Tourism Information of Fars Province

Fars Province , is one of the thirty-one provinces of Iran and known as the cultural capital of Iran . It is in the south of the country , in Iran's Region 2 , and its administrative center is Shiraz . It has an area of 122 ,400 km² . In 2011 , this province had a population of 4.59 million people , of which 67.6% were registered as urban dwellers , 32.1% villagers , and 0.3% nomad tribes . The etymology of the word "Persian" (From Latin Persia , from Ancient Greek Περσίς (Persis)) , found in many ancient names associated with Iran , is derived from the historical importance of this region .

Fârs , or known in Old Persian as Pârsâ , is the original homeland of the ancient Persians . The native name of the Persian language is Pârsi . Persia and Persian both derive from the Hellenized form Περσίς Persis of the root word Pârs . The Old Persian word was Pârsâ .

History

The ancient Persians were present in the region from about the 10th century BC , and became the rulers of the largest empire the world had yet seen under the Achaemenid dynasty which was established in the late 6th century BC , at its peak stretching from Thrace-Macedonia , Bulgaria-Paeonia and Eastern Europe proper in the west , to the Indus Valley in its far east . The ruins of Persepolis and Pasargadae , two of the four capitals of the Achaemenid Empire , are located in Fars .

The Achaemenid Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great in 333 BC , incorporating most of their vast empire . Shortly after this the Seleucid Empire was established . However it never extended its power beyond the main trade routes in Fars , and by the reign of Antiochus I or possibly later Persis emerged as an independent state that minted its own coins .

The Seleucid Empire was subsequently defeated by the Parthians in 238 BC . By 205 BC , Antiochus III had extended his authority into Persis and it ceased to be an independent state .

Babak was the ruler of a small town called Kheir . Babak's efforts in gaining local power at the time escaped the attention of Artabanus IV , the Arsacid Emperor of the time . Babak and his eldest son Shapur I managed to expand their power over all of Persis .

The subsequent events are unclear , due to the sketchy nature of the sources . It is however certain that following the death of Babak around 220 , Ardashir who at the time was the governor of Darabgird , got involved in a power struggle of his own with his elder brother Shapur . The sources tell us that in 222 , Shapur was killed when the roof of a building collapsed on him .

At this point , Ardashir moved his capital further to the south of Persis and founded a capital at Ardashir-Khwarrah (formerly Gur , modern day Firouzabad) . After establishing his rule over Persis , Ardashir I rapidly extended the territory of his Sassanid Persian Empire , demanding fealty from the local princes of Fars , and gaining control over the neighboring provinces of Kerman , Isfahan , Susiana , and Mesene .

Artabanus marched a second time against Ardashir I in 224 . Their armies clashed at Hormizdegan , where Artabanus IV was killed . Ardashir was crowned in 226 at Ctesiphon as the sole ruler of Persia , bringing the 400-year-old Parthian Empire to an end , and starting the virtually equally long rule of the Sassanian Empire , over an even larger territory , once again making Persia a leading power in the known world , only this time along with its arch-rival and successor to Persia's earlier opponents ; the Byzantine Empire .

The Sassanids ruled for 425 years , until the Muslim armies conquered the empire . Afterwards , the Persians started to convert to Islam , this making it much easier for the new Muslim empire to continue the expansion of Islam .

Persis then passed hand to hand through numerous dynasties , leaving behind numerous historical and ancient monuments ; each of which has its own values as a world heritage , reflecting the history of the province , Iran , and West Asia . The ruins of Bishapur , Persepolis , and Firouzabad are all reminders of this . Arab invaders brought about a decline of Zoroastrian rule and made Islam ascendant from the 7th century .

Administrative divisions

Fars province is located in the south of Iran . It neighbours Bushehr Province to the west , Hormozg�?n Province to the south , Kerman and Yazd provinces to the east , Isfahan province to the north and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province to the northwest . According to the latest divisions , the province contains the following counties .

