Isfahan

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Isfahan

‫اصفهان‬

Spahān, Aspadana

City

Naghshejahan.jpg

The Allahverdi Khan Bridge in night.jpg Khaju - Bridge.jpg

Flowers garden Isfahan Aarash (21).jpg 02 ۱‫کاخ چهلستون‬.jpg

Shah Mosque Isfahan Aarash (257).jpg Hasht Behesht 007.jpg

Top-bottom, R-L:

Naqsh-e Jahan Square View from Keisaria gate, Khaju Bridge, Si-o-se-pol, Chehel Sotoun, Flower Garden
of Isfahan, Hasht Behesht, Shah Mosque

Official seal of Isfahan

Seal
Official logo of Isfahan

Ancient

Nickname(s): Nesf-e Jahān (Half of the World)

Isfahan

Isfahan

Isfahan is located in IranIsfahanIsfahan

Isfahan in Iran

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Coordinates: 32°38′41″N 51°40′03″ECoordinates: 32°38′41″N 51°40′03″E

Country Iran

Province Isfahan

County Isfahan

District Central

Government

• Mayor Ghodratollah Norouzi

• City Council Fathollah Moein (Chairman)

Area[1]

• Urban 551 km2 (213 sq mi)

Elevation 1,574 m (5,217 ft)

Population (2016 Census)

• Urban 1,961,260[2]

• Metro 3,989,070[3]

• Population Rank in Iran 3rd

Time zone UTC+3:30 (IRST)

• Summer (DST) UTC+4:30 (IRDT 21 March – 20 September)

Area code(s) 031

Climate BWk[4]

Website isfahan.ir

Isfahan city

Isfahan map district simple1.png

City

Places

vte

Isfahan (Persian: ‫اصفهان‬, romanized: Esfahān [esfæˈhɒːn] (About this soundlisten)), from its ancient
designation Aspadana and later Spahan in middle Persian, rendered in English as Ispahan, is a major city
in Iran, Greater Isfahan Region. It is located 406 kilometres (252 miles) south of Tehran and is the capital
of Isfahan Province. Isfahan has a population of approximately 1.5 million,[5] making it the third-largest
city in Iran after Mashhad and Tehran, and the second-largest metropolitan area after Tehran.[6]

Isfahan is an important city, as it is located at the intersection of the two principal north–south and
east–west routes that traverse Iran. Isfahan flourished from 1050 to 1722, and particularly in the 16th
and 17th centuries under the Safavid dynasty when it became the capital of Persia for the second time
in its history under Shah Abbas the Great. Even today, the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous
for its Perso–Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and
minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. The fame of
Isfahan led to the Persian proverb "Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast": Isfahan is half (of) the world.[7] The
Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world. UNESCO has designated
it a World Heritage Site.[8]

