Tabriz



Tabriz (Persian: تبریز, Azerbaijani: Təbriz) is the capital of East Azerbaijan province, in the Azerbaijan region of Iran. It is a modern industrialized Iranian city with signs of civilization dating back 2,500 years. Having some of the most famous museums, major cultural events, and prestigious Iranian universities, the city is considered a major hub for science and culture in Iran. Tabriz was named by the Organization of Islamic Conference as the "city of the Islamic world tourism" for 2018.

People
The majority of the city's population are Iranian Azerbaijanis, followed by Persians, Armenians, Assyrians, and other people of the Caucasus.

Geography
At an altitude of 1,340 meters above sea level, 619 km northwest of Tehran, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s. It is a former capital of Persia, and had a population of 1,400,000 according to 1992 census. Tabriz is in a valley to the north of the long ridge of Mount Sahand. The valley opens out into a plain that slopes down gently to the northern end of Lake Orumieh, 60 km to the west. The 160-km long Aji, Chai or Talkheh River is the major river of the city, formed by merging of three smaller rivers, namely the Ab Nahand, Quri Chai, and Ojan Chai, all of which originate from the Sabalan Mountain and the heights in the southeastern part of the town. The river and streams join the Orumieh Lake after passing through the valleys between the Sorkhband and Yekkeh Chin mountain north of Tabriz and Osku district. Mehran River or Maidan Chai, also called Liqvan River, originates from the peaks between Karim and Sultan mountains overlooking the Liqvan village (a major center of cheese production in Iran) near Esparakhoun and Qeshlaq. Its worst natural disadvantage, however, is its vulnerability to earthquakes, one of which utterly destroyed the city in 858. Rebuilt in a minor key, it was again devastated in 1041, when more than 40,000 people lost their lives.

Climate
By virtue of its situation, Tabriz has a continental climate with low humidity (average annual rain fall is 288 mm). It has a modestly warm summer climate and a severely cold winter.

History
The town has a long and checkered history. Although the early history of Tabriz is shrouded in legend and mystery, the town's origins are believed to date back to distant antiquity, perhaps even before the Sassanian era (224-651 ACE). The oldest stone tablet with a reference to Tabriz is that of Sargon II, the Assyrian king. The tablet refers to a place called Tauri Castle and Tarmkis. The historians believe that this castle was situated on the site of the present Tabriz. It was the capital of Azarbin the 3rd century CE and again under the Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty (1256-1353), although for some time Maragheh supplanted it. During the reign of Aqa Khan of the Ilkhanids, as well as under the reign of Ghazan Khan, Tabriz reached the peak of its glory and importance. Many great artists and philosophers from all over the world traveled to Tabriz. During this same period, Khajeh Rashid od-Din Fazlollah, the learned historian and Minister of Ghazan Khan, built the famous Rob'e Rashidi center. The great Berber traveller Ibn Battuta visited the city in this period.

In 1392, after the end of Mongol rule, the town was sacked by Tamerlane. It was soon restored under the Turkman tribe of the Qara Qoyunlu, who established a short-lived local dynasty. Under the Safavids it rose from regional to national capital for a short period, but the second of the Safavid kings, Shah Tahmasb, moved the capital to Qazvin because of the vulnerability of Tabriz to Ottoman attacks. The town then went into a period of decline, fought over by the Iranians, Ottomans and Russians and struck by earthquake and disease.

Tabriz was the residence of the crown prince under the Qajar kings, themselves of Turkish stock, but the town did not return to prosperity until the second half of the 19th century. The greatest boost to Tabriz came with the opening up of Persia to the West at the turn of this century, when it became the main staging post between the interior of Iran and the Black Sea and, for a short time, the economic capital. In 1908 it was the center of a revolt against Mohammad Ali Shah, which was only put down with the brutal intervention of the Russians.

