Shiraz is the fourth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the “Rudkhaneye Khoshk” (The Dry River) seasonal river. It has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years.
Shiraz is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia. It was a cosmopolitan and refined cultural center, praised by the famous travel writer Ibn Battuta (1304-1368/69 CE) for its beauty and inspirational power, which encouraged artistic, intellectual, and religious developments. Scholar Leonard Lewisohn comments:
“This city of Saints and Poets…was especially famous for its colleges and seminaries, its Sufi centers and mosques, many of which had large accompanying gardens and possessed properties attached by charitable bequest to their grounds. The presence of these institutions…lent the town a peculiar sacred ambience in the popular imagination.”
It is considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens, and fruit trees that can be seen in the city, such as Eram Garden.
The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; pile carpet-weaving and making of the rugs. In Shiraz industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork, and rugs dominate. Shirāz also has a major oil refinery and is a major center for Iran’s electronic industries: 53% of Iran’s electronic investment has been centered in Shiraz. Shiraz is home to Iran’s first solar power plant
Shiraz is home to a vibrant academic community. The Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was the first university in Shiraz and was founded in 1946. Much older is the august Madrasa-e-Khan, or Khan Theological School, with about 600 students; its tile-covered buildings date from 1627.
Today Shiraz University is the largest university in the province, and one of Iran’s best academic centers.
Football is the most popular sport in Shiraz and the city has many teams in this sport. The most notable of these teams is Bargh Shiraz who are one of the oldest teams in Iran.
After the Iranian Revolution, Shiraz was re-established as the capital of Iranian Art and Culture among the people. Shiraz is known as the capital of Persian Art, Culture and Literature. However, the current government has tried to re-brand the city as “Sevomin haram-e ahle beit” meaning “Third home of Saints” referring to the Shahcheragh shrine and some other holy places in the city.
Photography exhibition of Shiraz
The Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be holding an exhibition on theme of “photography of shiraz” at the Salar Jung Museum from 13th October till 23rd October 2021. 40 photos of Shiraz along with live calligraphy and wood inlay will be exhibited in this event.
Shri V. Srinivas Goud. Hon’ble Minister for Tourism & Culture and Archaeology Government of Telangana will be the Chief Guest of this exhibition.
The exhibition will be held in cooperation with the Salarjung Museum and The Siasat Daily newspaper.