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| Hamadan, the first capital of ancient Persia |
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Hamadan is one of the oldest cities in the world, the capital of the Median kingdom and the first capital of ancient Persia, one of the centers of civilization and the birthplace of several Persian dynasties.
The town lies at the foot of the Alvand Mountain, at an altitude of 1,829 meters above the sea level, 400 km to south-west of Tehran. There is a large commercial and industrial center of a fertile region, famous for its pleasant summer climate, plenty of interesting places and green gardens.
A brief history
According to Ferdowsi, the legendry Iranian poet, Hamadan (or ancient city of Ecbatana) was founded by the mythical King Jamshid.
It occupies a key site on the road, which even in antiquity linked Mesopotamia to the Iranian plateau. It was here that the first Median capital, Ecbatana, was founded in 673 BC.
In 549 BC, Cyrus the Great defeated the last Median king, Astyages, and Ecbatana became the summer residence of the Achaemenian Dynasty, well away from the torrid heat of Susa. At the height of its glory, Hamedan was described as one of the most opulent cities. It had splendid palaces, buildings plated with precious metals, and seven layers of town walls, of which the inner two were coated in gold and silver.
The glorious riches naturally attracted hoards of invading armies and after Alexander's conquest (331 BC), Ecbatana lost much of its former importance, although it remained a staging post between the plateau and Mesopotamia.
In the 12th century, Hamadan briefly became the capital of the Seljuk Dynasty, but it was destroyed a century later during the Mongol invasion, and again by Tamerlane's armies in 1386.
Because of its position, Hamadan was also severely hit by the wars between the Ottoman and Safavid empires. The successive sackings have spared few of Hamadan’s ancient monuments; however, some valuable finds from the ancient town have come to light, and much remains unexplored.
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.
Avicenna memorial tomb
 The tomb of the great Iranian scientist, Avicenna, is in Hamadan with a building and a dome built in 1954. The design of the dome is inspired by the shape of Qabous Tower. There is a library with a number of manuscripts in this building. In the courtyard, there is a tomb belonging to the late Qajar period poet and song writer Abolqassem Aref.
Ganjnameh epigraphs
.jpg) Most tourists express their interests usually to see the Ganjnameh epigraphs while visiting Hamadan. These are two inscriptions which were carved on a rocky wall on Alvand Mountain. One (on the left) ordered by Darius I (521-485 BC) and the other ordered by Xerxes I (485-65 BC). The epigraphs are located in a beautiful valley which is called Abbasabad.
The Alavid Dome
This is the most important Islamic monument in Hamadan. It is a square building of late Seljuk period with a masterly stucco interior. This building has a crypt containing the tombs members of the Alavid family.
The Qorban Tower
It is a 12 sided plain brick building with a pyramid shaped dome. It is located in the eastern part of the city; and there is a tomb in its crypt.
Ali-Sadr Cave
.JPG) The mountainous position of Hamadan has led to the formation of many wonderful and beautiful caves of which according to specialists the Alisadr is one of the most astonishing. There are few caves like this anywhere else across the world. Located 60 kilometers north of Hamadan, Alisadr is a vast cave that contains a lake and a labyrinth of chambers along which one can sail for tens of kilometers. The clear water of the lake is several meters deep and the cave's walls, floor and ceiling are covered with an abundance of marvelous stalactites and stalagmites and various natural stones that have taken the shape of various animals, objects and islands. No living creature lives in this cave and in its water because there is no natural light.   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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