Aligoodarz
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Aligoodarz (Luri: Aligudarz, formerly Ale Goodarz) is a city in Lorestan province, Iran. Aligoodarz is located 503 km from Tehran and situated in a region which is a mixture of plain and foothill, thus enjoying a mountainous mild climate. Oshtorankooh Mountain range and Aligoodarz River are situated here. The population was estimated to number 93,749 residents in 2006[1].
The origins of the city are unknown. The city of Aligoodarz was once called Al-e Goodarz (meaning sons or tribe of Goodarz, a mythical Iranian hero from the Persian national epic Shahnameh).
In the past, the monastery of this city was a religious training center for the Kizilbash and darvishes.
In the mountains and hills around Aligoodarz antique objects have been discovered like cubic rectangular brick earthenware belonging to the 13 century AD.
Important natural and historical sites of Aligoodarz are as follows:
- Absefid (lit. white water) Eater Fall
- Aligoodarz Forests,
- Sayleh castle
- Tamandar and Bexnavid caves
- Masisilan Ancient Hill.
The city's inhabitants belong to the Bakhtiari ethnic group, and are bilingual in Persian and Luri. The overwhelming majority of the population are of the Shia Muslim confession. Throughout the centuries very large numbers of people of Khunsar and Golpayegan have settled in the city. There was once a small Jewish community that has either been assimilated into mainstream Islam or emigrated out of the city. The last known Jewish inhabitants fled the city during the Islamic Revolution.
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