Kermanshah is a city in the Central District of

Kermanshah Kermanshah is a city in the Central District (Kermanshah County), Central District of Kermanshah province, Kermanshah province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is from Tehran in the western pa ...

province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is from

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

in the western part of the country. The 2016 National Census measured the population of the city as 946,651 (2025 estimate 1,117,000).

Etymology

"Kermanshah" derives from the

Sasanian The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

-era title ''Kirmanshah'', which translates as "King of Kerman". This title was held by the son of Shapur III, Prince Bahram, who was bestowed with the title upon being appointed governor of the province of Kirman (present-day

Kerman Province Kerman province () is the largest of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Kerman. The province is in the southeast of Iran. In 2014 it was placed in Region 5. Mentioned in ancient times as the Achaemenid satrapy of Carma ...

). Later, in 390, when he had already succeeded his father as Bahram IV Kirmanshah (388–399), he founded the city and his title was applied to it, i.e. "(City of the) King of Kirman".

History

Prehistory

Because of its antiquity, attractive landscapes, rich culture and

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

villages, Kermanshah is considered one of the cradles of

prehistoric Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...

cultures. According to archaeological surveys and excavation, the Kermanshah area has been occupied by prehistoric people since the

Lower Paleolithic The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. It spans the time from around 3.3 million years ago when the first evidence for stone tool production and use by hominins appears ...

period, and continued to later

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...

periods until late

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the ''ice age, Ice Age'') is the geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fin ...

period. The Lower Paleolithic evidence consists of some

hand axe A hand axe (or handaxe or Acheulean hand axe) is a Prehistory, prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history. It is made from stone, usually flint or chert that has been "reduced" and shaped from a larger ...

s found in the Gakia area to the east of the city. The

Middle Paleolithic The Middle Paleolithic (or Middle Palaeolithic) is the second subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. The term Middle Stone Age is used as an equivalent or a synonym for the Middle P ...

remains have been found in various parts of the province, especially in the northern vicinity of the city in Tang-e Kenesht, Tang-e Malaverd and near

Taq-e Bostan Taq-e Bostan (, ) is a site with a series of large rock reliefs in Kermanshah, Iran, carved around the 4th century CE during the Sasanian era. This example of Sasanian art is located 5 km from the city center of Kermanshah. It is locat ...

Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...

Man existed in the Kermanshah region during this period and the only discovered skeletal remains of this early human in Iran was found in three caves and

rock shelter A rock shelter (also rockhouse, crepuscular cave, bluff shelter, or abri) is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff. In contrast to solutional caves (karst), which are often many miles long or wide, rock shelters are alm ...

situated in Kermanshah province. The known Paleolithic caves in this area are Warwasi, Qobeh, Malaverd and Do-Ashkaft Cave. The region was also one of the first places in which human settlements including Asiab, Qazanchi, Sarab, Chia Jani, and Ganj-Darreh were established between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. This is about the same time that the first potteries pertaining to Iran were made in Ganj-Darreh, near present-day Harsin. In May 2009, based on a research conducted by the university of

Hamadan Hamadan ( ; , ) is a mountainous city in western Iran. It is located in the Central District of Hamadan County in Hamadan province, serving as the capital of the province, county, and district. As of the 2016 Iranian census, it had a po ...

and UCL, the head of Archeology Research Center of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization announced that one of the oldest

villages in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

dating back to 9800 B.P. was discovered in Sahneh, located west of Kermanshah. Remains of later village occupations and early

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

are found in a number of mound sites in the city itself. The city contains 4 archaeological mound sites: Chogha Kaboud, Chogha Golan, Morad Hasel, and Tappa Gawri.

Sassanid Kermanshah

In ancient

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

ology, construction of the city is attributed to Tahmuras, the third king of Pishdadian dynasty. It is believed that the Sassanids have constructed Kermanshah and Bahram IV (he was called Kermanshah, meaning king of

Kerman Kerman (; ) is a city in the Central District (Kerman County), Central District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. History Kerman was founded as a def ...

) gave his name to this city. It was a glorious city in

Sassanid The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

period about the 4th century AD when it became the capital city of

Persian Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, it was the larg ...

and a significant

health center A healthcare center, health center, or community health center is one of a network of clinics staffed by a group of general practitioners and nurses providing healthcare services to people in a certain area. Typical services covered are family pr ...

serving as the summer resort for

kings. In AD 226, following a two-year war led by the Persian Emperor,

Ardashir I Ardashir I (), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire, the last empire of ancient Iran. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new empire. After defeating the last Par ...

