Hamedan Province

Iran / Hamadan / Bahar /
 province, first-level administrative division, draw only border
Hamedan (also Hamadan, Persian: همدان) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran, located in the western part of the country. It covers an area of 19,546 km² and has a population of approximately 1.7 million people (2005). The province lies in an elevated region, with the Alvand mountains, part of the Zagros mountain range, running from the north west to the south west. Its capital is the city of Hamedan.

Hamedan province is one of the most ancient parts of Iran. Hamedan in ancient times was known as Ecbatana, and it was the capital of the Median empire. According to historical records, there was once a castle in this city by the name of Haft Hessar (Seven Walls) which had a thousand rooms and its grandeur equaled that of the Babylon Tower. The city was built by Diya Aku (Deioces), the founder of Median empire. According to Greek records, this territory was called Ekbatan or Hegmataneh. During the Parthian era, Ctesiphon became capital of Persia, and Hamedan became the summer capital and residence of the Parthian rulers. After the Parthians, the Sassanids constructed their summer palaces in Hamedan as well. From the year 633 when the war of Nahavand took place and Hamedan came into the hands of the invading Arabs, at times the city thrived and at times it declined and witnessed hardships. During the reign of Buwayhids, Hamedan suffered a lot of damages yet by 11th century, the Seljuks shifted their capital from Baghdad to Hamedan once again. The city of Hamaden which was always assaulted by the rise and fall of powers, was completely destroyed during Tamerlane's invasion. But during the Safavid era the city thrived once more. Thereafter, in the 18th century, Hamedan surrendered to the Ottomans, but due to the courage and chivalry of Nader Shah Afshar, Hamedan was cleared of the invaders and according to the peace treaty between Iran and the Ottomans, it was thus returned to Iran.

Kurdish, Azeri, Luri, and Persian languages are spoken amongst the people of Hamadan Province, where Azeri is more popular in northern and eastern areas and Kurdish are mostly spoken in the west. In the central parts like Hamadan County and parts of Tooserkan, Persian is more common.

Hamedan has many tourist attractions like, Tomb of Baba Taher the poet, Ganj Nameh inscriptions of Darius The Great, Tomb of Esther and Mordechai, Ali Sadr (Ardeles) cave, Tomb of Avicenna, Waterfall of Ganjnameh, Stone Lion of Hamedan, Abass Abad jangle(Baugh), Qorban Building, Alavian Tomb, Hegmatane (Ekbatan) City of 5000 years ago, Alvand Mountain and the Grand Bazzar of Mozafarieh.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamadān_Province
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°55'20"N   48°36'20"E

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