Climate and wildlife

There are three distinct climatic regions in the Fars Province . First , the mountainous area of the north and northwest with moderate cold winters and mild summers . Secondly , the central regions , with relatively rainy mild winters , and hot dry summers . The third region located in the south and southeast , has cold winters with hot summers . The average temperature of Shiraz is 16.8 °C , ranging between 4.7 °C and 29.2 °C .

The geographical and climatic variation of the province causes varieties of plants ; consequently , variation of wildlife has been formed in the province . Additional to the native animals of the province , many kinds of birds migrate to the province every year . Many kinds of ducks , storks and swallows migrate to this province in an annual parade . The main native animals of the province are gazelle , deer , mountain wild goat , ram , ewe and many kinds of birds .

The province of Fars includes many protected wildlife zones . The most important protected zones are :

· Toot Siah (Black Berry) Hunt Forbidden Zone , which is located at the end of Boanat region

· Basiran Hunt Forbidden Zone , which is located 4 kilometers south to Abadeh

· Bamu National Park , which is located north-east of Shiraz

· Estahban Forest Park (Parke Jangaly) , which is located on the outskirts of Touraj mountain

· Hermoodlar Protected Zone , which is located east to Larestan

Arjan Meadow 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi) and Lake Parishan 40 km2 (15 sq mi) are designated Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar convention .

Economy

Agriculture is of great importance in Fars . The major products include cereal (wheat and barley) , citrus fruits , dates , sugar beets and cotton . Fars has major petrochemical facilities , along with an oil refinery , a factory for producing tires , a large electronics industry , and a sugar mill . Tourism is also a large industry in the province . UNESCO has designated an area in the province , called Arjan (known as Dasht e Arjan) as a biosphere reserve . Shiraz , provincial capital of Fars , is the namesake of Shirazi wine . A large number of wine factories existed in the city .

Demographics

The main ethnic group in the province constitutes of Persians (including Larestani people) , while Qashqai , Lurs , Kurds , Arabs , Georgians , and Circassians constitute minorities .

Due to the geographical characteristics of Fars and its proximity to the Persian Gulf , Fars has long been a residing area for various peoples and rulers of Iran . However , the tribes of Fars including , Mamasani Lurs , Khamseh and Kohkiluyeh have kept their native and unique cultures and lifestyles which constitute part of the cultural heritage of Iran attracting many tourists .

Among the hundreds of thousands of Georgians and Circassians that were transplanted to Persia under Shah Abbas I , his predecessors , and successors , a certain amount of them were to guard the main caravan routes ; many were settled around Āsp�?s and other villages along the old Isfahan-Shiraz road . By now the vast majority Caucasians that were settled in Fars have lost their cultural , linguistic , and religious identity , having mostly being assimilated into the population .

The province has a population of 4.6 million approximately .

Transportation

Shiraz Airport is the main international airport of the province and the second in the country . The cities of Lar and Lamerd also have airports linking them with Shiraz and Tehran and nearby Persian Gulf countries such as the UAE and Bahrain . Shiraz is along the main route from Tehran to southern Iran .

Higher education

The Fars Province is home to many higher education institutes and universities . The main universities of the province include Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz University , Shiraz University of Technology and Islamic Azad University of Shiraz .

Crafts

Arg-e Karimkhani, Karim Khan Citadel in Shiraz Arg-e Karimkhani (meaning Karim Khan Citadel) is one of the main attractions of Shiraz. Anyone going to Shiraz for the first time should not skip this famous Arg of

(Karim Khan. This fortress was the living quarter of the kings of Zand dynasty (1750-94

Karim Khan (1750-79) ordered the construction in 1766 and the castle was completed the following year. This citadel was the center of kingdom in Zand era when Shiraz was the capital city of Iran. Even during the kingdom of Qajars

(1785-1925), when the capital moved to Tehran, this fortress was the residence of the local governors.

