Sabzevar (; ) is a city in northeastern

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 ...

. It is located in the Central District of

Sabzevar County Sabzevar County () is in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Sabzevar. History After the 2006 National Census, Joghatai, Joveyn, and Khoshab Districts were separated from the county in the establishment of three c ...

, Razavi Khorasan province, serving as the capital of both the county and the district.

History

The history of Sabzevar goes back to the

1st millennium BC File:1st millennium BC.jpg, 400x400px, From top left clockwise: The Parthenon, a former temple in Athens, Greece; Aristotle, Greek philosopher; Gautama Buddha, a spiritual teacher and the founder of Buddhism; Wars of Alexander the Great last from ...

. Ancient remains include fire-temple Azarbarzin which is still visible. After the

Mongol invasion of Iran 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 of Mon ...

, the city was the first part of Iran that moved towards its freedom, under the lead of the

Sarbedaran The Sarbadars (from ''sarbadār'', "head on gallows"; also known as Sarbedaran ) 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 Ilkhana ...

movement. In 14th century

Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...

invaded Iran and destroyed the city completely. Contemporary sources mention 90,000 people having been murdered by Timur. After killing all men in the town, he cut their heads and made 3 pyramids of the heads, in what is now the modern Sarberiz (meaning "Place of heads") square. Sabzevar Province had been lost by 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 ...

to the Uzbeks of

Transoxiana Transoxiana or Transoxania (, now called the Amu Darya) is the Latin name for the region and civilization located in lower Central Asia roughly corresponding to eastern Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, parts of southern Kazakhstan, parts of Tu ...

, but was regained following a Safavid counter-offensive around 1600, along with

Herat Herāt (; Dari/Pashto: هرات) is an oasis city and the third-largest city in Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Se ...

and Farah. The city suffered a flash flood in April 2020.

Demographics

Population

In 1937 when Iran was ruled by

Reza Shah Reza Shah Pahlavi born Reza Khan (15 March 1878 – 26 July 1944) was shah of Iran from 1925 to 1941 and founder of the roughly 53 years old Pahlavi dynasty. Originally a military officer, he became a politician, serving as minister of war an ...

, Sabzevar was the second most populated city in the 9th county. According to the census of 2017, Sabzevar is Iran's 34th most populous city. At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 208,172 in 57,024 households. The following census in 2011 counted 231,557 people in 70,422 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 243,700 people in 74,757 households.

Geography

Location

Sabzevar is in the west of Razavi Khorasan province, approximately west of the provincial capital,

Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...

, in the northeastern part of the country. Sabzevar is a 650 km 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. ...

(the capital of Iran). Its important close neighbors are

Nishapur Nishapur or Neyshabur (, also ) is a city in the Central District (Nishapur County), Central District of Nishapur County, Razavi Khorasan province, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Ni ...

Bardaskan Bardaskan () is a city in the Central District of Bardaskan County, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Demographics Population At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's populatio ...

, Esfarāyen and

Shahrud The Shahrud (, from , DMG ''šāh-rūd'' or ''šāh-i-rūd'') was a short-necked lute, illustrated in the '' Surname-i Hümayun'', resembling an oud or barbat, but being much larger. The larger size gave the instrument added resonance and a de ...

Climate

Sabzevar has a

cold semi-arid climate Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute thermodynamic ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''BSk'').

Economy

Sabzevar is the commercial center for an agricultural region producing

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...

s and

raisin A raisin is a Dried fruit, dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Afri ...

s. There is some small-scale industry, for

food processing Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking, and complex industrial methods used in the mak ...

, copperware, and electric motors. Through the old bazaar of Sabzevar fresh, dried, and preserved fruits and vegetables are exported. Sabzevar is connected to

and Mashhad by road. Sabzevar Airport provides

domestic flight A domestic flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the departure and the arrival take place in the same country. Airports serving domestic flights only are known as domestic airports. Domestic flights are generally c ...

Anthem

The special Anthem of Sabzevar was unveiled for the first time in 2010; it received the first rank in all anthems of cities in Razavi Khorasan province.