In the second Irano-Russian War the city was occupied by the Tsar's troops. However, it was returned to Iran following the signing of the Turkmanchai Treaty, a peace and trade settlement that ended the Irano-Russian War of 1826–1828. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution originated in Tabriz and culminated during the reign of Mohammad Ali Shah of Qajar dynasty (1779-1925). Sattar Khan and Baqer Khan were the two most prominent leading figures behind the movement. Tabriz was occupied by Russians several times in the first half of the 20th century, including most of both world wars. A railway line to the border at Jolfa, built by the expansionist Russians, has been of little importance, but it increased in significance in the 1990s as a result of Iran's friendlier relations with its northern neighbors.

Talk
Azerbaijani, a Turkic language, is the primary language spoken by most Tabrizis, although many people, especially the younger generation, can communicate in Persian and moderate to advanced English.

Get in
Tabriz is 310 km southeast of Bazargan (at the Iran — Turkey frontier), 131 km south of Agarak (at the Iran - Armenia border crossing), 159 km south of Jolfa on the Iran — Azerbaijan Republic border, and can be reached by road, rail (742 km from Tehran, with connections to Europe and Moscow), air from Tehran, Istanbul and other major cities in the region, and highway (Highway number 1 connects Tabriz to Tehran).

By plane
Airport bus #136 goes to airport from Motahhari St. every 30–40 minutes. Another option is getting a taxi.

Domestic flights
 * Ahwaz operated by Iran Air
 * Bandar Abbas operated by Iran Air
 * Isfahan operated by Iran Air
 * Mashhad operated by ATA air, Iran Air Tours, Iran Aseman and Zagros Airlines
 * Shiraz - Monday and Friday, operated by Iran Aseman. Fare is 2,200,000 rials for 1-way.
 * Daily direct flights to Tehran (Mehrabad Airport) by Iran Air, Iran Aseman and other companies. Fare is 490,000 rials for 1-way.

International direct flights to the following destinations exist:
 * Baghdad - F and M, operated by ATA air.
 * Baku - Tu and Sa, operated by Kish Air.
 * Damascus.
 * Dubai - Tu and Sa, operated by Kish Air (around US$200 for round trip).
 * Gaziantep - Tu, operated by Sky Airlines.
 * Istanbul 13 flights per week, operated by Turkish airlines (7 flights), Iran Air (2 flights) and ATA air (4 flights). Fare is around US$250 for a round trip.
 * Tbilisi 2 flights per week, operated by ATA air.

By car
By the bridge over the Urmia lake Tabriz is reachable from Urmia in 1.5 hours.

By train
There are overnight trains to Tehran (12 hr) via Maraghe (2 hr), Zanjan (9 hr) and Qazvin. A 2nd class sleeper (six bunks per cabin) leaves Tabriz at 20:30 nightly reaching Tehran at 09:30, price is 40,000 rials. More comfortable is the 1st class train for 170,000 rials, leaving at 17:30 and arriving in Tehran at 06:00. This has 4-bunk cabins with TV and dinner is included in the price. From Tehran to Tabriz the sleepers depart at 16:00 and 18:30. Buy tickets in advance from a city travel agent or on the day at the station.

An international train runs once a week from Tehran to Tabriz and continues west at 23:30 Sundays to Van in Turkey, arriving 08:00 Monday. The eastbound train leaves Van Monday 21:00 to arrive Tabriz Tuesday by 05:15, continuing to Tehran for 18:20. To reach Ankara and Istanbul, take the bus from Van or twice-weekly train from Tatvan on the other side of the lake.

A more direct line from Tehran has finally opened, however as of 2023 there is only one train per day which terminates at the Tabriz-Khavaran railway station in the eastern outskirts of the city.



By bus
There are buses from Tabriz to Iranian cities including Tehran 6-8 hrs (fare 150,000 single), Ahvaz 15 hr, Ardabil 4 hr, Esfahan 17 hr, Maku 4 hr, Maraghe 2 hr, Qazvin 7 hr, Shiraz 23 hr, Zanjan 5 hr. International routes are to Baku in Azerbaijan 15 hr, Istanbul in Turkey 33 hr and Yerevan in Armenia 10 hr.



Get around
City transport awaiting the Metro that's only partly operational is limited to taxis, shared taxis and buses.

