TABRIZ

Introduction

Tabriz once stood on the way from the East to the West. The city was once a shelter for the mystic scholars and poets. The place was a rendezvous for the artists and intellectuals. Tabriz has so far been a cradle for the uprisings. Indeed, the pen fails short to describe the grandeur of the city.

The historical background of the city is wrapped in a mystery. Why it is named Tabriz can be traced just through guesses. Tabriz is glorified through being the Dome of Islam. The location of the city on the way of the East to the West suggests the historical and geographical significance of the city.

The highly qualified school of Rabe Rashidi in the 15th century was the envy of the other States. The Blue Mosque (built in the 15th century) was titled the Jewel of Islam. The Citadel (Ark) still keeps its Firmness.

The Poets' Cemetery contained once the bodies of almost two hundred distinguished men of letters. However, The cemetery was replaced with the buildings and houses. In 1976, a monument was erected In honour of those poets, and later in 1988, the great poet Shahriar was buried there.

The Bazar of Tabriz is a large roofed place for the trades and marketing. The Long Passageways, the Inn- Yards, Mosques, and gates make the Bazar a unique work of architecture.

Mir Ali Tabrizi founded the Nastalique Calligraphy in Tabriz and it was followed by the artist; throughout Iran. Painting is also rooted in this city. During the war between the Safavid Dynasty and the Ottomans in the 17th century, the artists were forced to leave Tabriz for Isfahan and contributed to the flourishing of arts there.

During the Reign of the Qajar Dynasty in the 19th century, Tabriz was the capital city of Iran and then the city became the seat for the royal prince.

Tabriz once witnessed the glorious days and it also suffered devastating catastrophes. Uzun Hassan paraded his troops in Sahebolamr Square in the 15th century and then received the representatives of the Venician Royal House. The big feasts and revels held by Yagub, Uzun Hassan's son and successor, to gather the rulers in Tabriz. However, Tabriz has not forgotten the painful moments of its history. The natural phenomena shook it terribly, enemies attacked it and liberal men were hanged in the city. Nevertheless, the city survived. The first modern school was founded in Tabriz. The first printing hall, the first theatre, the first periodical, the first municipality, all were established in Tabriz.

The Constitutional Movement achieved its success through the uprising of the people here in Tabriz (1906).

Tabriz is located in a mountainous area. The Mt. Sahand lies in the southeast of Tabriz.

Background

As the capital of the Azerbaijan Province, the city of Tabriz is located in the north-eastern Iran. It is 1340m above sea level, and its area is 11,800km2. The city is in the northeast of Lake Orumiyeh, and lies 619km away from the west of Tehran. Jolfa, a town on the northern border line between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, is 150km from the north of Tabriz. The population of Tabriz is about one and a half million people.

Tabriz is in a valley stretched from the east to the west. The open end of the valley is extended up to the Lake Orumiyeh in the west. A River, called The Talkheh Rood, flows in the north of Tabriz. The river flows finally into the Lake Orumiyeh.

Tabriz used to have many gardens, farming fields, subterranean canals and fountain springs. During the years after the WW I, they were replaced by the buildings, houses, offices and shopping malls.

Tabriz has not been treated justly by the historians. Its historical background has often been lost in a halo of ambiguity. The history of Tabriz in the pre-Islamic era is not clearly known. It was after the Muslim corps took over Tabriz, the city attracted the attention of the people. Its geographical place highlighted the significance of the city . They caravans stayed in Tabriz Inn-yards when they headed from the east to the west. The foundation of Tabriz and the name of the city can not easily be traced. An as recent as May 1999 excavation around the Blue Mosque revealed a large cemetery, dating back to 900-600 B.C. The two types of pots (grey and cream-coloured) and the daggers, spears and the ornamental beads and earrings were suggestive of a developed people.

Vladimir Minorski, the Russian Orientalist, made a good account of the Assyrian King, Saragon II, invasion into the land. To conquer the Orarto Land, Saragon II (714 B.C.) led his army to the northwest of Persia, then ruled by the Medes. The army passed through Suleimaniya (now in Iraq) and entered the Persia. It passed by Parsua (now called Passva in Iran) and then set fire to the Castle of Hassanlu in the south of the Lake Orumiyeh. The army took the way close to the lake and in the east of the lake, it captured the fortress "Ushguya" (now Usku) and then destroyed the castle of Tarumi or Tarnni
and Tarmukis. It is probable that one of these two fortresses had been the city now called Tabriz. The facts are carved on a flat rock near Sarrub and the inscribed epigraph still survives. It is probably believed that one of the ancient names might be the original name of the present city, Tabriz.