, against " Kurdish" tribes in the region. At the time, the term "

Kurd Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

" was used as a social term, designating Iranian

nomad Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...

s, rather than a concrete ethnic group. The word became an ethnic identity in the 12th and 13th century.Martin van Bruinessen, "The ethnic identity of the Kurds," in: ''Ethnic groups in the Republic of Turkey'', compiled and edited by Peter Alford Andrews with Rüdiger Benninghaus Beihefte zum Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients, Reihe B, Nr.60 Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwich Reichert, 1989, pp. 613–21. excerpt: "The ethnic label "Kurd" is first encountered in Arabic sources from the first centuries of the Islamic era; it seemed to refer to a specific variety of pastoral nomadism, and possibly to a set of political units, rather than to a linguistic group: once or twice, "Arabic Kurds" are mentioned. By the 10th century, the term appears to denote nomadic and/or transhumant groups speaking an Iranian language and mainly inhabiting the mountainous areas to the South of Lake Van and Lake Urmia, with some offshoots in the Caucasus. ... If there was a Kurdish-speaking subjected peasantry at that time, the term was not yet used to include them

Within the dynasty known as the House of Kayus (also ''Kâvusakân'') remained a semi-independent kingdom lasting until AD 380 before Ardashir II removed the dynasty's last ruling member.

Islamic era

Kermanshah was conquered by the

Arabs Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...

in 629 AD. Under

Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

rule in the eleventh century, it became a cultural and commercial center in western

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and the southern Kurdish-inhabited areas as a whole. It was sacked by the

Mongols Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China ( Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family o ...

under Hulegu in 1257, shortly before the sack of Baghdad. The

Safavids The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

fortified the town, and the Qajars repulsed an attack by the

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

during

Fath Ali Shah Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...

's rule (1797–1834). Kermanshah was occupied by

between 1723–1729 and 1731–1732.

Modern history

Occupied by the

Imperial Russian army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

in 1914, followed by the

Ottoman Army The Military of the Ottoman Empire () was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299 and dissolved in 1922. Army The Military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years ...

in 1915 during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, it was evacuated in 1917 when the

British forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping ef ...

arrived there to expel the Ottomans. Kermanshah played an important role in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution during the

Qajar dynasty The Qajar family (; 1789–1925) was an Iranian royal family founded by Mohammad Khan (), a member of the Qoyunlu clan of the Turkoman-descended Qajar tribe. The dynasty's effective rule in Iran ended in 1925 when Iran's '' Majlis'', conven ...

period and the Republic Movement in

Pahlavi dynasty The Pahlavi dynasty () is an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian royal dynasty that was the Pahlavi Iran, last to rule Iran before the country's monarchy was abolished by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. It was founded in 1925 by Reza Shah, Reza S ...

period. The city was harshly damaged during the

Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...

in 1980 to 1988, and although it was rebuilt, it has not yet fully recovered.

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 census, the city's population was 784,602 in 202,588 households. The following census in 2011 counted 851,405 people in 242,311 households. The last census measured the population of the city as 946,651 in 2016 and the 2025 estimate is around 1,117,000.

Language

The dominant language in Kermanshah is Persian, but the people also speak South Kurdish. The Kurdish language spoken in the city is called Kermashani, which is a variety of Southern Kurdish. People in the city speak Kermanshahi Persian, a local dialect which differs from standard Persian. The city has the largest Kurdish population in Iran.

Religion

Most of the inhabitants of Kermanshah are

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

Muslims, but there are also

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

Muslims,

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

, and followers of

Yarsanism Yarsanism (), Ahl-e Haqq (; ), or Kaka'i, is an Ethnoreligious group, inherited, syncretism, syncretic religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of followers of Yarsanism is estimated to be over ...

