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Tabriz

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Tabriz is a major metropolitan area in northwestern Iran.

Tabriz Aerial View
Tabriz Aerial View

It serves as the capital of East Azerbaijan province. The city is also the center of Tabriz County and its district. With over 1.7 million residents, it is the sixth-most-populous city in Iran.

Tabriz Metro on Bridge
Tabriz Metro on Bridge

Tabriz acts as the largest economic hub for the entire northwest region. It is located in the Quru River valley. This valley sits between the Sahand and Eynali mountain ranges. The landscape consists of long ridges of volcanic cones. The valley floor eventually slopes toward the eastern shores of Lake Urmia.

Landscape of Tabriz 05
Landscape of Tabriz 05

The city is a massive center for heavy industry. It produces automobiles and various machine tools. Factories in the area also manufacture cement, textiles, and petrochemicals.

Tabriz university 2009
Tabriz university 2009

Beyond industry, Tabriz is famous for its high-quality handicrafts. The World Crafts Council named it a World Carpet Weaving City in 2015.

Tabrizi Rug Assingment april 04 common patterns
Tabrizi Rug Assingment april 04 common patterns

People here are skilled at making hand-woven rugs and fine jewelry. The city is also a center for intellectual activity and culture. Most residents are bilingual. They speak Azerbaijani as their native language. They also use Persian as a second language. Local food, including chocolate and dried nuts, is famous throughout Iran.

Many people wonder about the name of the city. Some sources suggest it comes from the term "tap-riz." This means "flowing hot" in reference to local thermal springs.

Tabriz City Hall
Tabriz City Hall

Other historical accounts offer different stories. One popular legend claims King Tiridates II of Armenia changed the name in AD 246. He allegedly named it "Tauris" to mean "this revenge" after a battle. However, historians note this is a story of popular origin. It is based on 13th-century accounts rather than ancient records. Other researchers link the name to the ancient stronghold of Tarui-Tarmakisa. Some believe the name may even be a pre-Iranian toponym.

The history of Tabriz is incredibly deep and complex. Archaeologists found an Iron Age graveyard from the 1st millennium B.C. near the Blue Mosque.

بازار تبريز
بازار تبريز

The city was even mentioned in an Assyrian King Sargon II epigraph in 714 B.C. Over many centuries, the city has been a capital for various rulers. It was the capital for the Qara Qoyunlu state from 1375 to 1468. Later, the Ag Qoyunlu used it as their capital until 1501. The Safavid dynasty also proclaimed it their capital in 1501. The city has survived many changes in power and many different dynasties.

However, the city has also faced great hardship and destruction. Tabriz has been hit by many devastating earthquakes throughout history. In 1721, a large earthquake killed about 80,000 residents. In 1780, a massive earthquake killed as many as 200,000 people. This left only about 30,000 survivors in the city. The city has also been a site of war and invasion. The Ottoman army occupied the city at various times. In the early 19th century, the Qajar dynasty lost Caucasian territories to Imperial Russia. This happened following two Russo-Persian Wars. These events shaped the modern borders of the region.

Despite these challenges, Tabriz remained a vital commercial nexus. It was a key stop on the ancient Silk Road. In the 13th century, the Mongol ruler Ghazan Khan made it a chief administrative center.

He built new walls and many public buildings to serve traders. The famous traveler Marco Polo visited the city around 1275. He described it as a great city with beautiful, pleasant gardens.

A Page from the only manuscript of Safina-ye Tabrizi
A Page from the only manuscript of Safina-ye Tabrizi

Because of its location, it connected the Far East to Europe. It linked Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean to the Caucasus and Eastern Europe.

Today, Tabriz is a place where history and modernity meet. It contains many historical monuments from the Ilkhanid, Safavid, and Qajar periods. The grand Bazaar of Tabriz is a famous World Heritage Site.

The city is also a major transport hub. It features a railway station and a metro system.

TabrizRail
TabrizRail
Tabriz Metro on Bridge
Tabriz Metro on Bridge

As the closest Iranian hub to Europe, it helped lead early modernization in the country. It remains an essential center for trade, industry, and culture in the northwest.

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🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:Tabriz-16.PNG
Tabriz-16.PNG
File:Sham_Ghazan,_mausoleum_of_Ghazan_in_Tabriz_(also_called_Gunbad-i_'Âlî)_(BNF,_Supplément_Persan_1113_f.256v-257).jpg
Sham_Ghazan,_mausoleum_of_Ghazan_in_Tabriz...
File:Ottoman capture of Tabriz in 1618 by Damat Halil Pasha. Şehname-i Nadiri (Nadiri's book of kings) (1620s).jpg
Ottoman capture of Tabriz in 1618 by...
File:Tabriz Aerial View.JPG
Tabriz Aerial View.JPG
File:Roshdiyeh Tabriz.jpg
Roshdiyeh Tabriz.jpg
File:A Page from the only manuscript of Safina-ye Tabrizi.jpg
A Page from the only manuscript of...
File:Tabriz City Hall.jpg
Tabriz City Hall.jpg
File:Municipality of tabriz.jpg
Municipality of tabriz.jpg
File:Khusraw at Shirin’s Palace.jpg
Khusraw at Shirin’s Palace.jpg
File:Tabrizi Rug Assingment april 04 common patterns.jpg
Tabrizi Rug Assingment april 04 common...
File:بازار تبريز.jpg
بازار تبريز.jpg
File:Tabriz university 2009.jpg
Tabriz university 2009.jpg

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