Hamadan

For the province with this name, see Hamedan Province. For the county, see Hamedan County. For the Yemeni tribal group, see Banu Hamedan.

Hamedan همدان
city
Ancient names: Ecbatana, Hegmatana
Montage of Hamedan, Clockwise from top left:Abu Ibun Sina Mauseleum and Mosalla Park, Ganj Nameh Waterfall, Ganjnameh ancient tombs, Baba Taher
Country	Iran
Province	Hamedan
County	Hamedan
Bakhsh	Central
Elevation	1,850 m (6,069 ft)
Population  (2006)
• Total	473,149
• Rank	14th in Iran
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4:30 (IRDT)
Website	http://www.e-hamedan.ir/

Hamadān or Hamedān (Persian: همدان, Old Persian: Hagmatana, Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 473,149, in 127,812 families.

Hamedan is believed to be among the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in the world. It is possible that it was occupied by the Assyrians in 1100 BCE; the Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, states that it was the capital of the Medes, around 700 BCE.

Hamedan has a green mountainous area in the foothills of the 3,574-meter Alvand Mountain, in the midwest part of Iran. The city is 1,850 meters above sea level.

The special nature of this old city and its historic sites attract tourists during the summer to this city, located approximately 360 km southwest of Tehran.

The main symbols of this city are the Ganjnameh inscription, the Avicenna monument and the Baba Taher monument. People of the city are Persians and speak Persian.

History

Further information: Ecbatana

16th century map of Hamedan

The Ganjnameh, a cuneiform inscription in Hamadan

According to Clifford Edmund Bosworth, "Hamadan is very old city. It may conceivably, but improbably, be mentioned in cuneiform texts from ca. 1100 BC, the time of Assyrian King Tiglath-pilesar I, but is certainly mentioned by Herodotus (i.98) who says that the king of Media Diokes built the city of Agbatana or Ekbatana in the 7th century BC."

Hamadan was established by the Medes and was the capital of the Median empire. It then became one of several capital cities of the Achaemenid Dynasty.

Hamadan is mentioned in the biblical book of Ezra as the place where a scroll was found giving the Jews permission from King Darius to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (Ezra 6:2). Its ancient name of Ecbatana is used in the Ezra text. Because it was a mile above sea level, it was a good place to preserve leather documents. During the Parthian era, Ctesiphon was the capital of the country, and Hamadan the summer capital and residence of the Parthian rulers. After the Parthians, the Sassanids constructed their summer palaces in Hamadan. In the year 633 the battle of Nahavand took place and Hamadan fell into the hands of the Muslim Arabs.

During the Buwayhids, the city suffered much damage. In the 11th century, the Seljuks shifted their capital from Baghdad to Hamadan. The city of Hamadan, its fortunes following the rise and fall of regional powers, was completely destroyed during the Timurid invasion. During the Safavid era the city thrived. Thereafter, in the 18th century, Hamadan was surrendered to the Ottomans, but due to the courage and chivalry of Nader Shah Afshar, Hamadan was cleared of invaders and, as a result of a peace treaty between Iran and the Ottomans, it was returned to Iran. Hamadan stands on the Silk Road, and even in recent centuries the city enjoyed strong commerce and trade as a result of its location on the main road network in the western region of Persia and Iran.

During World War I, the city was the scene of heavy fighting between Russian and Turko-German forces. It was occupied by both armies, and finally by the British, before it was returned to control of the Iranian government at the end of the war in 1918.

Climate

File:Hamadanj1.jpg

Landscape in Hamadan Province

Hamadan province lies in a temperate mountainous region to the east of Zagros. The vast plains of the north and northeast of the province are influenced by strong winds, that almost last throughout the year. The various air currents of this region are: the north and north west winds of the spring and winter seasons, which are usually humid and bring rainfall. The west-east air currents that blow in the autumn, and the local winds that develop due to difference in air-pressure between the elevated areas and the plains, like the blind wind of the Asad Abad region.

Hamadan is in the vicinity of the Alvand mountains and has a cold, mountainous climate, with snowy winters. In fact, it is one of the coldest cities in Iran. The temperature may drop below -30°C on the coldest days. Heavy snowfall is common during winter and this can persist for periods of up to two months. During the short summer, the weather is mild, pleasant, and mostly sunny.

