Babol stretches out in a north-south direction, to the north of which is the township of Babolsar, and the coastal plains. Whereas, to the south is Damavand, in the Tehran province. Apart from the northern sector and central sections that are located in the plains, the southern segment in the mountainous region, is cold in the upper areas and humid and temperate in the plains.

During the Savafid and Qajar eras the city prospered and thrived specially in the economic field and took an important position during the reign of Fat’hali Shah.

Before the October Revolution in Russia, Babol maintained commercial ties with Russia, via the Port of Babolsar, and thereby became one of the important trading centers in Mazandaran Province. Today, it is one of the most beautiful cities of the province and is located 268 km. from Tehran.

The original name of the city was Mamtir and in the 10th century A.H., the city of Barforoosh came up in its place and in the year 160 A.H. Maziyar ibne Qaran constructed the Jame' Mosque.

Babol Jame' Mosque is the primary structure dating to the year 160 A.H., and was constructed by Maziyar ibne Qaran. This mosque has been repeatedly repaired during the Safavid reign. The current structure remains from the Qajar era and has been repaired since then.

The mosque has two portals, one to the east and the other to the west. Each gives way to an eight-sided vestibule. On top of the western doorway are holy verses embossed on tiles, and the year 1230 A.H. has been written on it.

The main nocturnal area has large and small domes, in addition to columns. There is an ancient altar in the western area, and two other newly constructed altars of tile work can be noted to the south. In the porch are verses inscribed from the works of the great poet of the times, Fat’h Ali Khan Saba, the poet laureate, written in the year 1227 A.H.