Main sights

Mil-e Khosrow Gerd (meaning "The brick tower of king

Khosrau Khosrow (; also spelled Khusrow, Khusraw, Khusrau, Khusro, Khasru, Khosru, Chosro or Osro) may refer to: * Khosrow (name), a male given name also used as a title Iranian rulers * Khosrow I, Sasanian ruler 531–579 * Khosrow II, Sasanian ruler ...

) is the highest brick tower in the city. Mosques include the Masjed Jameh of Friday mosque, with its two tall

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

s. They were both built during the Islamic age of Sabzevar.

Universities

Hakim Sabzevari University is one of the most prestigious public universities in Iran and the oldest university in Sabzevar. HSU was established in 1973 as Kar University. After the Iranian revolution in 1979, the university was suspended until 1987. HSU was reestablished with a new name. The Tarbiat Moallem University of Sabzevar has grown steadily until 2011, when it was renamed to Hakim Sabzevari University. HSU offers 139 bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. programs to more than 9,200 male and female students studying under about 280 faculty members in 10 departments. HSU is known as the dynamic in science and the leading in development university in Iran.

Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences Founded as the school of nursing and midwifery in 1986, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Iran, found its independence from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 1995 admitting students for two majors: Nursing (four-year BSC program) an ...

is one of the most prestigious public universities in Khorasan province. MEDSAB was established in 1975. In 1986, School of nursing was founded in Sabzevar. MEDSAB offers 20 programs to more than 2000 students in medical fields. This university has more than 200 faculty members. There are 5 hospitals and 4 schools in this university. The city is home to the

Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar The Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar Branch was founded in 1985 in Sabzevar, the second largest city in the Khorasan province in the north east of Iran. Located at the center of a largely agricultural region, Sabzevar has a population of around ...

(IAUS), founded in 1985 in response to increasing demands for a higher education center in the region; expansion and development have always continued within the university. IAUS is one of the most private universities in Khorasan province. Currently, there are about 6,500 students studying in three campuses. Sabzevar University of New Technology is the youngest public university in Khorasan province. SUNT was established in 2011. The main objective of this university on teaching and transferring new technology for women students. SUNT offers modern bachelors programs to more than 1000 female students studying in one department. SUNT is known as the third generation universities in Iran. Sabzevar Panorama 02

Historical places

file:Menar_Khosrovgerd.jpg , Minaret Khosrowud file:Baazaar Sarpoush of Sabzevar.jpg, Sabzevar Historical Market file:Hashtpayeh_Reservoir_of_Sabzevar_01.jpg, pool with eight bases file:Gheysarieh Bathroom of Sabzevar 01.jpg, Caesarea Bath

Notable people

Ali Shariati Ali Shariati Mazinani (, 23November 193318June 1977) was an Iranian revolutionary and sociologist who specialised in the sociology of religion. He is regarded as one of the most influential Iranian intellectuals of the 20th century. He has be ...

Mahmoud Dowlatabadi Mahmoud Dowlatabadi (; born August 1, 1940 in Dowlatabad, Sabzevar) is an Iranian writer and actor, known for his promotion of social and artistic freedom in contemporary Iran and his realist depictions of rural life, drawn from personal exper ...

* Hadi Sabzavari *

Al-Bayhaqi Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Khusrawjirdī al-Bayhaqī (, 994–1066), also known as Imām al-Bayhaqī, was a Sunni scholar widely known for being the foremost leading hadith master in his age, leading authority in th ...

Husayn Kashifi Kamāl al-Dīn Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī Kāshifī, best simply known as Husayn Kashifi, was a prolific Persian prose-stylist, a poet, a Quran exegete, a Sufi scholar, and an astronomer of the Timurid era. ''Kashifi'' was his pen name, whereas his s ...

Abul-Fazl Bayhaqi Abūʾl-Fazl Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn Bayhaqī (; died September 21, 1077), better known as Abu'l-Fazl Bayhaqi (; also spelled Beyhaqi), was a secretary, historian and author. Educated in the major cultural center of Nishapur, and employed at the ...