Climate

Kermanshah has a moderate and mountainous climate.روزنامه سلام کرمانشاه
Persian (Kurdish)آشنایی با فرهنگ و نژاد استان کرمانشاه
(Persian)سازمان میراث فرهنگی، صنایع دستی و گردشگری استان کرمانشاه
بازدید 2010/03/11 Its climate is heavily influenced by the proximity of the

Zagros The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of . The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of s ...

mountains, classified as a hot-summer

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Csa''; Trewartha: ''Dohk'') bordering on a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(''Dsa''). The city's altitude and exposed location relative to westerly winds makes precipitation a little bit high (more than twice that of

), but at the same time produces huge diurnal temperature swings especially in the virtually rainless summers, which remain extremely hot during the day. Kermanshah experiences rather cold winters and there are usually rainfalls in fall and spring. Snow cover is seen for at least a couple of weeks in winter. Highest recorded temperature: on 13 July 1998
Lowest recorded temperature: on 6 February 1974

Main sights

Kermanshah sights include Kohneh Bridge,

Behistun Inscription The Behistun Inscription (also Bisotun, Bisitun or Bisutun; , Old Persian: Bagastana, meaning "the place of god") is a multilingual Achaemenid royal inscriptions, Achaemenid royal inscription and large rock relief on a cliff at Mount Behistun i ...

, Taghbostan, Temple of Anahita, Dinavar, Ganj Dareh,

Essaqwand Rock Tombs The Essaqwand Rock Tombs () are three rock-hewn tombs located 25 km southwest of Harsin in Kermanshah province, Iran. On top of the middle tomb there is a rock relief of a man with his profile toward the viewers. He is holding his hands in p ...

, Sorkh Deh chamber tomb, Malek Tomb, Hulwan,

Median The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...

dakhmeh (Darbad, Sahneh), Parav cave, Do-Ashkaft Cave, Tekyeh Moaven al-molk, Dokan Davood Inscription, Sar Pol-e-Zahab, Taq-e Gara, Sarab-e Nilufar, Quri Qala Cave,

Statue of Hercules in Behistun The Statue of Hercules in Behistun (or Statue of Heracles/Herakles in Bisotun, Persian language, Persian: تندیس هرکول) is located on Mount Behistun, Iran. It was discovered in 1958, and is the only extant rock sculpture from the period ...

, Emad o dolah Mosque, Jameh Mosque of Kermanshah,

Godin Tepe Godin Tepe () is an archaeological site in the Luristan region of western Iran, located in the valley of Kangavar in Kermanshah province. It lies on the left bank of the Gamas Āb river. The importance of the site may have been due to its role a ...

, Behistun Inscription#Other historical monuments in the Behistun complex, and Anubanini rock relief.

Taq-e Bostan

Taghbostan is a series of large

rock relief A rock relief or rock-cut relief is a relief, relief sculpture carved on solid or "living rock" such as a cliff, rather than a detached piece of stone. They are a category of rock art, and sometimes found as part of, or in conjunction ...

s from the era of

Sassanid Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

of Persia, the Iranian dynasty which ruled

western Asia West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian ...

from 226 to 650 AD. This example of Sassanid art is located from the city center of Kermanshah in western

. It is located in the heart of the

Zagros mountains The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of . The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of s ...

, where it has endured almost 1,700 years of wind and rain. The carvings, examples of Persian sculpture under the Sassanids, include representations of the investitures of Ardashir II (379–383) and Shapur III (383–388). Like other Sassanid symbols, Taghbostan and its relief patterns accentuate power, religious tendencies, glory, honor, the vastness of the court, game and fighting spirit, festivity, joy, and rejoicing. Sassanid kings chose a beautiful setting for their rock reliefs along an historic

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

caravan route

waypoint A waypoint is a point or place on a route or line of travel, a stopping point, an intermediate point, or point at which course is changed, the first use of the term tracing to 1880. In modern terms, it most often refers to coordinates which spe ...

and campground. The reliefs are adjacent a sacred spring that empties into a reflecting pool at the base of a mountain cliff. Taghbostan and its rock relief are one of the 30 surviving

relics of the

Zagros Mountains The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of . The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of s ...

. According to Arthur Pope, the founder of Iranian art and archeology Institute in the US, "art was characteristic of the Iranian people and the gift which they endowed the world with." One of the most impressive reliefs inside the largest grotto or ''ivan'' is the equestrian figure of the Sassanid king

Khosrow II Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; and ''Khosrau''), commonly known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran, ruling from 590 ...

(591-628 AD) mounted on his charger, Shabdiz. Both horse and rider are arrayed in full battle armor. The arch rests on two columns that bear delicately carved patterns showing the tree of life or the sacred tree. Above the arch and located on two opposite sides are figures of two winged angels with diadems. A noticeable border with flower patterns has been intricately carved around the outer layer of the arch. These same patterns can be seen on the official costumes of Sassanid kings. Equestrian relief panel measured on 16.08.07 approx. 7.45 m across by 4.25 m high.

