشرف 1379: چند شعر به زبان کرجی, تبریزی و غیره ... در مجله ی زبان شناسی, سال پانزدهم, شماره ی دوم, پاییز و زمستان Ali Asghar Sadeqi, "Some poems in the Karaji, Tabrizi and others" in Zaban-Shenasi(Persian), Year 15,No.2(Fall and Winder),1379(2001).
^Richard Tapper. "Shahsevan in Safavid Persia", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 37, No. 3, 1974, p. 324. See also, Lawrence Davidson, Arthur Goldschmid, "A Concise History of the Middle East", Westview Press, 2006, p. 153; and Britannica Concise. "Safavid Dynasty", Online Edition 2007
^For a complete list of Firsts in Tabriz see:
سردارينيا، صمد. "تبريز شهر اولينها"، تبريز: كانون فرهنگ و هنر آذربايجان، 1381
^www.worldclimate.com, Climate data for Tabriz, 1963-1990
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