* Ali Divandari * Ali-Akbar Furutan *

Rouzbeh Cheshmi Rouzbeh Cheshmi (; born 24 June 1993) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for Esteghlal FC in the Persian Gulf League League and the Iran national football team. Early life Cheshmi was bor ...

Sayed Hassan Amin Sayed Hassan Amin (, born 28 November 1948) is an Iranian lawyer, philosopher, scholar, author and pro-democracy political figure. Early life and education Born in Sabzavar, Iran, Amin attended Tehran University at the age of 17 and obtaine ...

* Mohammad Khordadian * Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi *

Behzad Nabavi Behzad Nabavi () (born 1941) is an Iranian reformist politician. He served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Iran and was one of the founders of the Reformist party Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization. Before his career as a de ...

* Mahmoud Anbarani * Abd al-A'la al-Sabzevari * Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi * Rezai family * Cyrus Ghani *

Amir Shahi Sabzavari Amir Shahi Sabzavari (also spelled Sabzevari, Sabzawari; died 1453) was a Persians, Persian poet who flourished in 15th-century Timurid Empire, Timurid Iran. He was descended from the Sarbadars of Sabzevar. He composed a response to the opening g ...

* Mohammad Khorramgah * Mohammad Parvin Gonabadi * Mohammad Bagher Sabzevari * Fakhreddin Hejazi *

Mohammad Salari Mohammad Salari () is an Iranian reformist politician who currently serves as a member of the City Council of Tehran The Islamic City Council of Tehran () is the directly elected council that presides over the city of Tehran, elects the mayor ...

Kulū Isfandiyār Kulū Isfandiyār () was the leader of the Sarbadars of Sabzewar from 1346 until around 1347. Career Kulu Isfandiyar was a military commander under Wajih ad-Din Mas'ud Wajih ad-Din Mas'ud (died 1344) was the leader of the Sarbadars of Sabzewa ...

Mohammad-Reza Rahchamani Mohammad-Reza Rahchamani (‎; 1 December 1952 – 9 March 2020) was an Iranian physician and Iranian Reformists, reformist politician. From 1984 to 2000, he represented Sabzevar in the Iranian Parliament. During the early 2000s, he headed Iran ...

* Arash Sobhani *Ali Salehabadi *Habib Rezaei *Iraj Mehdian *Mohammadreza Davarzani *Mohammad Hashem Mirza Afsar *Hasan Reyvandi *Hedayat Hashemi *Saeed Soltampour *Hamid Sabzevari *Gholam-Ali Beski *Hossein Torabi *Hassan Lahooti *Ghasem Ghani *Hossein Golestani

Transportation

Sabzevar is located on the country's transportation highway and passes through roads 44, 87 and the freeway under construction from shrine to shrine. Also, the

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

Quchan Quchan (; ) is a city in the Central District of Quchan County, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. It is approximately 97 km south of the border city of Ashgabat, capital city of ...

-Sabzevar transit highway leads from Sabzevar to other parts of the country. It was known as the permitted air border and was operational 24 hours a day.

Airport

Sabzevar Airport was opened in 2003 and now has

international flight An international flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the Takeoff, departure and the arrival take place in different Country, countries. Regular international passenger air service began in August 1919 with a flight ...

s and is the only airport in Khorasan Razavi that transports passengers after

Mashhad Airport Mashhad International Airport () is an international airport located in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan, Iran. The airbase serves jointly as a civilian airport and a military airbase. Overview Mashhad international airport is the Iran's second-busiest ...

. The airport, which had previously experienced foreign flights to

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

and

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

in the 1990s and 1990s, now operates direct flights back and forth to Tehran and

Kish Island Kish ( ) is a resort island in Bandar Lengeh County, Hormozgan Province, off the southern coast of Iran in the Gulf. The island constitutes the city of Kish, Iran, Kish. Owing to its free trade zone status, the island is marketed as a consumers ...

two days a week.

Notes

References

External links

Governorship Webpage
{{Sabzevar County, state=collapsed Populated places in Sabzevar County Cities in Razavi Khorasan province