The towers were also used as prison at times.There were some renovations in Qajar era, such as the tile-worked depicting of the legendary saga of Rostam fighting the white demon (Div-e Sepid). What does Arg-e Karimkhani look like? It is a semi-rectangular (Trapezius) medieval castle consisted of round brick towers 14 m high at corners, 12 meters high walls around, a huge green garden in the court yard with two pools and fountains, stone pavements, three large iwans (facades) in three sides except the the eastern wall where the entrance gate is located, and a royal private bath within the citadel. Arg-e Karimkhani bath is among the first ones of this type in Iran, used by the royal family. The iwans lead to other rooms and the upper floor. These rooms were the living area of the king's family in different times of the year. The western side was used during summer, and the northern side was the living area in winter. The iwans and rooms are beautifully decorated and have Persian architectural elements like muqarnas, stucco works, etc. to amaze visitors. Where is Karim Khan Citadel?

Arg-e Karimkhani is now in the center of Shiraz, southern Iran. It is close to Vakil Complex, including, Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Mosque, and Vakil Bath. Vakil Bazaar dates back to 11th century AD, and has beautiful roofed corridors with shops selling different thing like Persian rugs, spices and copper handicrafts. It is now at Shahrdari square (Town hall), however, this castle used to be in the northwest of the old town near Bagh-e Shah Gate. Considering the location and various places to go and see in downtown Shiraz, any travelers must visit Arg-e karimkhani during the city tour.

How to go to Arg-e Karimkhani? As Shiraz is in the classic rout of Iran (Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz), it

would be most probably on your way in Iran

Shiraz has an International airport so many travelers start or end their journey in Shiraz. You can find about other main attractions of Shiraz such as, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam, Tomb of Hafez, Eram Garden as one of the 9 Persian Gardens, and more right on our blog. You can also choose from one of Iran cultural tours and have a complete and guided journey by Marcopolo Iran Tours.

Arg-e Karimkhani court yard

Museums

A Pleasant Walk in the Gardens of Shiraz

Spring, summer, autumn, or winter are all pleasant if you are to walk in the gardens of Shiraz. Shiraz is a famous city in Iran not only for the reach history beyond it, especially Persepolis, Pasargadae and Naqsh-e Rostam, but also for its ever green gardens. There are still lots of gardens in the city belonging to many centuries ago, and quoted continuously in texts (old and new ones). So it is not strange to see Hafez, the most popular poet of Iran, was so fond of his home town and referred it as a very beautiful city with a great climate in his poems. Shiraz has several gardens, attracting visitors in various places around the city, each one with special features and characteristics; one of the 9 gardens registered as a World Heritage Site under the name of Persian Garden, old mansions, military museum, mausoleum, or a simple cafe. Let’s take a look into some of the Gardens of Shiraz.

Eram Garden

in Shiraz Eram Garden First of all we should check out Eram Garden (Baq-e Eram), a historical Persian garden and now also a botanical garden. Eram garden dates back to 11th century but it has gone through many changes and renovations ever since. It was during the reign of Naser ed-din Shah (1848-1896), the Qajarid long ruling king, that a nobleman of Shiraz bought the garden from the Qashqai lord and built the current astonishing mansion within the garden. The building looks towards east with a main balcony with two stone columns, and tow pairs of smaller balconies on each side, all open to a wide pool and the garden.

Hafezieh

Garden Hafezieh Hafezieh, or Hafez Tomb Garden is of great importance amongst Iranians, not for the garden but as it holds the tomb of the great Persian Poet. Hafez lived in the 14th century and the collection of his poems which is called Divan-e Hafez is the 2nd book that can be found in most of the Iranians homes after Quran. The garden where his mausoleum is located consists of two parts separated by a columned hall (used to be once a four columned memorial built by Karim Khan Zand (1750-1779). Many Iranians visit Hafezieh throughout the year, and the garden is open until 21:30 or even later, so it is a very good place to visit at night as the last place of the day and have also a local touch with with people of around Iran.

