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:''This page is about the city of 'Hamedan'. For the province with this name, see Hamadan Province. For the Yemeni tribal group, see Banu Hamadan''

'Hamadan' or 'Hamedan' ( Persian: همدان , Old Persian: Hagmatana, Ancient Greek: Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. It had an estimated population of 550,284 in 2005.^[1]
Hamedan is believed to be amongst the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in the world.
Hamedan is a green mountainous area on the foothills of the 3574-meter Alwand Mountain,in the mid west of Iran. The city is 1850 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 400km southwest of Tehran.

Contents

History

Climate

Culture

Contemporary Culture

Sport

Attractions

Sister cities

Colleges and universities

Famous Hamedanians

See also

References

External links

History

Some historians believe that Hamedan's construction dates back to 3000 BC and according to an inscription from the first Assyrian king , it is attributed to 1100 BC.
Hamedan 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 Hamedan the summer capital and residence of the Parthian rulers. After the Parthians, the Sassanids constructed their summer palaces in Hamedan. In the year 633 the war of Nahavand took place and Hamedan 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 Hamedan.
The city of Hamedan, 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, Hamedan was surrendered to the Ottomans, but due to the courage and chivalry of Nader Shah Afshar, Hamedan was cleared of invaders and, as a result of a peace treaty between Iran and the Ottomans, it was returned to Iran. Hamedan 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

Hamedan 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 about 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.
Hamedan being in the vicinity of the Alvand mountains 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 snowfalls are common during winter. Summer is short , and the weather is mild and pleasant and mostly sunny.

Culture

Hamedan is also home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.
''Handicrafts'': Hamedan has always been well-known for handicrafts like leather and ceramic work as well as for its beautiful carpets.
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 207 sites of historical and cultural significance in the city of Hamedan alone.
Legend has it that the biblical Esther is buried in Hamedan.
The scientist and writer known in the west as Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina) is buried in Hamedan.
The 11th century Persian poet Baba Taher is also interred in Hamedan.
It is the birthplace of Badi` al-Zaman al-Hamadhani, author of the Maqamat.

Contemporary Culture

People of Hamedan are very proud of their old history. Another source of their pride is Avicenna (aka Bouali, Buali, Ebn-e-sina, Pur-e-Sina) who is buried in Hamedan. In Hamedan, you can find primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, colleges, and the main city's university names after him. Also, there are many shops and businesses named after him. The main street of Hamedan is also named Bouali. Bouali Street is a very busy one and in fact, a favorite pastime of Hamedanians is to troll up and down the street where they frequently bump into their acquaintances.

Sport

PAS Hamedan F.C. who will participate in the 07/08 IPL are Hamedan's highest status football club, founded on June 9, 2007 after the dissolution of PAS Tehran F.C..

Attractions

★ Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina) Ibn Sina mausoleum

★ Baba Tahir Mausleum

★ Ali Sadr Cave

★ Gonbad-e Alavian

★ Ganjnameh

★ Hamedan Stone Lion

★ Shrine of Esther and Mordechai

★ Estakhr e Abbas Abad (an over-the-hill lake with a magnificent view to the city.

★ Nazari House

★ Hamedan Museum of Natural History

★ Excavated Ancient Ekbatana City

★ Ester & Mordekhai tomb

★ Mohammadi House

Sister cities

★ Kulyab, Tajikistan

Colleges and universities

★ # Bu-Ali Sina University

★ # University of Medical Sciences of Hamedan

★ # Islamic Azad University of Hamedan

★ # Hamedan University of Technology

Famous Hamedanians

★ Abolhassan Banisadr, Economist, Politician, the first elected President of Iran

★ Ardeshir Bahmani, A veteran teacher and a national expert on Hafez poems

★ Baba-Taher-e Oryan, Iranian famous Poet (1100 A.c)

★ Amir Nosrat'ollah Balakhanlou, Born in Tehran — Two-time Mayor and MP for Hamedan (1950s and early 1960s). شهردار مردمي شهر همدان

★ Ein-alghozzat Hamedani, Great philosopher and sufist (1100 A.C)

★ Fazlollah Zahedi, military general

★ Fereydoun Moshiri, Originally is from Hamedan, but was born in Tehran, Contemporary Poet

★ Hanieh Tawasolli, Iranian actress

★ Bahar Soomekh, Famous Iranian-born Jewish American actress (Hamedian father)

★ Hasan Habibi, Politician

★ Hosseini Davar, a famous pro-Mossadeq poet

★ Khosrow Golsorkhi, Military General, Champion against Mohammad reza Shah, Poet,

★ Mirzadeh Eshghi, famous poet

★ Mohammad fakhreddin-e Araghi, Iranian famous poet (1300 A.C)

★ Parviz Parastouei, famous Iranian actor

★ Shirin Ebadi, Lawyer, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

★ Jalal Cheshmeh-Ghassabani, National Mountaineer who has successfully climbed Mount Everest twice

★ Mirza Gholamhosein Bargharari, Great philosopher and poet

★ Profesor ZolfiGol

★ Ehsan Yarshater, Born in Hamedan, living in USA, founder of Encyclopedia IRANICA. Historian and scientist.

★ Dr. Ebrahim Bahrololoum Razavi, PHD, Iranian philosopher, first Iranian to receive a doctorate degree in Philosophy. 1954 University of Bagdad.

See also

★ Ganj Nameh

★ Baba Taher Orian

★ Ali Sadr Cave

References

1.
http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/2005_world_city_populations/Iran.html

External links

★ Photos from Hamedan City

★ Hamedan City

★ Hamedan: Older than history

★ Hamedan; 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 Hamedan - Photos of Esthers Shirne, Tomb of Avicenna, Gonbad Alavian, Tomb of Baba Taher, Stone Lion, Ganjnameh and the City.