Climate data for Hamedan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	2.0 (35.6)	4.3 (39.7)	11.5 (52.7)	18.1 (64.6)	23.9 (75.0)	30.9 (87.6)	34.9 (94.8)	34.2 (93.6)	29.8 (85.6)	21.9 (71.4)	13.7 (56.7)	5.9 (42.6)	19.3 (66.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−10.5 (13.1)	−8.2 (17.2)	−2.1 (28.2)	2.7 (36.9)	6.4 (43.5)	9.8 (49.6)	13.9 (57.0)	12.8 (55.0)	7.0 (44.6)	2.5 (36.5)	−2.1 (28.2)	−6.6 (20.1)	2.1 (35.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	46.3 (1.82)	43.6 (1.72)	49.4 (1.94)	49.8 (1.96)	37.8 (1.49)	3.7 (0.15)	2.0 (0.08)	1.8 (0.07)	0.8 (0.03)	20.7 (0.81)	26.9 (1.06)	40.9 (1.61)	323.7 (12.74)
Average precipitation days	11.6	11.1	12.4	12.1	9.5	2.0	1.3	1.6	1.0	5.6	6.8	10.1	85.1
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)

Culture

The inside view of Avicenna's tomb in Hamedan, Iran.

The Grigori Stephan Church in Hamadan, Iran.

Hamadan is home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Handicrafts: Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramic, and beautiful carpets.

Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 207 sites of historical and cultural significance in the city of Hamadan alone.

A traditional tomb housing the biblical Esther and her cousin Mordechai is located in Hamadan.

The scientist and writer known in the west as Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina) is buried in Hamadan.

The 11th century Iranian poet Baba Taher is also interred in Hamadan.

It is the birthplace of Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadani, author of the Maqamat.

• 
  The Ganjnameh
• 
  Gonbade Alavian in Hamadan.
• 
  Borj-e Qorbân

People

According to the survey of 1997, the population of Hamadan province was 1,677,957. Based on official statistics of 1997, the population of Hamadan county was 563444 peoples (with overwhelming majority living in Hamadan city). In Hamadan city, 97% of the people identified their language as Persian and 3% other languages.

view

Hamedan Night Panorama

Gallery

• 
  Avicenna Mausoleum
• Hegmatane ancient city in Hamedan.
  Hegmatane ancient city in Hamedan.
• Kolab square
  Kolab square
• 
  Golden Rhyton from Iran's Achaemenid period from Ecbatana.
• 
  The traditional tomb of Esther and Mordechai.
• 
  A potter – Lalejin
• 
  Ali-Sadr Cave in Hamedan.
• 
  View of Baba Taher's tomb
• 
  Hamedan Jameh mosque
• 
  Tomb of Esther and Mordechai
• 
  Silver Drachma of Parthian king Mithridates II made in Ecbatan mint
• 
  Inside of Baba Taher's tomb
• 
  Alvand peak
• 
  meidan Mishan
• 
  The handwriting of Canon of Medicine in the Tomb of Avicenna
• 
  Emamzade Abdollah mosque

Contemporary culture and extras

The residents of Hamadan are very proud of the city's historical heritage. Another source of their pride is Avicenna (aka Bouali, Buali, Ebn-e-sina, Pur-e-Sina) who is buried in Hamadan. Primary schools, high schools, and the city's main university are named after him. Even shops and businesses are named after him. Bouali Street is a very busy one and a favorite pastime of Hamadanians is to stroll up and down the street where they frequently bump into their acquaintances. The city has a population of around 600,000 including its outer suburbs. Hamadan is generally a prosperous city; the northern districts are mainly lower middle-class or working class, whereas the southern half of city is where the upper middle class and the rich live.

Sport

PAS Hamedan F.C. participate in the IPL and are Hamadan's highest status football club which were founded on June 9, 2007 after the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C.

