| Basmenj باسمنج |
|
|---|---|
| — city — | |
|
Basmenj
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Iran |
| Province | East Azerbaijan |
| County | Tabriz |
| Bakhsh | Central |
| Elevation | 1,791 m (5,876 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 10,736 |
| Time zone | IRST (UTC+3:30) |
| • Summer (DST) | IRDT (UTC+4:30) |
Basmenj (Persian: باسمنج; also Romanized as Bāsmenj, Bāsmej, and Bāsmīnj)[1] is a city in the Central District of Tabriz County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 10,736, in 2,873 families.[2]
Basmenj is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southeast of Tabriz. It lies at an altitude of 1,791 metres (5,876 ft) and covers an area of 2 square kilometres. The city is best known for its fresh and pickled cucumber.
From the eighth century the word "Basmenj" occurs in some texts as "uoosbenj", "wahoosphenj", "fahoosphenj" and "esphenj". There were two fire temples many years ago. One of them was "miyarrar" or "miadgah" that was very Sacred and there was an idol called "ENJ". The word "basmenj" derived from the name of this idol; and the word "basme+enj" is formed from the two word "basme" & "enj". The word "basme" means "in the name of" and in other languages including Sanscrit, Old persion, and medial persion, the prefix of the words "uoosbenj", "wahoosphenj", "fahoosphenj" and "esphenj" means "in the name of" too. Thus the meaing of "basmenj" is "in the name of ENJ" same the word "in the name of GOD".