Contents

1 Etymology

2 History
2.1 Bronze Age

2.2 Zoroastrian era

2.3 Islamic era

2.4 Modern age

3 Geography

3.1 Hydrography

3.2 Ecological issues

3.3 Flora and fauna

3.4 Armed forces base

3.5 Climate

4 Demographics

5 Culture

5.1 Music

5.2 Technology, ICT and media

5.3 Philosophy and Islamic school

5.4 Dialect

5.5 Cultural sites

5.6 Cemeteries

5.7 Bazaars

5.8 Bridges

5.9 Churches and cathedrals

5.10 Emamzadehs

5.11 Gardens and parks

5.12 Houses

5.13 Mausoleums and tombs

5.14 Minarets

5.15 Mosques

5.16 Museums

5.17 Schools (madresse)

5.18 Palaces and caravanserais

5.19 Squares and streets

5.20 Synagogues

5.21 Other sites

5.22 Cuisine

6 Economy

6.1 Aquaculture and agriculture

6.2 High tech and heavy industries

7 Education and science

8 Transportation

8.1 Ride sharing

8.2 Airports

8.3 Roads and freeways

8.4 Public transit

9 Notable people

10 Recreation and tourism

10.1 Medical tourism

10.2 Shopping

10.3 Sports

11 Civic administration

11.1 Municipal government

11.2 Public works

12 Human resources and public health

13 International relations

13.1 Twin towns – sister cities

13.2 Cooperation agreements

14 See also

15 References

15.1 Citations

15.2 Works cited

16 Further reading

17 External links

Etymology

Isfahan is derived from Middle Persian Spahān. Spahān is attested in various Middle Persian seals and
inscriptions, including that of the Zoroastrian magi Kartir,[9] and is also the Armenian name of the city
(Սպահան). The present-day name is the Arabicized form of Ispahan (unlike Middle Persian but similar
to Spanish, New Persian does not allow initial consonant clusters such as sp[10]). The region appears
with the abbreviation GD (Southern Media) on Sasanian numismatics. In Ptolemy's Geographia, it
appears as Aspadana (Ἀσπαδανα), translating to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that
Spahān derives from spādānām "the armies", Old Persian plural of spāda, from which derives spāh (
𐭧𐭠𐭯𐭮) 'army' and spahi (‫سپاهی‬, 'soldier', literally 'of the army') in Middle Persian. Some of the other
ancient names include Jey, Gey, Park, Judea[11][12]

History

See also: Timeline of Isfahan

Loyalty

Seljuk Empire 1037–1194

Safavid Iran 1501–1736

Imperial State of Iran 1925–1979

Iran Islamic Republic of Iran 1979-now

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a.

1870 60,000 —

1890 90,000 +2.05%

1900 100,000 +1.06%

1920 80,000 −1.11%

1933 100,100 +1.74%

1942 204,600 +8.27%

1956 254,700 +1.58%

1968 444,000 +4.74%

1976 671,800 +5.31%

1986 986,800 +3.92%

1991 1,182,735 +3.69%

1996 1,327,283 +2.33%

2001 1,327,283 +0.00%

2006 1,689,392 +4.94%

2011 1,853,293 +1.87%

2016 1,961,260 +1.14%

source:[13]

Human habitation of the Isfahan region can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period. Archaeologists
have recently found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron
Ages.

Bronze Age
What was to become the city of Isfahan in later historical periods probably emerged and gradually
developed over the course of the Elamite civilisation (2700–1600 BCE).

Zoroastrian era

Under Median rule, this commercial entrepôt began to show signs of more sedentary urbanism, steadily
growing into a noteworthy regional centre that benefited from the exceptionally fertile soil on the banks
of the Zayandehrud River in a region called Aspandana or Ispandana.

An ancient artifact from Isfahan City Center museum

Once Cyrus the Great (reg. 559–529 BCE) had unified Persian and Median lands into the Achaemenid
Empire (648–330 BCE), the religiously and ethnically diverse city of Isfahan became an early example of
the king's fabled religious tolerance. It was Cyrus who, having just taken Babylon, made an edict in 538
BCE, declaring that the Jews in Babylon could return to Jerusalem.[14] Now it seems that some of these
freed Jews settled in Isfahan instead of returning to their homeland. The 10th-century Persian historian
Ibn al-Faqih wrote:[15]

When the Jews emigrated from Jerusalem, fleeing from Nebuchadnezzar, they carried with them a
sample of the water and soil of Jerusalem. They did not settle down anywhere or in any city without
examining the water and the soil of each place. They did all along until they reached the city of Isfahan.
There they rested, examined the water and soil, and found that both resembled Jerusalem. Thereupon
they settled there, cultivated the soil, raised children and grandchildren, and today the name of this
settlement is Yahudia.

The Parthians, in the period 247 BCE–224 CE, continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the
Achaemenids, fostering the Hellenistic dimension within Iranian culture and the political organisation
introduced by Alexander the Great's invading armies. Under the Parthians, Arsacid governors
administered the provinces of the nation from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to
accommodate the needs of a capital city.

