Hamadan

"Hamedan" redirects here. For other uses, see Hamedan (disambiguation).

Hamadan همدان
city
Ancient names: Ecbatana, Hangmatana
Official seal of Hamadan Seal
Hamadan Hamadan in Iran
Coordinates:
Country	Iran
Province	Hamadan
County	Hamadan
Bakhsh	Central
Elevation	1,850 m (6,069 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	473,149
• Rank	14th in Iran
Time zone	IRST (UTC+3:30)
• Summer (DST)	IRDT (UTC+4:30)
Website	www.hamedan.ir

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

Hamadan 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.

Hamadan 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 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of Tehran.

The main symbols of this city are the Ganj Nameh inscription, the Avicenna monument and the Baba Taher monument. The majority of the population is Persian; however, there is a considerable Azerbaijani minority.

History

Further information: Ecbatana

16th century map of Hamadan

The Ganjnameh, a cuneiform inscription in Hamadan

Silver Drachma of Parthian king Mithridates II made in Ecbatan mint

According to Clifford Edmund Bosworth, "Hamadan is a 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 work of Nader Shah e 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

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.

Hamadan spot (light blue in center) in Hamadan province topography map

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.

Climate data for Hamedan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.0 (62.6)	19.0 (66.2)	25.0 (77)	28.0 (82.4)	33.0 (91.4)	39.0 (102.2)	40.6 (105.1)	39.4 (102.9)	36.4 (97.5)	30.0 (86)	23.0 (73.4)	18.8 (65.8)	40.6 (105.1)
Average high °C (°F)	2.0 (35.6)	4.3 (39.7)	11.5 (52.7)	18.1 (64.6)	23.9 (75)	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)	19.26 (66.66)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−4.6 (23.7)	−2.2 (28)	4.5 (40.1)	10.4 (50.7)	15.5 (59.9)	21.3 (70.3)	25.3 (77.5)	24.3 (75.7)	19.0 (66.2)	12.1 (53.8)	5.3 (41.5)	−0.9 (30.4)	10.83 (51.48)
Average low °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)	12.8 (55)	7.0 (44.6)	2.5 (36.5)	−2.1 (28.2)	−6.6 (20.1)	2.13 (35.83)
Record low °C (°F)	−34 (−29)	−33.0 (−27.4)	−21 (−6)	−12.0 (10.4)	−3.0 (26.6)	2.0 (35.6)	7.0 (44.6)	4.0 (39.2)	−4.0 (24.8)	−7.0 (19.4)	−14.5 (5.9)	−29 (−20)	−34 (−29)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	46.3 (1.823)	43.6 (1.717)	49.4 (1.945)	49.8 (1.961)	37.8 (1.488)	3.7 (0.146)	2.0 (0.079)	1.8 (0.071)	0.8 (0.031)	20.7 (0.815)	26.9 (1.059)	40.9 (1.61)	323.7 (12.745)
Average rainy 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
Average snowy days	8.8	8.2	4.2	0.6	0	0	0	0	0	0.2	0.9	6.9	29.8
Average relative humidity (%)	76	73	64	56	50	36	31	31	34	48	61	73	52.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	131.8	137.1	174.5	199.6	258.5	341.8	342.7	322.2	295.6	234.3	183.1	135.3	2,756.5
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)

Hamadan is in the vicinity of the Alvand mountains and has a dry summer continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dsa), in transition with a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with snowy winters. In fact, it is one of the coldest cities in Iran. The temperature may drop below −30 °C (−22 °F) 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.

Heydare, Hamadan

Alvand Mountain

Mishan, a plain of Alvand Mountain

Panoramic view

Hamadan at night

People

According to the survey of 1997, the population of the province of Hamadan was 1,677,957. Based on official statistics of 1997, the population of Hamadan county was 563,444 people. The majority of population are Persians with a sizeable minority of Azeris, and a small group of Jews.

Culture

The Saint Mary Church of Hamadan

The Stone Lion

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

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

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

A tomb believed by some to hold the remains of tomb 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.

This city is also the birthplace of Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadani, author of the Maqamat.

Gallery

• 

  Tomb of Baba Taher

• 

  Inside the tomb of Baba Taher

• 

  The Tomb of Avicenna

• 

  The handwriting of Canon of Medicine in the Tomb of Avicenna

• 

  Tomb of Esther and Mordechai, a tomb believed by some to hold the remains of Esther and Mordechai

• 

  Inside the structure alleged by some to be the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai

• 

  Emamzade Abdollah Mosque

• 

  Dome of Alavian(related with [[M

• Hamadan - Borj-e Qorban.jpg

  Qorban Tower

• 

  Ganj Nameh

• Ali Sadr Cave, Hamadan Province, Iran,siamak sabet.jpg

  Ali-Sadr Cave

Sport

PAS Hamedan F.C. were founded on June 9, 2007 after the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C.. The team, along with Alvand Hamedan F.C., currently participates in the Azadegan League.

Some sport complexes in this city include: Qods Stadium, Shahid Mofatteh Stadium, Takhti Sport Complex and the National Stadium of Hamadan.

Education

University of Technology, in Hamadan

Before the Persian Constitutional Revolution, education in Hamadan was limited to some Maktab Houses and theological schools. Fakhrie Mozafari School was the first modern school of Hamadan, which was built after that revolution. Alliance and Lazarist were also the first modern schools founded by foreign institutions in Hamadan.

Some of the popular universities in Hamadan include:

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

Famous Hamadanians

Shirin Ebadi

Fazlollah Zahedi and his family

• Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, poet and scholar
• Abolhassan Banisadr, economist, politician, and 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 City (1950s and early 1960s)
• Amir-Shahab Razavian, film director, writer and producer
• Baba-Taher-e Oryan, a famous Poet (1100 A.c)
• Ein-Alqozat Hamadani, a great philosopher and sufist (1100 A.C)
• Ehsan Yarshater, historian, scientists, and founder of Encyclopædia Iranica
• Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi, celebrated poet (1300 A.C)
• Farid al-Dawla Golgoon, Farid-al-Dawla was a trusted political figure in Hamadān, a constitutionalist and a journalist, Mayor.
• Fazlollah Zahedi, military general
• Fereydoun Moshiri, contemporary poet (originally from Hamadan, but born in Tehran)
• Hanieh Tavassoli, actress
• Joseph Emin, a major activist in the attempts to liberate Armenia during the 18th century
• Mirzadeh Eshghi, a celebrated nationalist poet
• Parviz Parastouei, acclaimed actor
• Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, Persian statesman, historian and physician of the 13th-14th centuries
• Shirin Ebadi, lawyer and the 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate
• Samuel Rahbar, scientist
• Viguen, known as the king of Persian pop and jazz music

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Iran

Twin towns – Sister cities

Hamadan is twinned with:

Kulyab, Tajikistan Bukhara, Uzbekistan Isparta, Turkey Yekaterinburg, Russia

See also

• Ganj Nameh
• Baba Taher Orian
• Ali Sadr Cave
• Hamadan Airport
• Wojtek

External links

• Hamadan Medical University
• 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 (Persian)
• Hegmataneh Official Website
• Hamadān entries in the

Preceded by -	Capital of Median Empire As "Ecbatana" 678–549 BCE	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Capital of Achaemenid Empire (Persia) As "Ecbatana" Served as Summer Capital 550–330 BCE	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Isfahan	Capital of Seljuq Empire (Persia) (Western capital) 1118–1194	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Isfahan	Capital of Iran (Persia) 1118–1194	Succeeded by Gurganj