Jahan Nama

Garden Jahan Nama Garden Jahan Nama Garden (Baq-e Jahan Nama) is considered as one of the oldest gardens in Shiraz which even amazed Tamerlane (1370-1405) when he attacked Shiraz. It is said that he ordered to build a similar garden in his capital in Samarqand with the same name. Today’s octagonal building in the center of the garden dates back to Zand dynasty (1750-1794). There are cypresses, orange tress, bushes and colorful flowers along the pavements. The pool inside the mansion is connected to a series of water channels and pools outside, all with natural fountains. This garden is in the walking distance of the Tomb of Hafez (Hafezieh), so a great option for an afternoon walk before visiting Hafezieh.

Afif Abad

Garden (Golshan) Afif Abad Garden Afif Abad Garden, once called Golshan Garden (Baq-e Golshan) is among the oldest gardens of Shiraz and Safavid Kings (16th century) used it as their palace while visiting Shiraz. The garden has a large area and it is great for spending some time totally in peace. The central mansion dates back to 1863 and it is inspired by Achaemenids architecture. The garden was named after Afifeh, the niece of the owner of the garden who made lots of renovations in the garden and the building. Afif Abad garden now belongs the Army (since 1962) and now is the 2nd largest military museum in Iran showcasing old guns and weapons.

This is why Shiraz is called the city of gardens and nightingales. We checked out some of the gardens of Shiraz in part 1 and now we are to have a look at some more gardens you can have a pleasant walk while in the city of Shiraz. To do so we start from Saadieh, the Saadi mausoleum garden.

Saadieh Garden

Saadieh What would be better than to pay a visit to one of the greatest figures of Persian literature known as the professor of Speech, and also have the time to enjoy an afternoon or evening walk in the surrounding garden? The mausoleum is inside the garden where Saadi lived and wrote hos two famous books, Golestan and Boostan, after returning from his travels around the world. Many Iranians visit Saadieh when they travel to Shiraz to pay tribute to this master of literature, and you can have a good chance to talk with people of different walks of life.

Delgosha Garden

Delgosha Garden Delgosha means heart delight in Persian and the garden can do the same with visitors and make them delightful. However, this historical garden which used to be one of the most famous gardens of Shiraz in the past, is now considered more as an option to enjoy the cafe inside the central mansion. The buildings in the garden date back to 18th and 19th century, and still can remind the times of glory of the garden. Delgosha is near Saadieh and it is a good option to see it before going to Saadieh.

Narenjestan Garden

Narenjestan Garden Narenjestan or Qavam garden of Shiraz is actually a late 19th century house owned by a merchant family. The beautiful mansion has to southern and northern sides with a symmetric plan. The northern portico has massive mirror works, two stone columns and inlaid doors and faces the pool and water canals along with sour orange and date palm trees. The name of the garden, Narenjestan, is derived from the numerous sour orange trees in the garden which are called Narenj in Persian. The house and the garden are dedicated to the University of Shiraz by Ebrahim Khan Qavam ol-Molk, the owner, in 1966

Nazar Garden- Pars Museum

Nazar Garden Nazar Garden had different names through the time, based on its application, such as Governmental Garden, Shahzadeh Garden, Vakil Mausoleum, and Pars Museum. Karim Khan Zand (1750-1779) built the octagonal mansion in the center of the old garden to welcome guests and ambassadors, and to hold celebrations and ceremonies. Nazar Garden is next to KarimKhani Citadel and it is also the burial place of Karim Khan Zand. The building is now a museum since 1936, called Pars Museum of Fars. It is the oldest museum of Fars Province and has artifacts of pre-historic, historic, and Islamic eras. As you can see (and it was just a short list), Shiraz is a great destination for all seasons with numerous gardens to visit and enjoy. So take a look at Marcopolo Iran Tours and daily tours which include Shiraz.