Isfahan at the end of the 6th century (top), consisting of two separate areas of Sassanid Jay and Jewish
Yahudia. In the 11th century (bottom), these two areas are completely merged.
The next empire to rule Persia, the Sassanids (224 CE–651 CE), presided over massive changes in their
realm, instituting sweeping agricultural reform and reviving Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian religion.
Both the city and region were then called by the name Aspahan or Spahan. The city was governed by a
group called the Espoohrans, who came from seven noble and important Iranian royal families. Extant
foundations of some Sassanid-era bridges in Isfahan suggest that the Sasanian kings were fond of
ambitious urban planning projects. While Isfahan's political importance declined during the period,
many Sassanid princes would study statecraft in the city, and its military role developed rapidly. Its
strategic location at the intersection of the ancient roads to Susa and Persepolis made it an ideal
candidate to house a standing army, ready to march against Constantinople at any moment. The words
'Aspahan' and 'Spahan' are derived from the Pahlavi or Middle Persian meaning 'the place of the army'.
[16] Although many theories have been mentioned about the origin of Isfahan, in fact little is known of it
before the rule of the Sasanian dynasty (c. 224–c. 651 CE). The historical facts suggest that in the late
4th and early 5th centuries, Queen Shushandukht, the Jewish consort of Yazdegerd I (reigned 399–420)
settled a colony of Jews in Yahudiyyeh (also spelled Yahudiya), a settlement 3 km northwest of the
Zoroastrian city of Gabae (its Achaemid and Parthian name; Gabai was its Sasanic name, which was
shortened to Gay (Arabic 'Jay') that was located on the northern bank of the Zayanderud River(colony's
establishment also attributed to Nebuchadrezzar though it's less unlikely).[17] The gradual population
decrease of Gay (Jay) and the simultaneous population increase of Yahudiyyeh and its suburbs after the
Islamic conquest of Iran resulted in the formation of the nucleus of what was to become the city of
Isfahan. The words "Aspadana", "Ispadana", "Spahan" and "Sepahan", all from which the word Isfahan is
derived, referred to the region in which the city was located.

Isfahan and Gay were both circular in design, a characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities.[18]
However, this reported Sasanian circular city of Isfahan is not uncovered yet.[19]

Islamic era

Isfahan, capital of the Kingdom of Persia

Pont Alla from Voyage to the Levant, Guillaume Cavelier, 1714.

Isfahan to the south side, drawing by Eugène Flandin

Ali minaret, 1840, drawing by Eugène Flandin

Russian army in Isfahan in the 1890s

When the Arabs captured Isfahan in 642, they made it the capital of al-Jibal ("the Mountains") province,
an area that covered much of ancient Media. Isfahan grew prosperous under the Persian Buyid
(Buwayhid) dynasty, which rose to power and ruled much of Iran when the temporal authority of the
Abbasid caliphs waned in the 10th century. The city walls of Isfahan are thought to have been
constructed during the reign of the Buyid amirs during the tenth century.[20][21][22] The Turkish
conqueror and founder of the Seljuq dynasty, Toghril Beg, made Isfahan the capital of his domains in the
mid-11th century; but it was under his grandson Malik-Shah I (r. 1073–92) that the city grew in size and
splendour.[23]

After the fall of the Seljuqs (c. 1200), Isfahan temporarily declined and was eclipsed by other Iranian
cities such as Tabriz and Qazvin. During his visit in 1327, Ibn Battuta noted that "The city of Isfahan is
one of the largest and fairest of cities, but it is now in ruins for the greater part."[24]

In 1387, Isfahan surrendered to the Turko-Mongol warlord Timur. Initially treated with relative mercy,
the city revolted against Timur's punitive taxes by killing the tax collectors and some of Timur's soldiers.
In retribution, Timur ordered the massacre of the city residents, and his soldiers killed a reported 70,000
citizens. An eye-witness counted more than 28 towers, each constructed of about 1,500 heads.[25]

