Shiraz

Shiraz (Persian: شیراز Shīrāz) is a city located in a green plain at the foot of the Zagros Mountains in southwest Iran. Shiraz has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for more than a thousand years. The earliest reference to the city is on Elamite clay tablets dated to 2000 BC. Shiraz has also served as the capital of Iran many times. It was the capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty from 1750 until 1781 as well as briefly during the Saffarid period. It was also the capital of southern Iran from 1781 until 1794. In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, thanks to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of many Persian scholars and artists.

There are many tourist attractions in Shiraz and the surrounding area, such as the tombs of Hafez and Sa'di, Eram garden and Persepolis. Shiraz is known as the city of poets, wine and flowers (especially roses). It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city.