- Also spelled:
- Hamedan or Hamadān
- Ancient:
- Ecbatana
Hamadan
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Where is Hamadan located?
Hamadan is a city in west-central Iran, serving as the capital of Hamadan province. It sits at the northeastern foot of Mount Alvand, at an elevation of 6,158 feet (1,877 meters), and overlooks the fertile plain of the upper Qareh Sū River. Hamadan is an important trade center on the main Tehrān-Baghdad highway. Hamadan rugs are well-known in the Iranian rug trade, second only to Kermān carpets.
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What kind of place is Hamadan?
Hamadan is a city in west-central Iran, serving as the capital of Hamadan province. It's located at the northeastern foot of Mount Alvand, at an elevation of 6,158 feet (1,877 meters), and it dominates the fertile plain of the upper Qareh Sū River.
With a history stretching back to the 1st millennium BCE, Hamadan has been known by various names, including possibly Bit Daiukki to the Assyrians, Hangmatana or Agbatana to the Medes, and Ecbatana to the Greeks. It was once a Median capital and the site of a royal summer palace under Cyrus II and later Achaemenian rulers.
Today, Hamadan is known for agriculture, trade, and its role in the Iranian rug trade, ranking second to Kermān carpets. Potteries are also scattered throughout the country, with Hamadan being the largest center.
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What is Hamadan known for historically?
Hamadan, Iran, formerly known as Ecbatana, has a rich historical legacy. It was one of the Median capitals and the site of a royal summer palace under Cyrus II and Achaemenian rulers. The city is mentioned in the Bible and has a tradition of Jewish association, including the reputed tomb of Esther.
During the Islamic period, Hamadan was home to great thinkers and artists such as Avicenna. For 50 years in the second half of the 12th century, the Seljuq Turkish sultans made it their capital. Hamadan is also known for its rugs, which are traded in the district surrounding the city.
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What important ancient landmarks can be found in Hamadan?
Hamadan, in west-central Iran, is an ancient city with a rich history dating back to the 1st millennium BCE. Known by various names such as Hangmatana or Agbatana to the Medes, and Ecbatana to the Greeks, it once served as one of the Median capitals and a royal summer palace under Cyrus II.
Key landmarks include the Moṣallā, a mound with remains of ancient Ecbatana, and the putative tomb of Esther, actually Queen Shushandukht's tomb, a pilgrimage site. Additionally, the Gonbad-e ʿAlaviyyān, a mausoleum with stucco work from the Seljuq Turkish period, stands as a testament to the city's medieval importance.
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How has Hamadan's history influenced its culture today?
Hamadan's culture is deeply influenced by its extensive history. Known as Ecbatana in ancient times, it served as one of the Median capitals and a summer palace for Cyrus the Great and Achaemenian rulers. The city's long history is reflected in its architecture, traditions, and the presence of historical sites such as the reputed tomb of Esther.
Hamadan has been a home to great thinkers and artists of the Islamic period, such as Avicenna, al-Hamadhānī, and Bābā Ṭāhir. Hamadan is also known for its rugs, which are traded in the district surrounding the city. Despite facing destruction and restoration throughout the centuries, Hamadan has preserved its cultural identity, making it a significant trade center and summer resort in modern Iran.
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What role does Hamadan play in modern Iran?
Hamadan, located in west-central Iran, serves as the capital of Hamadan province. Its pleasant summer climate attracts visitors, though winters are long and severe. As a trade center on the Tehran-Baghdad highway, Hamadan facilitates the movement of goods. Hamadan is also a significant center for pottery production. Hamadan rugs are well-known in the Iranian rug trade, ranking second to Kerman carpets.
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Hamadan, city, capital of Hamadān province, west-central Iran. It is situated at the northeastern foot of Mount Alvand (11,716 feet [3,571 metres]). Itself at an elevation of 6,158 feet (1,877 metres), the city dominates the wide fertile plain of the upper Qareh Sū River. There is a sizable Azeri-speaking minority.
The city, although certainly an older foundation, has records only from the 1st millennium bce. Hamadan has had many names: it was possibly the Bit Daiukki of the Assyrians, Hangmatana, or Agbatana, to the Medes, and Ecbatana to the Greeks. One of the Median capitals, under Cyrus II (the Great; died 529 bce) and later Achaemenian rulers, it was the site of a royal summer palace. A little east of Hamadan is the Moṣṣalā (Musalla), a natural mound the debris of which includes the remains of ancient Ecbatana. The modern city is built partly on this mound.
Hamadan is mentioned in the Bible (Ezra 6:1–3), and there is a tradition of Jewish association with the town. The putative tomb of Esther located there is in reality that of Queen Shushandukht, or Suzan, wife of the Sasanian king Yazdegerd I (died 420 ce) and mother of Bahrām V, the great hunter. She helped establish a Jewish colony in the city and was herself of that faith. Her tomb and the reputed grave of Mordecai, uncle of Esther, are both places of pilgrimage.
The city was captured by the Arabs in 641 or 642 and for some centuries remained a provincial capital. During this period the city was the home of some of the great thinkers and artists of the Islamic period. The poet and anthologist Abū Tammām composed his Ḥamāsah there in the early 10th century. The noted writer al-Hamadhānī was born there a generation later, as was the great Persian-language poet Bābā Ṭāhir, whose mausoleum is located in the city. The physician and philosopher Avicenna died in Hamadan in 1037. The list of luminaries with connections to Hamadan continued in later generations. In the second half of the 12th century, the Seljuq Turkish sultans made it their capital, and so it remained for 50 years. To this period dates the building of Gonbad-e ʿAlaviyyān, a mausoleum with fine stucco work.
About 1220 Hamadan was destroyed by the Mongols. In 1386 it was sacked by Timur (Tamerlane), a Turkic conqueror, and the inhabitants massacred. It was partly restored in the 17th century and subsequently changed hands often between Iranian ruling houses and the Ottomans. In modern times its strategic position caused a revival. The city was damaged during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88).
Modern development is modest. In summer the pleasant climate makes Hamadan a resort, but the winters are long and severe. The Ekbātān Dam (formerly Shahnāz Dam) provides water for the city. Grain and fruit are grown in abundance, and Hamadan is an important trade centre on the main Tehrān-Baghdad highway. In the Iranian rug trade, Hamadan rugs rank second to Kermān carpets. Pop. (2011) 525,794; (2016) 554,406.