Isfahan regained its importance during the Safavid period (1501–1736). The city's golden age began in
1598 when the Safavid ruler Shah Abbas I (reigned 1588–1629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one
of the largest and most beautiful cities in the 17th-century world. In 1598 Shah Abbas the Great moved
his capital from Qazvin to the more central Isfahan; he named it Ispahān (New Persian) so that it
wouldn't be threatened by the Ottomans. This new status ushered in a golden age for the city, with
architecture and Persian culture flourishing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and
migrants from the Caucasus, that Abbas and other Safavid rulers had permitted to emigrate en masse,
settled in the city. So now the city had enclaves of Georgian, Circassian, and Daghistani descent.[26]
Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Persia in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000.[26][27]
During the Safavid era, the city contained a very large Armenian community as well. As part of Abbas's
forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, he resettled as many as 300,000 Armenians[28]
[29]) from near the unstable Safavid-Ottoman border, primarily from the very wealthy Armenian town
of Jugha (also known as Old Julfa) in mainland Iran.[29] In Isfahan, he ordered the foundation of a new
quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was
named New Julfa.[28][29] New Julfa was created by Abbas the First as a way to concentrate Armenian
financial capital in Iran. He introduced specific policies and gave trading roads a monopoly to Armenians
to trade and develop Iranian involvement in the Silk Road trade. Armenians had tremendous experience
and were the main trade link between Asia and Europe.[30] Today, the New Jolfa district of Isfahan
remains a heavily Armenian-populated district, with Armenian churches and shops, the Vank Cathedral
being especially notable for its combination of Armenian Christian and Iranian Islamic elements. It is still
one of the oldest and largest Armenian quarters in the world. Following an agreement between Shah
Abbas I and his Georgian subject Teimuraz I of Kakheti ("Tahmuras Khan"), whereby the latter submitted
to Safavid rule in exchange for being allowed to rule as the region's wāli (governor) and for having his
son serve as dāruḡa ("prefect") of Isfahan in perpetuity, the Georgian prince converted to Islam and
served as governor.[26] He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers,[26] some of whom were Georgian
Orthodox Christians.[26] The royal court in Isfahan had a great number of Georgian ḡolāms (military
slaves), as well as Georgian women.[26] Although they spoke both Persian and Turkic, their mother
tongue was Georgian.[26] During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became very famous in Europe, and many
European travellers made an account of their visit to the city, such as Jean Chardin. This prosperity
lasted until it was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722 during a marked decline in Safavid influence.

Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in a move of the capital to

Mashhad and Shiraz during the Afsharid and Zand periods respectively, until it was finally moved to
Tehran in 1775 by Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty.

In the early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Isfahan's archeologically
important buildings. The work was started by Mohammad Hossein Khan during the reign of Fath Ali
Shah.[31]

Modern age
Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as: KML

Street from above

Isfahan in 1924

Foolad Mobarakeh Steel Mill

General map of Isfahan by Pascal Coste

In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by a very large number of people from southern Iran, firstly
during the population migrations at the start of the century, and again in the 1980s following the Iran–
Iraq War. During the war, 23000 were killed by Isfahan and there were 43000 veterans.[32]

Today, Isfahan produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods including sweets.
There are nuclear experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear fuel (UCF) within the
environs of the city.[33] Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the region, as well as
facilities for producing special alloys. Mobarakeh Steel Company is the biggest steel producer in the
whole of the Middle East and Northern Africa, and it is the biggest DRI producer in the world.[34] The
Isfahan Steel Company was the first manufacturer of constructional steel products in Iran, and it remains
the largest such company today.[35]
The city has an international airport and a metro line.

There are a major oil refinery and a large airforce base outside the city. HESA, Iran's most advanced
aircraft manufacturing plant, is located just outside the city.[36][37] Isfahan is also attracting
international investment,.[38] Isfahan hosted the International Physics Olympiad in 2007. 2020 Iran-
Qatar Joint Economic Commission met in the city.[39]

Geography

Main articles: Ecology in Isfahan and Regions of Iran

1972 to 2009 abundance percentage of years of drought and wet periods data isfahan atlas

The city is located in the lush plains of the Zayanderud River at the foothills of the Zagros mountain
range. The nearest mountain is Mount Soffeh (Kuh-e Soffeh), just south of the city.

Hydrography

There is an artificial network of canals whose components are called Madi which were built during the
rule of Safavid dynasty for water channeling from "Zaayaandeh Roud" river into different parts of the
city. Designed by Sheikh Bahaï, an engineer of Shah Abbas, this network has 77 madis on the northern
part, and 71 on the southern part of Zayandeh Roud. In 1993, this centuries-old network provided 91%
of agricultural water needs, 4% of industrial needs, and 5% of city needs.[40] 70 emergency wells were
dug in 2018 to avoid water shortages.[41][42][43]

