I had a 3 day trip to Hamedan with my wife on 10/6/2001.
Hamedan is located in west-central Iran ,400 km south west of Tehran,
at the northeastern foot of Mount Alvand (3,571 m). At an elevation of 1,877 m,
the city dominates the wide, fertile plain of the upper Qareh Su River.
Hamadan is one of the oldest cities of not only Iran but of the world. History
of Hamedan dates back to several centuries before Christ. At the Media
era, the dawn of Iranian history, the city was called Hegmataaneh. In Greek
documents, however, the city was named Ekbatan. Herodotus, the father of
history, said: “ Ekbatan used to be the first capital city of Median kings”
(6th century B.C.). The poet Ferdowsi
says that Ecbatana was build by King Jamshid. The city is even mentioned in the
Bible (Ezra 6:2).
Little remains now of the splendor that once characterized the ancient city,
the palaces and fantastic treasures. While lacking antique vestiges, Hamadan, has
several monuments worthy of interest.
Avicenna square -The
tomb of the great Iranian scientist Avicenna
(world famous scientist, philosphor, physician and mathematician, 13th
century A.D.) , is in Hamadan with a building and dome built in 1954. The
design of the dome is inspired by the shape of Ghabous Voshmgir Tower. There
is a library with a number of manuscripts in this building.
Ganj Nameh (treasure book) - In the
city's suburb, at the end of the beautiful Abbassaabad valley, there are two
inscription on the rocks of Mount Alvand. One of them had been carved at the
time of king Darius and the others at the time of King Khashayarsa.
Stone Lion -Attributed
to Median period (6th-7th century B.C.) 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Stony Lion or the stone lion is a big Parthian monument that was originally
made like a lion.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 far this
monument.
The Alvid Dome - This is the
most important Islamic monument in Hamadan. It is a square building of late
Seljuk period with a masterly stucco interior. This building has a crypt
containing the tombs of two members of the Alavid family.
The Tomb of Baba Taher - 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.
Alisadr Cave - Located 60 Km 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 Kilometers.
The clear water of the lake is several meters deep and the cave's
walls, floor and ceiling are covered with an abundance of marvelous
stalactites and stalagmites and various natural stones that have taken
the shape of various animals, objects and islands. No living
being lives in this cave and its waters 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 for visitors.
Hecmataneh Hill - Nearlly in
the center of Hamadan is a hill, which includes the remains of ancient
Ecbatana, it has been excavated by local archeologists in the last 15 years.
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 graves of
Khashayarsha's wife (Esther) and her uncle (Mordecai). There are antique wooden
boxes and manuscripts of the Old Testament inside the building.
