Semnan, Iran

Semnan ( Persian: , ); is the capital city of Semnan Province, situated on the alluvial fan of the Golrudbar creek in north central Iran, 216 km east of Tehran and 640 km west of Mashhad. With a population of 185,129 people, Semnan is the most populated city in Semnan Province and serves as the capital of it. The city is also the hub of the Semnani language, a sub-branch of the Iranian languages spoken to the north, and home to the Semnani ethnic group.

Semnan offers various recreational activities, historical and religious sites, festivals, gardens and parks, centers of higher education, and Semnani culture. The city is as the cultural and political capital of the Semnan Province. The city's main souvenirs are daffodil flowers, Shirmal pastry, Kolüçe cookies, kilim rugs, and shortbread.

Etymology

There are several theories which seek to explain the origin of the name ''Semnan''.

1. Semnan was an ancient pre-zoroastrian city in which the locals practiced idol-worshipping. Their religion was called ''samīna'', hence the name Semnan.


2. Semnan was an ancient civil establishment by the Scythians, an Iranian people who named their settlement ''Sakanān''.


3. A theory produced by the local people themselves claims the first settlers of Semnan were two of the Prophet Noah's children, ''Sim An-Nabi'' and ''Lam An-Nabi'', and that their settlement became known as ''Simlam''; the local people believe that over time the name Simlam turned into Semnan.


4. Semnan was established by the mythical character ''Tahmuras'', and that he named his city Saminā.


5. The ancient regional language was known as ''Sa ma nān'', and that the city of these people took on the name of their language.


6. The name Semnan comes from the phrase ''sa ma nān'', which is supposed to be a corrupted Persian way of saying 'three months of bread.' This phrase traces back to the Semnani women's tradition of cooking three months worth of bread in one day.

Geography and climate

Geography

The city of Semnan is situated on an alluvial fan at 1,138 metres above sea level, straddling the southern foothills of the Alborz Mountains and the vast desert plain to the south of the city. The Golrudbar creek, which begins in the mountains to the north of Shahmirzad, has historically provided a reliable supply of water for municipal and agricultural consumption. Irrigation methods since ancient times have allowed the people of Semnan to drink clean water, raise livestock such as cattle and sheep, and cultivate diverse crops.

Climate

Semnan has a hot desert climate (''BWh'') bordering a cold desert climate (BWk) according to the Köppen climate classification. The city enjoys the traditional four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and autumn each year.

The rain season starts in December and lasts into May, however, precipitation throughout the rain season is generally very light. During some winters, moisture-abundant blizzards make their way down from the Alborz mountains to the north of the city and dump several centimeters of snow in a single twenty-four-hour period. As a result of the city's position straddling the open desert plain, many winter days are dominated by a cold and gusty wind that often produces a potent windchill factor which makes the city feel much colder than the actual air temperature. According to Iranian Meteorological statistics, Semnan experiences around 48 days in which the temperature falls below freezing each year.

Spring is characterized by mild to warm day temperatures and cold to cool nights.

Summers are often hot during the day and mildly warm at night. Summer months remain extremely dry with only trace amounts of rain. Occasionally, moisture from the Caspian Sea passes over the High Alborz. With the right amount of heat and moisture, thunderstorms may develop during the afternoon and evening hours. Though the amount of precipitation is light, these thunderstorms often produce strong and gusty winds with frequent lightning strikes.

Autumn is mostly a transitional season.

History

Pre-Islamic Era

The city of Semnan has historically been one of the fourteen civil establishments of the ancient, Avesta-era province of "Vern." Semnan remained an important city throughout the era of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. After the invasion of Alexander the Great, which resulted in the fall of the Achaemenid Empire, and the establishment of the Seleucid Empire, the region which hosts the city of Semnan became known as Komesh. The beginning of the prosperous era of the city arrived with the rise of the Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia. The Parthians are an Iranian people. The Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia was very interested in the importing of Hellenism, or Greek culture. This resulted in the pioneering of sculpting and other forms of Western art in the city of Semnan. One of the capital cities of the Parthian Empire was Hecatompylos, and its ruins and numerous historical sites remain between the modern day city of Semnan and Damghan. With the fall of the Parthian Empire, and the rise of the Persian Sassanid Empire, Zoroastrianism was chosen as the state religion, and the city of Semnan was once again brought under the reign of Persian customs and traditions.

Post-Islamic Era

After the Muslim conquest of Persia, the religion of Islam was established within the city of Semnan. Though, unlike modern day Semnan, the people of the city originally practiced Sunni Islam, similar to the rest of early Islamic Persia. However, the institution of Sunni Islam did not last very long. The Alavids of Tabaristan had established a Shi'a Islamic emirate and upon conquering Semnan, brought the Zaidi Shi'a sect of Islam. Then, in the year 427 AH, the Seljuq Turks invaded and devastated the city. Nevertheless, it was the very Seljuq Turks that built many of the historical monuments and infrastructure of medieval Semnan. As the Seljuq Empire grew weak, the Abbasids managed to reconquer and assert their sovereignty over Persia. The people of Semnan suffered severely under the Abbasid Caliphate. It is possible that the years of Abbasid rule traumatized the people of Semnan, and even to this day, the Semnani people despise the color black because of its utilization for the black flags of the Abbasid Caliphate. The Abbasid rule was ended by the brutal, devastating invasion of the Mongols in the year of 618 AH. The Mongol hordes massacred the people and burnt much of the city to the ground. Semnan would not recover until the rise of the Turco-Persian Safavid dynasty. The Safavids brought the Twelver Shi'ism sect of Islam to Semnan, and contributed to the reconstruction of the city.

