Borujerd

Borujerd is an old city in Lorestan, a western province of Iran. The city has been populated since 50 AD. Many historical sites and monuments are located in and around the city. Borujerd is a developing middle size city located in the fertile valley of Silakhor and surrounded by elevated mountains of Zagros. The city of Borujerd inhabits 252,000 people (2009) and is a regional center for agriculture, business and higher education.

The city of Borujerd is the official center of Shahrestan-e Borujerd or Borujerd county.

Talk
The language is Borujerdi - a local accent of Persian and Lori. Persian is used easily. English can not be used frequently by average people. However, the presence of many university students in the city may be a chance for finding help.

Get in
Train: Dorud is connected to National Railway. Once a part of Borujerd county, this city is 45 km southeast of Borujerd. It takes 40 min to get to Borujerd by minibus or less by a hired taxi.

Bus: Frequent bus services run from many cities of Iran to this city. Borujerd has a good connection to many Iranian cities by bus. Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ahwaz, Khorram Abad, Hamadan and Kermanshah are main cities with frequent buses to Borujerd.

Car: Lorestan is located between Tehran and Khoozestan provinces and is paved with reliable highways. From Tehran you can drive 4 hr to get to Borujerd. The 396-km distance is mostly freeway and highway and Qom and Arak are main cities in between.

Air: there is no airport for public in Borujerd. The closest airports are located in Khorram Abad and Hamadan cities.

Get around
Use public bus system, shared taxi or telephone taxi. Hiring a registered taxi for the whole day costs about US$39 or less. For short distances a hired taxi costs US$2 or less. Payments should be in rials.

See
There are many architecture and natural places worth to visit in Borujerd. This city has a good combination of historical and natural attractions. The following attractions are more popular for local and foreigner tourists.

Historical:
 * Imamzadeh Ghasem
 * Shahzadeh Abolhasan
 * Great Bazaar of Borujerd
 * Tomb of Zavvarian (5 km north of Borujerd)
 * Sametieh tomb of Borujerdi poet Samet.
 * The old houses from Qajar era (more than 30 houses distributed in Sufian suburb).
 * Tomb of Zavvarian (5 km north of Borujerd)
 * Sametieh tomb of Borujerdi poet Samet.
 * The old houses from Qajar era (more than 30 houses distributed in Sufian suburb).

Parks and natural features:
 * Fadak Garden
 * Chogha Hill with 360° view of the city and Zagros Mountains.
 * Goldasht valley 3 km west of the city
 * Samovar Park a municipal park with a statue of samovar.
 * Kuche Bagghi gardens and farmlands
 * Vennai a tourist-friendly village in Garrin Mountains.
 * Gahar Lake of Dorud (60 km south of Borujerd).

Do

 * Walk in the busy lanes of the bazaar to see and know the tribal lurs.
 * Walk in Shohada, Takhti and Bahar streets in the evenings with your local friends.
 * Spend half a day in Vennai and try local pickled cucumber.
 * Climb professionally in Garrin or Oshtorankuh Mt.
 * Chill out in Kuche Baghi parkland with a local friend.
 * Hike in Chogha Hill for 20 min in the afternoon and see the 360° view of the city and surrounding mountains in day and night lights.
 * Record photos or video of the local festivals in Muharram or Nowruz.

Sleep
There are not many places to choose for accommodation. The four-star Zagros hotel is probably the best choice if you can pay US$50 or more per night. Located on top of Chogha Hill, it offers you the best view of the city or snow-covered mountains. The rooms and environment are quite pleasant. For a cheaper price, Esteghlal Hotel in Bahar Street is another choice. Few guesthouses are available in Takhti St., Shohada and Razan Square.

Eat
Borujerd has a good reputation for meal. Kebab, local bread and ice cream are must-eat foods. Don't miss local halva and sweets in Borujerd.

Drink
No alcohol is served in Iran unless your local friends offer to you. Soft drinks and bottled water are available easily. Doogh is yoghurt drink and very popular in Lorestan. Borujerd also offers a good selection of Ash - different Iranian soups.

Stay safe
Iran in general and Borujerd are generally very safe for travelers. However, you should always avoid scams.


 * Avoid traveling alone in villages or among tribes.
 * Visit natural scenes in day time with your friends.
 * Do not use unauthorized cars that work as taxi.
 * Call police on 110 in emergency.

Go next
If you have your own car, go toward Arak, Qom and then Tehran. Most of the buses and minibuses leave from East Terminal (terminal-e sharq). If your next destination is Hamadan, Kermanshahan or Kordestan provinces in west of Iran, use buses, shared or hired taxis in West Terminal (terminal-e qarb).