Shahrood
Encyclopedia
Shahrud
Shahrud ' onMouseout='HidePop("44969")' href="/topics/Shahrud_County">Shahrud County
, Semnan Province
, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 126,916, in 35,548 families.
Situated about an altitude of 4413 ft (1345 m), it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. Now, it is the largest city of Semnan Province
and also its county
has same position in the province. The main launch site of the Iranian Space Agency
is near Shahroud.
, half-way between the capital and Mashad, and at the junction with the Gorgan
road, sits the modern city of Shahrood, which has grown to absorb the historic town of Bastam situated in the hills a few kilometers to the north.
From the north, it is surrounded by the Alborz
mountains, and from the south by the arid salty deserts. The river of Tash, after crossing this town, reaches the south deserts. The weather on the mountainous areas is cold and it is somewhat temperate in other parts of the city.
Shahrood is located in the Damghan basin, a sub-basin of the Kavir basin which also contains the Great Salt Desert
.
As a modern city, the city of Shahrood was merely a village before the reign of Fath Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty, with two old castles and a small farm named "Shabdary". The surrounding areas however, such as Biarjomand, Miami and Bastam do have a distant history.
The old town of Bastam is located 6 kilometers north of Shahrood. Its pre-Islamic history is not clear, but according to some historians, it was built during Shapur II
period (310-379 CE). During the Abbasid
era, it was the second largest town (following Damghan
) in the Qomis province.
The town was visited by Nasser Khosrow Qubadiani, the great Iranian poet of the 12th century, and mentioned by him as the center of the Qomis province. But Bastam declined during the Mongol era assaults, and Shahrood eventually took its place.
Shahrud ' onMouseout='HidePop("44969")' href="/topics/Shahrud_County">Shahrud County
Shahrud County
Shahrud County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Shahrud. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 225,007, in 62,196 families. The county is subdivided into four districts: the Central District, Bastam District, Beyarjomand District, and Meyami District...
, Semnan Province
Semnan Province
Semnan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir desert in its southern parts.Counties of...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 126,916, in 35,548 families.
Situated about an altitude of 4413 ft (1345 m), it is located at latitude 36°25'N, longitude 055°01'E. Now, it is the largest city of Semnan Province
Semnan Province
Semnan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir desert in its southern parts.Counties of...
and also its county
Shahrud County
Shahrud County is a county in Semnan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Shahrud. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 225,007, in 62,196 families. The county is subdivided into four districts: the Central District, Bastam District, Beyarjomand District, and Meyami District...
has same position in the province. The main launch site of the Iranian Space Agency
Iranian Space Agency
The Iranian Space Agency is Iran's governmental space agency. Iran is an active participant in the Asian space race and became an orbital-launch-capable nation in 2009...
is near Shahroud.
Geography
Some 410 kilometers to the east of TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, half-way between the capital and Mashad, and at the junction with the Gorgan
Gorgan
Gorgan Some east of Gorgan is the Golestan National Park. The city has a regional airport and several universities. Gorgan Airport was opened in September 2005.-Etymology:...
road, sits the modern city of Shahrood, which has grown to absorb the historic town of Bastam situated in the hills a few kilometers to the north.
From the north, it is surrounded by the Alborz
Alborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
mountains, and from the south by the arid salty deserts. The river of Tash, after crossing this town, reaches the south deserts. The weather on the mountainous areas is cold and it is somewhat temperate in other parts of the city.
Shahrood is located in the Damghan basin, a sub-basin of the Kavir basin which also contains the Great Salt Desert
Dasht-e Kavir
Dasht-e Kavir , also known as Kavir-e Namak or Great Salt Desert is a large desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 kilometers long and 320 kilometers wide with a total surface area of about 77,600 square kilometers , making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert...
.
History
In 2006, traces of a prehistoric, 8,000-year-old settlements were found in Shahrud. The discoveries included ovens, craft workshops, and other evidence of settlements. http://www.payvand.com/news/06/mar/1023.htmlAs a modern city, the city of Shahrood was merely a village before the reign of Fath Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty, with two old castles and a small farm named "Shabdary". The surrounding areas however, such as Biarjomand, Miami and Bastam do have a distant history.
The old town of Bastam is located 6 kilometers north of Shahrood. Its pre-Islamic history is not clear, but according to some historians, it was built during Shapur II
Shapur II
Shapur II the Great was the ninth King of the Persian Sassanid Empire from 309 to 379 and son of Hormizd II. During his long reign, the Sassanid Empire saw its first golden era since the reign of Shapur I...
period (310-379 CE). During the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
era, it was the second largest town (following Damghan
Damghan
Damghan is a city in and capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families.Damghan is situated from Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of...
) in the Qomis province.
The town was visited by Nasser Khosrow Qubadiani, the great Iranian poet of the 12th century, and mentioned by him as the center of the Qomis province. But Bastam declined during the Mongol era assaults, and Shahrood eventually took its place.
Attractions
The most interesting historical sites of Shahrood are:- The Saljuki Mosque which is located in Bastam. Its construction belongs to the year 1120 C.E.
- The Village of Kharaqan which is located 12 kilometers from Bastam. It was a famous village during the 14th and the 15th centuries. The tomb of Abul-Hassan Kharaqani, who is one of the most famous Arefs (mysticsMysticismMysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
) of the Sufi groups of the 12th century, is located in this village. The brick building with its dome dates to the 12th century. - The Byar Castle ruins, which is located on the south-eastern area of Bastam, and is near to the desert edge of Byarjomand. This castle has an old mosque and an old wall with three gates.
- Farumad Mosque. Located in a village by the same name 165 km to the north east of Shahrud, the original construction of this magnificent historic monument belongs to the 13th century CE. Today nothing but the ruins and demolished columns and prayer hall of this structure catch the visitor's eyes. The reason for the building of such a mosque in this village was that Farumad and the surrounding villages had developed into a major center of political activity during the Sarbedaran MovementSarbadarsThe Sarbadars were a mixture of religious dervishes and secular rulers that came to rule over part of western Khurasan in the midst of the disintegration of the Mongol Ilkhanate in the mid-14th century...
during the later Ilkhanid period. - Shahrud Museum: Dating from the later Qajar and early PahlaviPahlavi dynastyThe Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
periods, originally belonging to the Shahrud Municipality and already located in the center of the town, this two-storied structure with brick facing was transformed into the present museum in 1988 after a series of major repair and renovation works. It is an interesting structure in terms of architectural style and exterior tile works. It houses both archaeological and ethnological sections.
Higher education
- Islamic Azad University of Shahrood
- Shahroud University of Medical Sciences
- Shahrood University of TechnologyShahrood University of TechnologyShahrood University of Technology is a university in the city of Shahrood in Semnan Province in Iran.The university was established as "The Shahrood College of Mines" in 1973, and was elevated to university status in 1994.Finally, thanks to the efforts and pursuit of university president and the...
http://www.shahroodut.ac.ir/