By metro
Tabriz is building an extensive metro system, but as of 2022, only Line 1 is operational..

By taxi
Taxis can be chartered for a modest fee (around US$20 if you need a driver and car for the whole day to visit the region!)

By shared taxi
Shared taxis are even more of a bargain, but you will need to speak a few words of Persian and risk your life by stepping on the side of the road and scream your destination at passing-by Paykans. However, the experience of sharing a car with 4 locals of both genders and all ages (+ driver) can be fun! Some drivers refuse to be paid, the pleasure of chatting with a foreigner about the various plagues of Iran being apparently enough to make their day. (be careful of tarof, though)

By bus
Buses are difficult to take (no map, no schedule) and definitely not worth the experience when compared to shared taxis despite being quasi-free.

Inside Tabriz
With a very rich history, Tabriz used to house many historical monuments. Unfortunately, many of them were destroyed in repeated invasions and attacks of foreign forces, negligence of the ruling governments, and natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. What remains now mostly dates back to the Ilkhanids, the Safavids, and the Qajars. Some of the monuments are unrivaled masterpieces of architecture. The Shahrdari Square is the center of the town, on the south-west of which stands the imposing edifice of Municipality. The railway station (5 km from the center of the town) is at the western edge of the town. The Quri Chai river runs through Tabriz, and most places of interest to the visitor are to the south of this river and alone or north of Imam Khomeini Avenue.




 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.
 * Canonical palace This beautiful palace was built approximately 60 years ago.

Around Tabriz
In Iranian Azerbaijan there are many historically and scenery interesting places to visit. The mountainous region of south Azerbaijan offers breathtaking views and excellent treks among castles, rocky paths and remote villages.



Do




Learn
Tabriz is the site for some of the major Iranian universities including University of Tabriz, Sahand University of Technology, Azad University of Tabriz, Payam Nour University of Tabriz, and Azerbaijan University. Tabriz University offers degree programs for foreign nationals through the regular application without entrance exam the entrance to other universities is through entrance exam.

There are a couple of big libraries in the city including Tabriz National Library which are holding some of the oldest handwritten Iranian literature and modern texts.

Souvenirs

 * Tabrizi nuts and Dried Fruits are quite famous in the region. There are a couple of famous stores which are known nationwide, including Tavazoe (in Abrasan Square, Imam Ave.), and Rex (Shahnaz Sq., Imam Ave.)
 * Tabrizi carpets are among the finest in the world, and you will find masterpieces in shops and inside the Bazaar. These rugs are among the most decorative rugs and frequently use colors like pink, red and cream. Prices for rugs in Tabriz are about 50% less than in most Western countries. You should consider the customs rules of Iran and your home country, too. Typically, for 2 rugs, there is no customs fee or tax.
 * Gold and silver jewelry is also a local handicraft.

Modern shopping centers
The three big modern supermarket are: Refah, Sepah, and Laleh. There are small supermarkets all around city and some other smaller arcades in the city center in Tarbiat St.



Eat
Traditional cuisine: Kabab, rice, Abgousht (meat broth), Kufte Tabrizi (big meat ball) some restaurants serve them all, but if you step inside a more modest Chelowkebabi, odds are you won't have much choice apart from the traditional rice and kebab. But still you can find some restaurants which serve all, for instance there is a historical bath Nowbar Bath in city center which has been converted to a traditional restaurant and it serves Abgousht, Kufteh, and other foods.

Food vendors: There are food vendors in Shahgoli's main square during late spring and summer. Their offerings include roasted salted corn (locally called makka) and/or boiled eggs and potato wrapped in flat bread (called yeralma yomurta). They normally stay open till midnight.

Fast foods: There are small fast food restaurants for pizza, and sandwiches all around the city.

Drinks: The most common drink in Tabriz (likewise many other middle eastern cities) is tea which is served in tea houses along with option of qaliyan (shusha). The famous traditional cold drink is dough (yogurt juice) which is served in restaurants and it is also being sold in supermarkets along the cities.

