Tabriz City Hall

Tabriz, the capital of the East Azerbaijan province, is one of  the largest and historical cities of Iran.It lies at 1340 meters above the sea level, and has an area of about 11,800 square kilometers, and a population of about 1.5 million people.The city lies at the eastern corner of an alluvial plain with a moderate slope towardsUrmia lake where the ruddy mountains of Ovn-Ebne-Ali (Einali), Pekechin, Bohlool and Baba Baghi are located while, mountain chains of Sahand and its hills are situated in the south of this area. In the north and north-west of Tabriz, Talkheh Rood River (Aji chai) flows into Urmia lake. The temperature varies from -10ºC to 38ºC during the year. It enjoys a pleasant and low- humid weather. Its people speak Azari (a dialect of Turkish) language. There are several historical monuments retaining their colourful past and architecture some of them to pen down are:   Blue Mosque, Ali shah Ark (mosque), Jameh Mosque, Historical Bazar, the house of Mashroutiat (meaning constitution), the Tomb of Kamals, Aji chai Bridge, Azarbaijan Museum, El-Goli and the building of Sahand Architecture Faculty.    

                                   Il Goli in the valley of the Taikel river

Furthermore, Tabriz possesses some prosperous summer resorts like Ligvan, Kandovan, a touristy village and Payam. 

(View of Kandavan Village Unusual Constructions)

Tabriz is named the city of Gardens for its beautiful, exhilarating gardens, fields and several springs. Tabriz also gets the name of ‘The city of the first ones’ as the following facts address themselves: establishment of the first printing house (with Islamic writing), the first school and the first kindergarden, the first school for the blind and the deaf,  the compilation and publication of the first book for children, the development of Nastalig handwriting method, the publication of the First newspaper and the establishment of the first university (among Iranian cities).

        Tabriz, one of the historical regions of Azerbaijan has played an important role in the history of Iran along with the neighboring regions from cultural, social and political points of view. Many poets, literary men, intellectuals artists, politicians and revolutionists of this city and adjusting regions are world- famous. Hakim Nezami, Khaghani, Ghatran, Sa’eeb, Homam, Mulla Mohammad Fouzooli, Shams Tabrizi, Abol-ghasem Nabati, Khata’ee, Mirza Yousef Etesam-ol-Molk, Parvin E’tesami, Iraj Mirza Mohammad Khan Tarbiat, Haj Reza Sarraf, Mohammad Hossein Shahryar, Mirza Hossein Roshdieh, Allameh Amini, Allameh Tabataba’ee,  Allameh Jafari, Professor Hashtroodi, Jabbar Baghcheban, Mir Ali Tabrizi, Mirza Ali Seghat- ol - Islam, Sattar Khan (Sardar Melli; meaning National Hero or Commander) Bagher Khan (Salar Melli; meaning National Leader), Ali Monsieur, Haj Ali Davachi, Hossein Khan Baghban, Shahid (meaning Martyr) Bakeri, and some others are examples of Azerbaijanian glories.

(Statue of Shahriyar, the great contemporary poet)

Tabriz is famous for its industries and handicrafts such as carpet– weaving,  crochet works, weaving and silver works. Its carpets are worth to mention as they are world- famous.

This city is considered as an industrial pole of the country because of machine, tractor and piston manufacturing companies and its oil refinery, petrochemical complex and some other industries.

In retrospect, the establishment of a  university in Tabriz can be described as a forseeable enactment. It dates back to more than 700 years ago,when Khajeh Rashid- idin Fazlollah, the minister of Ghazan  Khan, established a big academic quarter named Rabe Rashidi in Tabriz. This scientific and educational complex was equipped with a big paper factory, a big library, an educational- treatment center (Dar-ol- Shafa), Dar-ol-Qoran, a residence facility for teachers (Olama’s Quarter), student’s quarter, big caravanseraies and other facilities. Thousands of students from Iran and other Islamic countries studied their desired subjects here, under the supervision of intellectuals, scientists, physicians and foghaha (meaning Islamic Scientists) from Iran and several countries such as India, China, Egypt and Sham  (Syria).