Main sights

• Ali Sadr Cave
• Avicenna mausoleum
• Baba Tahir Mausleum
• Estakhr e Abbas Abad- a lake with a magnificent view of the city.
• Tomb of Esther and Mordechai
• Excavated Ancient Ekbatana City
• Ganjnameh
• Gonbad-e Alavian
• Hamadan Museum of Natural History
• Hamadan Stone Lion
• Lalejin
• Mohammadi House
• Nazari House

Sister cities

• Kulyab, Tajikistan
• Bukhara, Uzbekistan
• Isparta, Turkey

Colleges and universities

• Bu-Ali Sina University
• Hamedan Medical University
• Islamic Azad University of Hamadan
• Hamadan University of Technology

Famous Hamadanians

• Abolhassan Banisadr, Economist, Politician, the first post-revolutionary elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Amir Nosrat'ollah Balakhanlou, Born in Tehran — Two-time Mayor and MP for Hamadan (1950s and early 1960s).
• Ahmad reza Darvish, film director
• Amir-Shahab Razavian, film director, writer and producer
• Ardeshir Bahmani, A veteran teacher and a national expert on Hafez poems
• Baba-Taher-e Oryan, Iranian famous Poet (1100 A.c)
• Bahar Soomekh, Renown Iranian-born Jewish American actress (Hamadanian father)
• Ebrahim Bahrololoum Razavi, Philosopher, and the first Iranian to receive a doctorate degree in Philosophy )University of Baghdad) (1954)
• Ein-Alqozat Hamadani (عین القضات همدانی), Great philosopher and sufist (1100 A.C)
• Ehsan Yarshater, Historian, scientists, and founder of Encyclopædia Iranica; born in Hamadan
• Fazlollah Zahedi, Military general
• Fereydoun Moshiri, Originally is from Hamadan, but was born in Tehran, Contemporary Poet
• Hanieh Tavassoli, Actress
• Gitti Khosravi, opera singer, woman writer and artist
• Hosseini Davar, Celebrated pro-Mossadeq poet
• Jalal Cheshmeh-Ghassabani, National Mountaineer who has successfully climbed Mount Everest twice
• Joseph Emin, (1726–1809), A major activist in the attempts to liberate Armenia during the 18th century
• Hamed Monsheezade, one of founders of Iran's LGBT right's movement. He was found dead under suspicious circumstances on April 1, 1973, his body having been beaten and castrated.
• Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, A celebrated sufi saint and poet.
• Mirza Farid Golgoon, aka Farid od-Dowleh Golgoon, was appointed Governor of Hamadan by one of Qajars shah. He was the pioneer of accountability in local governments in Iran. He was the creator of Golgoon news paper, beside building many schools and hospitals in the region. A democratic man seeking democracy and freedom for all citizens from the Monarchs.
• Mirzadeh Eshghi, A celebrated nationalist poet
• Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi Celebrated poet (1300 A.C)
• Parviz Parastouei, Acclaimed actor
• Shirin Ebadi, Lawyer and the 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate
• Mirza Gholam-Hossein Bargharari, Philosopher and poet
• Mohammad-Ali Zolfi-Gol, Chemist and the current chancellor of Buali Sina University
• Samuel Rahbar, Scientist
• Abolmohsen Salemi (1913–2008), journalist, lawyer, poet, writer and newspaper publisher.
• Masoud Sheikh famous Iranian artist in painting- sculpture - statue-creator of new type of art in the world ( sheikhism).he was born in kolanej(Hamedan)-(1947).

See also

• Ganj Nameh
• Baba Taher Orian
• Ali Sadr Cave
• Hamadan Airport
• Wojtek (soldier bear)that was famous bear in the world . atth was died in Poland.

External links

• Hamedan Medical University [2]
• Ecbatana, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• Gandj Nameh, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• The Bisotun inscription, Photos from Iran, Livius.
• Photos from Hamadan City
• Hamadan City
• Hamadan: Older than history
• Hamadan; Capital of Median Empire
• Iconos satellite photo (January, 2005)
• Google Satellite Picture
• Hamedan Cultural Heritage Organization
• Hegmataneh Official Website
• Hamadān entries in the Encyclopædia Iranica
• Various Photos of Hamadan - Photos of Esthers Shirne, Tomb of Avicenna, Gonbad Alavian, Tomb of Baba Taher, Stone Lion, Ganjnameh and the City.