Tabriz

Lying at on altitude of 1.340 meters above sea level ,619km northwest of Tehran ,the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960's and one of its former capitals (with a population of 1,400,000 according to 1992 census) Tabriz is located in a valley to the north of the long ridge of mount Sahand. The valley opens out into a plain that slopes down gently to the northern end of Lake Orumieh, 60 km to the west.

By virtue of its situation, Tabriz has an agreeable summer climate, but the cold in winter is severing. Altogether, it has a continental climate with low humidity; the average annual rainfall is 22 mm.

The town has a long and checkered history:

Although the early history of Tabriz shrouded in legend and mystery, the town's origins are believed to date back to distant antiquity, perhaps even before the Sassanian era (224-651 AD). The oldest stone tablet with a reference to Tabriz is that of Sargon II, the Assyrian King. The tablet referrers to place called Tauri Castle and Tarmkis. The historians believe that this castle was situated on the site of the present Tabriz.

Sights to See

• Azerbaijan Museum
  Azerbaijan Museum, constructed in 195 and inaugurated in 1962, it consist of The following three main sections:
  A) Ethnological Section, representing costumes and characteristics
  B) Archaeological section
  C) History of constitutional Revolution section.

• Bazaar
  Strolling in the center of Tabriz. Its architectural style, numerous caravansaries, Mosques, and schools have added further beauty and glory to this complex. It is a 15th century structure because of the blue tiles used in the decoration of both interior and exterior of the mosque; it has become to be known as the turquoise of Islam.

• Arg-e Alishah
  Arg-e Alishah or Citadel of Tabriz is the impressive reminder of a great and imposing building in the town.

• Golestan Garden
  Also called the national Park, this garden is one of the main recreation centers of the city and covers an area of 53,000 square meters.

• Baghe-melli or El goli
  The national park a pleasant hillside garden and park around an artificial lake to The area of 54,675 square meters.

• Poets Mausoleum
  Know as the sho'ara Cemetery, the Mausoleum is the resting place of more than fifty famous Iranian poets, mystics, scientists and theologians.

• Constitutional House
  The edifice is located next to the Tabriz grand bazaar. During the years which led to the Constitutional Revolution and afterwards, the house was used as the gathering place of the leaders, activists, and the sympathizers of the movement.

Excursions around Tabriz

• Kandovan
  A living example of human adaptation to exceptionally unusual natural surroundings, Kandovan village is located 50 km to the south of Tabriz, Osku, on the northern slopes of a valley at the foothills of mount Sahand.

• Maragheh
  Maragheh can be reached by the good 130-km asphalt road south of Tabriz, in less than 2 hours. The run is delightful, skirting Mount Sahand, whose ridge 3,722 meters above sea level protects the town from the harsh winter cold experienced in Tabriz.