Behistun

The Behistun inscription is considered as a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

. The

(also ''Bisitun'' or ''Bisutun'',

Modern Persian New Persian (), also known as Modern Persian () is the current stage of the Persian language spoken since the 8th to 9th centuries until now in Greater Iran and surroundings. It is conventionally divided into three stages: Early New Persian (8th/ ...

: بیستون;

Old Persian Old Persian is one of two directly attested Old Iranian languages (the other being Avestan) and is the ancestor of Middle Persian (the language of the Sasanian Empire). Like other Old Iranian languages, it was known to its native speakers as (I ...

: ''Bagastana'', meaning "the god's place or land") is a multi-lingual inscription located on

Mount Behistun Mount Bisotoun (or Behistun and Bisotun) is a mountain of the Zagros Mountains range, located in Kermanshah Province, western Iran. It is located west of Tehran. Cultural history Mount Bisotoun, aka ''Bīsitūn'' (referring to the mountain a ...

. The inscription includes three versions of the same text, written in three different

cuneiform script Cuneiform is a Logogram, logo-Syllabary, syllabic writing system that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Near East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. Cuneiform script ...

languages:

Elamite Elamite, also known as Hatamtite and formerly as Scythic, Median, Amardian, Anshanian and Susian, is an extinct language that was spoken by the ancient Elamites. It was recorded in what is now southwestern Iran from 2600 BC to 330 BC. Elamite i ...

, and Babylonian. A British army officer, Henry Rawlinson, had the inscription transcribed in two parts, in 1835 and 1843. Rawlinson was able to translate the Old Persian cuneiform text in 1838, and the Elamite and Babylonian texts were translated by Rawlinson and others after 1843. Babylonian was a later form of Akkadian: both are

Semitic languages The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. They include Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya language, Tigrinya, Aramaic, Hebrew language, Hebrew, Maltese language, Maltese, Modern South Arabian language ...

. In effect, then, the inscription is to

cuneiform Cuneiform is a Logogram, logo-Syllabary, syllabic writing system that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Near East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. Cuneiform script ...

what the

Rosetta Stone The Rosetta Stone is a stele of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a Rosetta Stone decree, decree issued in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt, Egypt, on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle texts ...

is to

Egyptian hieroglyph Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs ( ) were the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt for writing the Egyptian language. Hieroglyphs combined ideographic, logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements, with more than 1,000 distinct characters. ...

s: the document most crucial in the

decipherment In philology and linguistics, decipherment is the discovery of the meaning of the symbols found in extinct languages and/or alphabets. Decipherment is possible with respect to languages and scripts. One can also study or try to decipher how spok ...

of a previously lost

script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

. The inscription is approximately 15 metres high by 25 meters wide, and 100 meters up a

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

cliff from an ancient road connecting the capitals of

Babylonia Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...

and

Media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...

(

Babylon Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...

and

Ecbatana Ecbatana () was an ancient city, the capital of the Median kingdom, and the first capital in History of Iran, Iranian history. It later became the summer capital of the Achaemenid Empire, Achaemenid and Parthian Empire, Parthian empires.Nardo, Do ...

). It is extremely inaccessible as the mountainside was removed to make the inscription more visible after its completion. The Old Persian text contains 414 lines in five columns; the Elamite text includes 593 lines in eight columns and the Babylonian text is in 112 lines. The inscription was illustrated by a life-sized bas-relief of Darius, holding a bow as a sign of kingship, with his left foot on the chest of a figure lying on his back before him. The prostrate figure is reputed to be the

pretender A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term may often be used to either refer to a descendant of a deposed monarchy or a claim that is not legitimat ...

Gaumata Bardiya or Smerdis ( ; ; possibly died 522 BCE), also named as Tanyoxarces (; ) by Ctesias, was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both Persian kings. There are sharply divided views on his life. Bardiya either ...

. Darius is attended to the left by two servants, and ten one-metre figures stand to the right, with hands tied and rope around their necks, representing conquered peoples.

Faravahar The Farāvahār (; ), also called the Foruhār () or the Fārre Kiyâni (), is one of the most prominent symbols of Zoroastrianism. There is no universal consensus on what it means or stands for, as a variety of interpretations exist. The mos ...

floats above, giving his blessing to the king. One figure appears to have been added after the others were completed, as was (oddly enough) Darius' beard, which is a separate block of stone attached with iron pins and

lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...