Media related to Canals in Isfahan at Wikimedia Commons

Ecological issues

Towns and villages around Isfahan have been hit so hard by drought and water diversion that they have
emptied out and people who lived there have moved.[44][45] An anonymous journalist said that what's
called drought is more often the mismanagement of water.[46][47][48] Subsidence rate is dire and
decreases by one meter in aquifer level annually.[49] As of 2020 the city had the worst air quality
between major Iranian cities.[50][51][52][53]

Flora and fauna

Rosa 'Ispahan'

The Damask rose cultivar Rosa 'Ispahan' is named after the city. Isfahan endemic cows went extinct in
2020.[54] Wagtails are often seen in farmlands and parks.[55]

Media related to Rosa Ispahan at Wikimedia Commons

The mole cricket is one of the major pests of plants in the soil, especially grass roots.[56][57] Sheep and
rams are the animal symbol of Isfahan.[58]

Armed forces base

Main article: List of Iranian Air Force bases

IRGC AF has an airbase in the city[59][60] and has been taking a cloud seeding contract project through
UAVs in Isfahan.[61]

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force has an airbase named 8th Predator Tactical Fighter Base (TFB.8)
which is the home base for Iranian F-14s.[62][63][64][65] Sepah Pasdaran is named "Master of the Era"
("Saheb al zaman" in Arabic and Farsi) after Mahdi. .[66]

Climate

Situated at 1,590 metres (5,217 ft) above sea level on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains, Isfahan
has an cold desert climate (Köppen BWk). No geological obstacles exist within 90 kilometres (56 miles)
north of Isfahan, allowing cool winds to blow from this direction. Despite its altitude, Isfahan remains
hot during the summer, with maxima typically around 35 °C (95 °F). However, with low humidity and
moderate temperatures at night, the climate is quite pleasant. During the winter, days are cool while
nights can be very cold. Snow falls an average of 7.8 days each winter.[67] The Zayande River starts in
the Zagros Mountains, flowing from the west through the heart of the city, then dissipates in the
Gavkhouni wetland. Planting olive trees in the city is economically viable because it is compatible with
water shortages.[68]

Climate data for Isfahan (1961–1990, extremes 1951–2010)

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.4

(68.7) 23.4

(74.1) 29.0

(84.2) 32.0

(89.6) 37.6

(99.7) 41.0

(105.8) 43.0

(109.4) 42.0

(107.6) 39.0

(102.2) 33.2

(91.8) 26.8

(80.2) 21.2

(70.2) 43.0

(109.4)

Average high °C (°F) 8.8

(47.8) 11.9

(53.4) 16.8

(62.2) 22.0

(71.6) 28.0

(82.4) 34.1

(93.4) 36.4

(97.5) 35.1

(95.2) 31.2

(88.2) 24.4

(75.9) 16.9
(62.4) 10.8

(51.4) 23.0

(73.4)

Daily mean °C (°F) 2.7

(36.9) 5.5

(41.9) 10.4

(50.7) 15.7

(60.3) 21.3

(70.3) 27.1

(80.8) 29.4

(84.9) 27.9

(82.2) 23.5

(74.3) 16.9

(62.4) 9.9

(49.8) 4.4

(39.9) 16.2

(61.2)

Average low °C (°F) −2.4

(27.7) −0.2

(31.6) 4.5

(40.1) 9.4

(48.9) 14.2

(57.6) 19.1

(66.4) 21.5

(70.7) 19.8
(67.6) 15.1

(59.2) 9.3

(48.7) 3.6

(38.5) −0.9

(30.4) 9.4

(48.9)

Record low °C (°F) −19.4

(−2.9) −12.2

(10.0) −8

(18) −4

(25) 4.5

(40.1) 10.0

(50.0) 13.0

(55.4) 11.0

(51.8) 5.0

(41.0) 0.0

(32.0) −8

(18) −13

(9) −19.4

(−2.9)

Average precipitation mm (inches) 17.1

(0.67) 14.1

(0.56) 18.2

(0.72) 19.2

(0.76) 8.8
(0.35) 0.6

(0.02) 0.7

(0.03) 0.2

(0.01) 0.0

(0.0) 4.1

(0.16) 9.9

(0.39) 19.6

(0.77) 112.5

(4.43)

Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 4.0 2.9 3.8 3.5 2.0 0.2 0.3 0.1
0.0 0.8 2.2 3.7 23.5