Qajar Era

With the rise of the Qajar dynasty, historical Semnan witnessed economical, cultural, infrastructural, and political progress. The very tribe that rose into becoming the Qajar dynasty was based out of the mountainous terrain between modern-day Semnan, Mazandaran, and Golestan. The Qajars turned Semnan into a civil fortress, from which they oversaw the major trade route between their capital in Tehran and the holy city of Mashad. In addition to infrastructural growth, some Qajar royals built their estates in the city. Semnan was also an important medical center for members of the Qajar Imperial Family and was home to many notable physicians and doctors of the era. Economically, the city consisted of several feudal estates with agricultural plantations which relied on serf labor.

Pahlavi Era

The Pahlavi era marked the transition of Semnan into the industrial era. Semnan's original loyalty to the Qajar dynasty and the city's importance under the Qajars prompted a lot of anti-Pahlavi sentiment with the rise of Reza Shah. Reza Shah Pahlavi's government began the immediate construction of modern infrastructure and paved roads throughout the city, however, this called for the destruction of the citadel of Semnan and the artistic monuments of the Qajars. Upon attempting to destroy the Gate of Semnan, the locals chained themselves to the building and stopped its destruction. Many prominent families in Semnan were also restricted from attaining high political posts as a result of their previous connection with and service to the Qajar Imperial Family. This resulted in the exodus of many prominent Semnani families to Tehran during the early Pahlavi era. Despite the tension and confrontation, the Pahlavi dynasty was successful in transforming Semnan into a more modern city.
Throughout the early Pahlavi era, Semnan experienced several rounds of extreme drought, famine, crop devastation, and poverty. Prominent Semnani language poets such as Nosratollah Nouhian encouraged the Farmers and General Labor class to rise up and demand their rights from the unjust, well-fed landlords who were carelessly watching the very farmers who grew the food starve and deteriorate into ruin and agony:

Historical sites and places of interest

Due to the relatively small size of Semnan when compared to other major Iranian cities such as Tehran, Tabriz, and Mashad, Semnan's rich historical monuments and scholarly figures are often forgotten. The following are some of the city's historical sites and places of interest:

Religious

* Jame' Mosque of Semnan – built nearly 1,000 years ago by the Seljuq Turks over what used to be an ancient Zoroastrian fire temple. This ancient mosque also includes the famous Seljuq minaret with archaic carvings and designs.
* Imam Mosque (Soltani Mosque) – built under the Qajar dynasty, this mosque is a rare four-terrace mosque. The design of the Imam Mosque utilized the expertise of Iranian architecture of the time, providing all sectors of the complex with equal acoustic sound systems.
* The Shrine of Sheikh Ala'ed-dowleh Semnani – This shrine was constructed by the Safavid dynasty in honor of Sheikh Ala'ed-dowleh Semnani, a major Sufi mystic and poet of Iran.
* Threshold of the Alavids – A memorial shrine to the Alavid sayyids that administered the affairs of the city during the reign of the Alavid dynasty, centered in the ancient region of Tabaristan. The shrine also has religious value, being that the Alavids were the direct descendants of the second Shi'a Imam, Imam Hassan.
* Imamzadeh Yahya Mosque – Aside from the mosque's aesthetic tile work and architectural design, this is a designated place of Ziyarah, or Islamic pilgrimage. The mosque is characterized by its massive entrance, stained glass windows, glossy marble flooring, and unique interior design.
* Imamzadeh Ali ibn Jafar Mosque – Another place of Ziyarah, or Islamic pilgrimage, with aesthetic tile work and architectural design. The mosque is characterized by its green domes and a massive adobe dome that towers above the complex.
* Imamzadeh Ali ibn Ashraf Mosque – A place of Ziyarah, or Islamic pilgrimage.
* Memorial of the Martyrs (Mezar Shohada) – this building was constructed as an interior cemetery for the soldiers of Semnan that were martyred in the brutal Iran–Iraq War of 1980–1988. The building consists of a glossy marble flooring, elegant chandeliers, murals, and stained glass windows.
* Hakim Elahi Mausoleum – Hakim Elahi was a prominent scholar of Islam and philosophy.

Secular

* Pehne Hot Springs – a public bath house which uses hot therapeutic waters. These waters are utilized for relaxation as well as hydrotherapy.
* The Gate of the Semnan Fortress – built by the Qajar dynasty under Prince Bahman Mirzaye Baha'ed-dowleh, the son of Fath Ali Shah Qajar. Unfortunately, Reza Shah Pahlavi destroyed the other three entrances and the walls around the old city under the pretext of road construction.
* Semnan Bazaar – the place to buy the souvenirs, handicrafts, appliances, food items, etc.
* Pehne Bazaar – a large and vast center of commerce with multiple wings. Similar to most bazaars in Iran, Pehne Bazaar has almost all the necessities as well as local products.
* Sheikh Ala'ed-dowleh Bazaar – a traditional center of commerce that carries all the basic necessities as well as tourist items.
* Tadayyon House – a mansion style home of the wealthy class in the Qajar era of Semnan. This multi-story complex consists of a stable, a massive kitchen, a traditional cistern of water, along with a towering windcatcher, signature of Iran's arid cities. The complex also features a unique Azerbaijani architectural design, signature of Qajar era buildings.
* The Interior Gardens of Semnan (Baghat Dakhil Shahr) – these massive gardens cover the entire southwestern portion of the city in a green, lush, and forested environment. The main trees that dominate the landscape are walnut and pomegranate trees. Within the gardens are numerous creeks trickling along the irrigated paths, as well as traditional adobe brick homes which provide much of the housing for the Maleh district of Semnan.
* The Garden Restaurant – this is by far the most traditional restaurant in the city of Semnan. The Garden Restaurant offers a traditional