The Armenian historians believe that Tabriz is the metamorphosed word of "Deivriz" which meant the "place of revenge." According to these historians, the revenge was taken by Khosrow Arshaki (217-233) on Ardeshir Babekall and to make the revenge known, he called the city " Deivriz." However, the reports are not reliable. No written documents survive to cast light on the ancient background of the city. The various tombs and graveyards deep in the ground and scattered in various places of the city can be keys to further studies.

Tabriz was first talked of at the time of Ravadian Dynasty in the 8th century. Motavakkil Abbasi appointed Ravadiadi, A Yemeni citizen, as the governor of Tabriz and then Tabriz got enclosed in ramparts. Since then, Tabriz has occurred in the history books.

In 983, Yugoot Homavi names Tabriz in his book. Abu Hogal in 988, Ibn Mesquoya in 1042, Nasir Khosrow in 1059 referred to Tabriz as the largest city in Azerbaijan. The Mongolian cavalry reached Azerbaijan and appeared behind the doors of the ramparts in 1239. No bloodshed happened, but they entered the city and were received warmly by the people. Tabriz became the capital city of Azerbaijan in 1259 when Gazan Khan was the ruler. During the ruling of Gazan Khan, Tabriz flourished 1n every aspect. The greatest school then, Shanb Gazan, was established in Tabnz. The school was among the best cultural centres of the time. From those glory and dignity, only the ruined towers survive on top of a hill in Tabriz now.

Tabriz was culturally a significant city in Iran when the war between the Safavid Dynasty and the Ottomans in the 17th century, Tabriz was deserted by the great artists. They fled to Isfahan, the Capital City then, and contributed to the calligraphy, painting and carving in Isfahan.

The city, nevertheless, grew larger. The large cemetery which was the burial place of the known poets and distinguished men, was replaced by the buildings and market places. In 1976, a monument was erected in the same place to keep the memory of those great men alive. Shahryar's death in 1988 gave an extra honour and glory to the place. Now the monument is surrounded by a small park.

Tabriz did not rest always in humiliation. The democracy movement in the 19th century was initiated in Tabriz. The humiliated movement of Constitutionalism in 1906 got a new energy in Tabriz when Sattar Khan, a simple tender of the horses, started a great rebellion against the King, He was helped by the citizens and a few other brave men such as Bagher Khan, Ali Monsieur , Hossein Khan Baghban.

Tabriz is getting developed to an industrialised city. The various factories, workshops, carpet. weaving workshops and the handicraft centres add to the new importance of Tabriz. The traditional texture of the architecture of the city is a great hurdle for the development of the city. The long, narrow alleys, narrow streets and passageways the crowded old districts all add to the problem of the civil engineering. Nevertheless, the city is on the way to progress: slowly - hesitatingly, gradually, and having the necessity of change in its mind.

The Town Hall of Tabriz

The Town Hall - used to be called Balladia - was established in Tabriz when there was no other Town Hall in Iran. The Town Hall, or municipality, seems to have appeared in 1906, It was the time when the movement of Constitutionalism had achieved its success through being officially recognised by the King. The establishment of the constitution in Iran paved the way for the Province Assembly to be formed. The Province Assembly initiated new administrations and institutions. The municipality of Tabriz was founded and then the City Council selected the first Mayor. Gassem Khan Amir Toomun, known as Valli, was the first mayor of Tabriz. Born in 1874 and educated in the Senior School at Paris, Valli was a highly sophisticated man. The Valli introduced the telephone service and the electric light to Tabriz. The Majidi street was lit by the electric lamps and telephone service had 150 subscribers, the subscription fee for each set being 300 Rials then. Valli brought the first printing machine to Tabriz in 1938 and started the first publishing company. He also founded the literary Circle in 1939. Valli, as the mayor of Tabriz, published a weekly magazine which was appreciated by Edward Brown.