Qajar dynasty monuments

During the

(1794 to 1925), Kermanshah Bazaar, mosques and tekyehs such as Tekyeh Biglarbeygi and Tekyeh Moaven al-molk, and houses such as Khajeh Barookh's House were built. Tekyeh Biglarbeygi is known for mirror decoration. Tekyeh Biglarbeygi was made during Qajar dynasty by efforts of Abdullah khan Biglarbeygi. Tekyeh Moaven al-molk has pictures on the walls that relate to

shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' (, ), also transliterated ''Shahnama'', is a long epic poem written by the Persian literature, Persian poet Ferdowsi between and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50,000 distichs or couple ...

, despite some of its more religious ones. Khajeh Barookh's House is located in the old district of Faizabad, a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

neighborhood of the city. It was built by a Jewish merchant of the

Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...

period, named Barookh/Baruch. The house, an historical depiction of Iranian architecture, was renamed "Randeh-Kesh House", after the last owner, is a "daroongara" (inward oriented) house and is connected through a vestibule to the exterior yard and through a corridor to the interior yard. Surrounding the interior yard are rooms, brick pillars making the iwans(porches) of the house, and step-like column capitals decorated with brick-stalactite work. This house is among the rare Qajar houses with a private bathroom. Khaneh-Barookh1

Bazaars

Kermanshah is home to at least one

bazaar A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...

dating back to the Qajar period. Kermanshah Grand Bazaar or ''Tarike Bazaar'' was built around 1820 when Prince Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatshah of

dynasty governed over Kermanshah, and used to be the largest grand bazaar of

during its time.

Churches

* Sacred Heart of Jesus Church

Economy

Kermanshah is one of the western agricultural core of Iran that produces grain, rice, vegetable, fruits, and oilseeds. There are two industrial centers with more than 256 manufacturing units in the suburb of the city. These industries include

petrochemical Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable s ...

refinery,

textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

manufacturing, food processing, carpet making, sugar refining, and the production of electrical equipment and tools. Kermanshah Oil Refining Company (KORC) established in 1932 by British companies, is one of the industries in the city. After changes in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

, Kermanshah has become one of the importing and exporting gates of Iran.

Education

Higher education

More than 49 thousands students are educating in 9 governmental and private universities in the city. Established in 1968 as the ''Kermanshah Graduate School of Nursing'', the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences was the first university in the west part of Iran. The medical school as a division of ''Razi University'' was established in 1976 and admitted some students in general practice. Razi University established in 1972 was the second university in the west part of Iran and is the most-prominent higher education institute in Kermanshah province and also west part of the country. In 2020, Razi University ranked 24th in Iran and 1300th in the world by the U.S. News in universities of all countries of the world based upon 13 factors. Some of Kermanshah universities are: * Islamic Azad University of Kermanshah * Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences * Kermanshah University of Technology * Payame Noor University * Razi University

Schools

Mohtashamiyeh (Persian: محتشمیه), established in 1899, was the first modern school in Kermanshah founded by Husseinali-Khan Mohandes-e Guran. Khalq Study Hall (Persian: قرائتخانۀ خلق) was the first study hall in Kermanshah and also an adult school founded in 1909. Alliance Israélite school of Kermanshah founded by the Alliance Israélite Universelle in 1904. The Azodiyeh State School for Misses (Persian: مدرسه دولتی دوشیزگان عضدیه) was the first girls' school, founded in 1922. The first private school in Kermanshah was founded in 1991.

Notable people

Arts

* Ali Mohammad Afghani, novelist * Seyed Khalil Alinezhad, Tanbour master * Mahshid Amirshahi, writer * Nozar Azadi, actor * Ali Ashraf Darvishian, novelist and writer * Pouran Derakhshandeh, film director, producer, screenwriter * Reza Shafiei Jam, actor *

Mirza Mohammad Reza Kalhor Mirza Reza Kalhor (; – 1892) was a 19th-century Qajar Iran, Iranian calligraphy, calligrapher, known for his mastery of the Nastaʿlīq script technique. A member of the Kurds in Iran, Kurdish Kalhor (Kurdish tribe), Kalhor tribe of Kermanshah ...

