Hamadan (Hamedan) is situated 336 km
south west of Tehran on the slopes of
Mount Alvand, 190 km east of Kermanshah
and 530 km north west of Esfahan at the
elevation of 1800 meters. The city is
stretched around a star-shaped square
named after Imam (Ayatollah) Khomeini.
Out of this square which has preserved
its beautiful style of architecture, six
avenues diverge from the angles of the
star. Hamadan has been developed and
renovated to a great extent in recent
years and gradually this has changed the
city's old fabric. There are still old
neighbourhoods with nostalgic names in
Hamadan besides its large modern streets
and beautiful parks.
Hamadan is one of the oldest cities of
not only Iran but of the world. Its
historical origins date back to several
centuries before Christ. Hamadan was the
Median Empire's capital before they
formed a union with the Persians and
also served as the summer capital of the
Achaemenid Empire was then called
Ecbatana or Hâgmatâna; meaning a place
of assembly. The poet Ferdowsi says that
Ecbatana was build by King Jamshid.
Hamadan is one of the cradles of
Oriental civilization with legendary
background. According to historical
records, there was once a castle in this
city by the name of Haft Hessar (Seven
Walls) which had a thousand rooms and
its grandeur equalled that of the
Babylon Tower.
Alavian Mosque, 11th century CE All the
nations living around Iran coveted the
prominent natural position of Hamadan
from the times immemorial until recent
centuries; and have invaded the city
several times. First, the Assyrians
destroyed Hamadan. It was ruined again
and again during the invasion of Mongols
and Tamerlane. Finally, in the recent
centuries the Ottomans attacked the city
several times; but Hamadan heroically
stood against the enemies and
courageously withstood all the losses it
had sustained.
Hamadan is the homeland of great
scholars and men ot letters like
Elnaighozat, Khajeh Rashidoddin
Fazlollah, Adham Hamadani, Baba Taher
Orian and Mirzadeh Eshghi; and the tombs
of Avicenna and Baba Taher are located
in this city. Hamadan has preserved its
importance in the post-Islamic period.
Hamadan is a city of mild climate
summer. Its natural beauty including
Mount Alvand and its beautiful peak as
well as the scenery of Morad Baig and
Abbasabad Valleys will always be
remembered by visitors. In this ancient
city remains have been unearthed in
archaeological excavations of Median and
Achaemenid castles, forts and cities on
the hills of Hegmataneh and Mossalla.
The objects unearthed in those sites,
like tablets, gold and silver plates,
and tools are now is great museums. Yet,
there are plenty of other historical
monuments and places to be visited by
everybody. These include:
The Stone Lion:
The Stony Lion or the stone lion is a
big Parthian monument that was
originally made like a lion. It is
believed that once there was a
counterpart for this monument.
Avicenna Memorial Tomb:
Avicenna's (Bu Ali Sina) 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 Voshmgir Tower. There is a
library with a number of manuscripts in
this building. In the courtyard of the
building, there is a tomb belonging to
the late Qajar period poet and song
writer Abolqassem Aref.
Baba Taher Memorial Tomb:
The tomb of the writer of many romantic
couplets, Baba Taher, is in Hamadan. The
building of the great mystic's tomb has
been built in a beautiful park northwest
of Hamadan in recent years.
The Holy Shrines:
The devotedly faithful people of Hamadan
have always paid respectful attention to
holy shrines. There are several mosques;
mausoleums and shrines in Hamadan
including Imamzadeh Esmaeil, Imamzadeh
Abdullah, the Jami' Mosque and Khaneqah.
The Ganjnameh Epigraphes:
Most tourists express their interests
usually to see the Ganjnameh Epigraphs
while visiting Hamadan . These are two
inscriptions which were written on a
rocky wall on Alvand Mountain by kind
Darius's command during the Achaemenian
period. They 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 Saljuk 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.
The Tomb of Esther and Mordecai:
These are the tombs of two Jewish people
whose names appear in the Old Testament.
The building is made with bricks and
stone on the graveyard of
Khashayarshah's wife (Esther) and her
uncle (Mordecai). There are antique
wooden boxes and manuscripts of the Old
Testament inside the building.
Ali-Sadr Cave:
Ali-Sadr Cave 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 any where
else across the world. Local people
sometimes call it Alisadr or Alisad.
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
kilometres. The clear water of the lake
is several meters deep and the cave's
walls, floor and ceiling are covered
with an abundance of marvellous
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.
However, there is power supply in the
cave for lighting. In some of the
chambers the distance between the floor
and ceiling of the cave reaches 40
meters, but the average height of the
cave is about 8 meters. There are
boating services with guides and
catering facilities for those who wish
to visit the cave.
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Hamadan Time