About Esfahan City

Isfahan or Eşfahān (historically also rendered as Ispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān, Persian: اصفهان Eṣfahān), located about 340 km south of Tehran at 32°39′5″N, 51°40′45″E Coordinates: 32°39′5″N, 51°40′45″E, is the capital of Esfahan Province and Iran's third largest city (after Tehran and Mashhad). Esfahan has a population of 1,600,554 (2007 calculation).

The unique blue tiles of Esfahan's Islamic buildings, and the city's majestic bridges, contrast perfectly with the hot, dry Iranian countryside around it, Esfahan
 is a sight you won't forget. Not only is the architecture superb and the climate pleasant, but there's a fairly relaxed atmosphere here, compared with many other Iranian towns. It's a city for walking, getting lost in the bazaar, walking in beautiful gardens and meeting people.

The famous half-rhyme Esfahan
 nesf-e-jahan (Esfahan is half the world) was coined in the 16th century to express the city's grandeur. There's so much to see that you'll probably have to ration your time and concentrate on must-sees such as the Imam Mosque, a magnificent building completely covered in Esfahan's trademark pale blue tiles; This mosque is situated to the south of Naqsh-e-Jahan sq. built in the reign of shah  Abbas, tile work and architecture of this Mosque is amazingly superb. Its minarets Are 48 meters high. The Chehel Sotun Museum & Palace, a marvelous 17th century pavilion and a great place for a picnic; this palace is another building dating back to the Safavid period, built amidst a vast garden covering an area of 67000 sq m. The building has a veranda with 18 pillars and a large pool in front of it. Being mirrored in the still water of the pool, the pillars create a beautiful view. The wall painting in the interior of the building is superlative in their kind. Ali Qapoo Palace Situated to the west of Naghsh-e-Jahan Sq. belongs to the Safavid period. It was used for the reception of the Ambassadors and envoys from other Countries. Ali Qapoo is a six-storied plasterwork and paintings of which are extremely impressive. and the Vank Cathedral, the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran. Taking tea in one of the teahouses under the bridges is also an essential part of the Esfahan experience.

Followings are some of the most important ones:

Squares and Streets

Bridges (in Persian 'Pol')

The Naghsh-e-Jahan Square in Esfahan is one of the biggest city squares in the world (500m x 160m) and an outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture.. It was the symbolic centre of the Safavid Dynasty and its Empire. It was used for holding festivals, markets and games of polo. The original goal posts from Shah Abbas’ polo fields are still at site today at the far ends of the square.
The square is surrounded on all four sides by long walls with the Imam Mosque on the south, the Mosque of Sheikh Lotfollah on the east, the Ali Qapu Palace on the west and the entrance of the great Bazaar on the north. It has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The city also has a wide variety of historic monuments ranging from the Sassanid to the Safavid dynasties. Remaining Islamic architectural sites were built from 11th to the 19th century while older pre-islamic monuments date back to 1000 B.C.
Geography
The city is located in the lush Zayandeh Rud plain, at the foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The city enjoys a temperate climate and regular seasons. No geological obstacles exist within 90 km north of Esfahan, allowing cool northern winds to blow from this direction. Situated at 1590 meters above sea level, it receives an average of 355 mm of rain per year, making it similar to Denver, Colorado in terms of altitude and precipitation. The temperature ranges between 2 and 28 degrees Celsius. The record high temperature was 42 degrees Celsius and the record low was −19 degrees Celsius.
Entrance to Shah Mosque or Shah Jame' Mosque, the most glorious sign of flourishing architecture during the Safavid dynasty.
Prehistory
The history of Esfahan can be traced back to the Paleolithic period. In recent discoveries, archeologists have found artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.
Elamite Empire
Ancient Esfahan was part of the Elamite Empire. Under the name of Aspandana it became one of the principal towns of the Median dynasty, when Iranian Medes settled there. Subsequently the province became part of the Achaemenid Empire and after the liberation of Iran from Macedonian occupation by the Arsacids, it became part of Parthian Empire. Esfahan was the centre and capital city of a large province, which was administered by Arsacid governors. In the Sassanid era, Esfahan was governed by "Espoohrans" or the members of seven noble Iranian families who had important royal positions, and served as the residence of these noble families as well. Moreover, in this period Esfahan was a military centre with strong fortifications. There were large populations of Jews and Christians concentrated around Esfahan at this time. The city was occupied by Arabs after the final defeat of Iranians.