, calligrapher * Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi, writer * Rahim Moeini Kermanshahi, poet, lyricist * Alexis Kouros, writer, documentary-maker, director, and producer * Abolghasem Lahouti, poet *

Doris Lessing Doris May Lessing ( Tayler; 22 October 1919 – 17 November 2013) was a British novelist. She was born to British parents in Qajar Iran, Persia, where she lived until 1925. Her family then moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), where ...

, writer, 2007 winner of the

Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...

(born in Kermanshah to British parents) * Aref Lorestani, actor, comedian *

Shahram Mokri Shahram Mokri (, born on 17 August, 1978 ) is an Iranian filmmaker. He graduated from Soore University. Mokri started his filmmaking training in the Iranian Youth Cinema Society and entered the professional world of cinema with his short film ''" ...

, film director * Nicky Nodjoumi, modern painter * Reza Fieze Norouzi, actor * Guity Novin, painter & graphic designer * Mohammad Salemy, artist, curator, writer * Rashid Yasemi, one of the Five-Masters of

Persian Literature Persian literature comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources have been within Greater Iran including present-day ...

Music

* Evin Agassi, singer * Kayhan Kalhor, musician * Mojtaba Mirzadeh, master of violin and setar * Roknoddin Mokhtari, violin player * Ali Akbar Moradi, musician and tanbour player * Shahram Nazeri, vocalist and musician * Sohrab Pournazeri, musician *

Susan Susan is a feminine given name, the usual English version of Susanna or Susannah. All are versions of the Hebrew name Shoshana, which is derived from the Hebrew ''shoshan'', meaning ''lotus flower'' in Egyptian, original derivation, and severa ...

(Golandam Taherkhani), singer * Marganita Vogt-Khofri, pianist, classical musician, and vocalist * Bahramji, musician and santur player

Politics and military

Ebrahim Azizi Ebrahim Azizi (Born in Kermanshah) is an Iranian politician, who currently serves as a member of the Iranian Parliament representing Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr (electoral district), Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr since 2024. ...

, member and spokesman of the Guardian Council * Abdol Ali Badrei, commander of the

Imperial Iranian Army The Islamic Republic of Iran Army (), acronymed AJA (), commonly simplified as the Iranian Army, is the conventional military of Iran and part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces. It is tasked to protect the territorial integrity of th ...

and the Imperial Guard * Amir Hossein Rabii, commander of the Imperial Iranian Air Force * Joanna Palani, Kurdish sabotage and sniper. * Hanif Bali, member of Swedish Riksdag * Karim Sanjabi, Iran's attorney during oil nationalization movement, former foreign minister * Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, minister of Petroleum * Yar Mohammadkhan Kermanshahi A pivotal figure in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution

Sciences

* Shahram Amiri, nuclear scientist * Massoud Azarnoush, archaeologist * Al-Dinawari, botanist, historian, geographer, astronomer and mathematician * Fereidoun Biglari, archaeologist

Sports

* Makwan Amirkhani, mixed martial artist, UFC fighter * Kourosh Bagheri, world weightlifting champion * Homa Hosseini, rower * Ali Mazaheri, 2006 Asian Games gold medalist, Asian champion & Olympic boxer * Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi, light heavyweight

freestyle wrestler Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling. It is one of two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games, along with Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman. scholastic wrestling, High school wrestling and men's collegiate wrestling in the U ...

& Iran's national team coach * Mohammad Hossein Mohebbi,

* Yadollah Mohebbi, 125 kg

and nephew of Mohammad Hossein Mohebbi and Mohammad Hassan Mohebbi * Mohammad Ranjbar, former

Iran national football team The Iran national football team (), recognised as IR Iran by FIFA since 2018, represents Iran in men's international senior Association football, football and is governed by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI). At the cont ...

player and head coach * Kianoush Rostami, world weight lifting champion * Neda Shahsavari, table tennis champion * Mohammad Torkashvand, volleyball champion * Mehran Shahintab, Basketball champion & head coach of the Iranian national team Iran Basketball Federation * Peter Warr, businessman, racing driver and a manager for several Formula One teams * Saeid Ahmadi, world champion gold and silver medalist in karate * Seyyedmasoud Derekeh, World Combat Games 2013 kickboxing champion silver medalist, WakoAsian kickboxing champion gold medalist, European Championship Tbilisi K-1 Georgia gold medalist, World Champion Iran 2011