Tafresh

Tafresh
تفرش
—  city  —
Tafresh Azad University
Tafresh
Coordinates:
Country  Iran
Province Markazi
County Tafresh
Bakhsh Central
Population (2006)
 • Total 13,914
Time zone IRST (UTC+3:30)
 • Summer (DST) IRDT (UTC+4:30)

Tafresh[1] (Persian: تفرش) is a city in and the capital of Tafresh County, Markazi Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 13,914, in 4,254 families.[2]

Tafresh is located amidst high mountains 222 kilometres (138 mi) southwest of Tehran. Tafresh is an old city and formed a Zoroastrian stronghold for many years.

Tafresh provided Iran with many notable figures such as ministers, statesmen, scientists, calligraphers etc. Professor Mahmoud Hessaby, the father of modern physics in Iran, Ahmad Parsa, the father of Iranian botanics, Abbas Sahab, the father of Iranian geography and Abdolkarim Qarib, the father of Iran's geology, were all Tafreshi. Because of this, Tafresh has received the nickname "City of Iran's Fathers".

It is believed that in Sassanian times, Zoroastrianism was the state religion and was threatened by Islam, an army warrior called Delaram made a resistance force for the Zoroastrians in Tafresh. One of the villages in Tafresh was called Delaram after this army warrior, however after Islamic conquest of Persia, the name Teraran was given to it. Teraran means 'The Thieves' in Middle Persian.

Today there are still many remaining of zoroastrian strongholds in and around the town, particularly on the summits of the surrounding mountains and hills also remaining of the Zoroastrians graveyards can be seen at Tafresh.

Tafresh is made of many villages among which one can name Sarabadan.

Contents

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Universities

Three universities are situated in Tafresh, namely the Tafresh branch of the Tafresh University, Tafresh Azad University and the Tafresh branch of the Payame Noor University. Tafresh City is situated in Tafresh County.

Village Life

Although many people live in Tafresh, its numbers are decreasing as many leave Tafresh to go and live in Tehran or other main cities of Iran. Some of the summer resorts around Tafresh are Teraran (Delaram), Shahchenar and Naqusan. The Ab Garrau spa is a touristic place around Tafresh. Tourists of the villages usually visit them in the summer.

Notables

References

External resource