Islamic Era
Esfahan fell, temporarily, under the rule of Arabs until the Abbasid era, only being attended to by Al-Mansur. In the 10th century, under the Buwayhid Dynasty, Esfahan regained its importance. In the reign of Malik Shah I of the Seljuk dyansty, Esfahan was again selected as capital and commenced another golden age. In this period, Esfahan was one of the most thriving and important cities of the world. The famous Persian philosopher Avicenna lived and taught there in the 11th century.
The city was raided and most of its inhabitants were massacred by the Mongols in the 13th century, the raid followed by that of Timur in 1387. However, as the result of its suitable geographic situation, Esfahan flourished again especially during the Safavid dynasty, which developed considerably.

The Golden Age of Esfahan arrived in the 16th century under Shah Abbas the Great (1587-1629), who conquered it and made it the new capital of the Safavid dynasty. During the reign of Shah Abbas I, who unified Persia, Esfahan reached its pinnacle. Esfahan had parks, libraries and mosques that amazed Europeans, who had not seen anything like this at home. The Persians called it Nesf-e-Jahan, half the world; meaning that to see it was to see half the world, and also referring to it as a point where many cultures and nationalities meet and mingled. In its heyday it was also one of the largest with a population of over half a million; 163 mosques, 48 religious schools, 1801 shops and 263 public baths.
In 1722, it was raided by the Afghans after a long siege, which left much of the city in ruins. Although the Afghans were a primary cause of Esfahan's decline, this can also be attributed to the development of maritime commerce by European merchants from such countries such as the Netherlands. Esfahan's wealth originated in its role as a chief waystation along the trans-Asia trade route (such as the Silk Road), but land trade dwindled as the cheaper sea routes increased in popularity for transporting commodities between Asia and Europe.

Esfahan Carpets are the pinnacle of the Persian carpet. Most Esfahan carpets are finely detailed in wool and silk, often on a base of pure silk. Artists of Esfahan often design their sketches from the diaphoretic and simple glazed tiles of historical monuments of Esfahan. The patterns mostly used in Esfahan rugs are Shah-Abbasi or Eslimi medallion and corner, with borders of trees and animals.

Modern age
Today Esfahan, the third largest city in Iran, produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, and handicrafts. Esfahan also has nuclear experimental reactors as well as facilities for producing nuclear fuel (UCF). Esfahan has one of the largest steel producing facilities in the entire region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys.
At Esfahan uranium is converted into Uranium hexafluoride UF6, which in its gaseous form is spun at high speed in the centrifuges to extract the fissile isotope. Esfahan is Iran's only domestic source of UF6.
The cities of Najafabad, Khomeini-shahr, Shahin-shahr, Zarrinshahr, and Fulad-e Mobarakeh all constitute the metropolitan city of Esfahan. The city has an international airport and is in the final stages of constructing its first Metro line.
Over 2000 companies are working in the area using Esfahan's economic, cultural, and social potentials. Esfahan contains a major oil refinery and a large air force base. HESA, Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant (where the AN-140 aircraft is made), is located nearby.
The architecture of Esfahan
Is made up of eight traditional forms which taken together form the foundation in the same way that music was once based on a finite number of notes. These are modulated by the use of colors and textures to leaven the surfaces and are held together in an overall construction akin to that of a sonata in which connection leads to culmination through a transition space. To appreciate the skill of the architects and designers fully, it is necessary to have an appreciation of these fundamental concepts i.e. garden, platform, porch, gateway, dome, arched chamber, and minaret, although in the geometry and architecture of the buildings they are woven together to present a seamless whole. A full discussion of the underlying principles can be found in the paper entitled "The Alchemy of the Mosque", given to a joint meeting of the School of Architecture and the Islamic Society of the University of Manchester in 1997.

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