Average snowy days 3.2 1.7 0.7 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.2 1.9 7.8

Average relative humidity (%) 60 51 43 39 33 23 23 24 26

36 48 57 39

Mean monthly sunshine hours 205.3 213.3 242.1 244.5 301.3 345.4 347.6 331.2 311.6
276.5 226.1 207.6 3,252.5

Source 1: NOAA[69]

Source 2: Iran Meteorological Organization (records)[70][71]

Demographics

The mean of the first marriage age, for females and males in 2019 was 25 and 30 years respectively.[72]
[73]

Culture

Main article: Culture in Isfahan

This article is in list format, but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this article, if
appropriate. Editing help is available. (October 2020)
Isfahan international convention center is under construction. The Isfahan annual literature prize began
in 2004.[74][75] New Art Paradise built in District 6 in 2019 has the biggest open amphitheatre in the
country.[76] Since 2005, November 22 is Isfahan's National Day commemorated with various events.[77]
Based on a statue creator's symposium in 2020, the city decided to add 11 permanent art pieces to the
city's monuments.[78] َAncient traditions included Tirgan, Sepandārmazgān festivals, and historically,
men used to wear Kolah namadi.[79][80] The Isfahan School of painting flourished during the Safavid
era.[81][82][83] The Esfahan province annual theatre festival is in this city.[84] Theater performances
began in 1919 (1297 AH), and currently, there are 9 active theaters.[85][86][87]

Music

Bayat-e Esfahan is one of the melodic pieces of Iranian traditional music.[clarification needed]

Iranian singer Salar Aghili performed in the city of Isfahan on January 12 and 13, 2018, without the
female members of his band due to interference by local officials at the Ministry of Islamic Culture and
Guidance.[88]

Technology, ICT and media

Atlas for Isfahan Megacity is an internet service for data and statistics in Farsi made available in 2015.
[89][90][91] IRIB has a TV network and Radio channel in the city.[92] During the Qajar era, Farhang, the
first newspaper publication in the city, was printed for 13 years.[93]Iran Metropolises News
Agency(IMNA) formerly called Isfahan Municipality News Agency is based in the city.[94]

Philosophy and Islamic school

See also: School of Isfahan

Some major philosophers include Mir Damad, known for his concepts of time and nature, as well as
founding the School of Isfahan,[95] and Mir Fendereski, who was known for his examination of art and
philosophy within a society.[96]

Dialect

Esfahani is one of the main dialects of Western Persian.[97][98] Jewish districts have a unique dialect.
[99]
Cultural sites

See also: Isfahani style

Hall of Art, Isfahan

Main places

See also: Tourism in Iran

See also: List of historical structures in Isfahan Province

A handicraft shop

Shah Mosque. Painting by the French architect, Pascal Coste, visiting Persia in 1841

Si-o-se Pol

Naghsh-e-Jahan Square

View of Ali Qapu Palace

A carpet shop in Grand Bazaar, Isfahan

Khaju Bridge

Detail of Khaju Bridge

Armenian Vank Cathedral

The city centre consists of an older section revolving around the Jameh Mosque, and the Safavid
expansion around Naqsh-e Jahan Square, with nearby places of worship, palaces, and bazaars.[100]

Cemeteries

Bagh-e Rezvan Cemetery is one of the biggest and advanced in the country.[101] Other cemeteries
include New Julfa Armenian Cemetery & Takht-e Foulad.

Bazaars

Bazaar of Isfahan & Qeysarie Gate was built in– 17th century.Social hubs were opium houses &
coffeehouses clustered around Chahar bagh & Chehel sotun the best-known traditional coffeehouse is
qahva-ḵāna-ye Golestān[102][103][104][105][106][107] There is also Bazar Honar.

Bridges

Persian pottery from the city Isfahan, 17th century

The bridges on the Zayanderud river comprise some of the finest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest
bridge is the Shahrestan bridge, whose foundations were built by the Sasanian Empire (3rd–7th century
Sassanid era); it was repaired during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the Khaju bridge, which was
built by Shah Abbas II in 1650. It is 123 metres (404 feet) long with 24 arches, and also serves as a sluice
gate.