Fresh smoothiesː There are many stores in Imam Ave, between Saat square and Ferdowsi street, that are serving smoothies. The most popular ones are pomegranate, bananas, and watermelon. The smoothies in these stores are mostly sugar sweetened.

Confectioneries and dried nuts: Tabriz is famous for its confectioneries and dried nuts. Some of the most famous confectioneries are Qurabiya, Tabrizi Luvuz, Zulbia, Pashmak, Nuga (or Nuqa), and Ris. There are no chain stores like in many big cities so you have to go to confectionery store. Some of the famous ones are: Karimi (in Vali Asr district), Eftekhari, and Reks (in Imam Ave close to Shahnaz St.)

Fruits and vegetableː fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased from Rahli Bazar in the city center. There are also smaller shops around the city for fruits and vegetables. Sometimes vendors also sell fruits and vegetables from the back of their trucks for a cheaper price. Fruits and vegetables are normally brought to Tabriz from gardens and farms around the city and from gardens of other parts of Iran.

Cold and frozen desserts: In summer time ice cream and faloodeh is sold in some of the fast food restaurants in the city center. Many of these ice-cream places is a family business and they have their own secret recipe for ice cream. The recipe passes from generation to the next generation inside the family. The most famous ones are: Shams (in Imam Ave close to saat), and Vahid (in Ark Alley).

Hot appetizers: Labou (hot boiled sweet red-beet) and Pakhla (salty boiled Fava Beans) are sold normally in winter time by peddlers in street sides.

Drink
Nightlife may not have the same meaning in Iranian towns as in Western cities. Apart from private parties, there is nothing even vaguely close to a nightclub in the whole country. However, places for getting out at night in Tabriz include ice cream & juice houses, kebab restaurants, Qalyan (hubble bubble), and tchaikhaneh. Going to theaters and walking around some of the major streets (Valiasr district, Abrasan, and Shahnaz Shariati St.) is one of the major hobbies of the youngsters in Tabriz. In the summer, families go to some of the big parks to have their supper in a public area in a picnic style way.

Sleep
There is a good variety of hotels. Downtown, Ferdowsi street hosts many guest houses and there are many independent and national hotel chains from the mid-range to the high-end mostly in central and in Southeastern districts of Tabriz.

Hotels
The hotels are convenient but relatively expensive. The hotels in city center are recommended if you are looking to see the historic sites of Tabriz and feel the life of Tabriz residents, while the hotels in new suburbs are far away from the city center and mostly used by business travelers. Here is a list of major hotels in Tabrizː



Guest houses
Guest houses are mostly in Ferdowsi Street and Amin Street. Many guest houses charges extra if you want to shower (around 2-3000 toman extra is not unusual).

Tourist Information Centre
Next to Tabriz Bazaar on Ferdowsi Rd (look for big black sign). Nasser Khan at the centre can help you with all your queries about Tabriz and its surroundings, and will probably also offer you some well-brewed tea.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

Phone

 * Country Code for Iran:                 +98
 * Area Code for Tabriz:                  041
 * Tabriz Cellular Phone (Code):          0914

Stay safe

 * See also the information at Iran.:

Tabriz is a safe city; however, like any other major big city in the world, you should always consider common sense safety measuresː do not leave your luggage unattended and never leave your car or your bike unlocked when you are walking a long distance away.

Emergency service

 * For all emergency services callː 110

Respect

 * People in Tabriz respect bread. Never walk on bread or never throw it away in public.
 * During Ramadan, eating, drinking, and smoking in public is forbidden by state law. But as a traveler you can eat and drink in many of the restaurants with the curtain down, in a way that the served food is not visible from street.

Go next

 * Sardroud
 * Ardabil
 * Kandovan - small village 50 km away, with houses carved in the rocks like in Cappadocia, Turkey
 * Maku
 * Maraghe
 * Osku &mdash; known as the capital of batik in Iran.
 * Takab — Takht-e Soleyman, a Zoroastrian fire temple and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is nearby
 * Urmia — capital of West Azerbaijan province
 * Zanjan