The Town Hall of Tabriz, which still survives in the centre of the city, was built in 1933. Haj Arfa Almolk Jalili, the mayor then, had the building constructed in a place where was an old cemetery. The overall design of the building is an imitation of an eagle with wide spread wings. On top of the "head" (the tower), there stands a clock with four faces. The ringing bell of the clock tells the time every hour. The building, known as the Clock Building, is still used as the town Hall.

OTHER FEATURES

1. The Airport
The International Airport of Tabriz is used for the domestic and international flights. Everyday, there are flights to Tehran, Rasht, Mashhad and the Kish Island (in the Persian Gulf), There are also current flights to Baku., Damascus and Mecca.

2. Railroad
Tabriz is also connected to Tehran through the railroad founded in 1944. The Tehran-Tabriz railroad is extended to Jolfa for the purpose of carrying goods.

3. Hotels
There are eleven hotels which can be arranged as follows: Tabriz Hotel; Gostaresh Hotel (Both at the Ab-Ressani crossroad); Darya Hotel (Rahahan Ave. Opposite to Babak Hospital); Azerbaijan Hotel (Shariati Square); Siena Hotel (Bagh Golestan Sq.); Gods; Iran Hotel: Ark Hotel: Park Hotel; Hotel Negin; and Marmar Hotel.

4. Universities
Tabriz University is the second important university in Iran, The university was founded in 1934 and got developed quickly. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate studies in various fields. Nevertheless, Electronics, Chemistry, Medicine, Maths, and Construction fields are nationally popular. The Central Library of Tabriz University is rich in terms of the source books it contains.

Sahand University offers courses in Technical fields. The University has recently established a course in carpet (weaving and marketing).

Tarbiat Moalem University (Teacher Training University) is the third major university.

Azad University, managed by the private sector, is also a large university. Payam Noor (Open University), Tabriz Polytechnics Institute, and two private colleges are the centres of higher education.

5. Souvenirs
The best Persian Carpets are woven in Tabriz and the other towns of Azerbaijan. The various sizes, different designs, and the best colours are used to distinguish Tabriz carpets from the others.

Nuts, dried apricots, sunf1ower- seeds, and some local confectionary sweets are also sold in Tabriz.

Shahryar, the Poet
(1905-1988)
Shahryar was born at a time when the Constitution Movement was stirring the roots of the traditional social systems. As soon as the boy was born, he was sent to Khoshknub, a small village far away from Tabriz. Shahryar spent his childhood at the village and the rustic life with the sharpness of physical features had a great impact on the would- be poet. It was a time when the traditional rustic life
was giving way to the urbanisation and the migration of the villagers to the cities had already started. Shahryar felt the depths of the catastrophe and then in 1951, he transformed his great feelings of regret to a poem called "Haydar Babaya Sallam." The long poem in 76 stanzas regrets the loss of simplicity, innocence and manhood. The poem starts abruptly, almost like a lightening;

Haydar Baba! when the lightening flashes
Floods from the valleys roar and splash
T o those waters the girls' looks clash
Give my greetings to your glorious tribe
May you on their tongues my name scribe

Apostrophising the mounting Haydar Baba, Shahryar personifies the mountain and tells her whatever he remembers of the simple folk of the once prosperous village. The poem has so far been translated into Persian language for 12 times by twelve translators and also to German and English languages.

Shahryar wrote a great bulk of Persian sonnets, He followed Hafiz in both form and imagery patterns. The aptness of his response to the phenomena and the sensual expression of his feelings make Shahryar an outstanding contemporary Iranian Poet.

Shahryar died in 1988 and was buried in The Poets' Corner in Tabriz. Shahryar's house changed into a literary Museum. The house is at the end of the valley right behind the Clock Building (Town Hall).

It is also noteworthy that for over eight years, an annual conference has been held in Octobers in Tabriz - which is among the major Iranian economic centres - at Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines, called "National Conference on Non-Oil Development." It is sponsored by the Eastern Azerbaijan's Governor Office; Tabriz Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines; Azerbaijan Trade Organisation; and attended by high-ranking officials; prominent businesspersons; professors; and presidents of the provincial chambers of commerce, including Tehran and Iran Chambers of Commerce, Industries and Mines.