Razavi Khorasan Province
| Razavi Khorasan Province استان خراسان رضوی |
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| — Province — | |
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| Coordinates: 36°17′53″N 59°36′21″E / 36.2980°N 59.6057°ECoordinates: 36°17′53″N 59°36′21″E / 36.2980°N 59.6057°E | |
| Country |  Iran |
| Capital | Mashhad |
| Counties | 19 |
| Area | |
| - Total | 144,681 km2 (55,861.6 sq mi) |
| Population (2005)[1] | |
| - Total | 5,593,079 |
| - Density | 38.7/km2 (100.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | IRST (UTC+03:30) |
| - Summer (DST) | IRST (UTC+04:30) |
| Main language(s) | Persian, Kurdish, Turkmen |
Razavi Khorasan (in Persian: خراسان رضوی (Xorāsāne Razawi)) is a province located in northeastern Iran. Mashhad is the centre and capital of the province.
Other cities and townships are Ghouchan, Dargaz, Chenaran, Sarakhs, Fariman, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Torbat-e Jam, Taybad, Khaf, Roshtkhar, Kashmar, Bardaskan, Neyshabour, Sabzevar, Gonabad, Kalat, Khalil Abad and Mahvalat.
Razavi Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004.
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History
Greater Khorasan has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and governments in its territory throughout history. Various tribes of the Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Turkemen, Kurds and Afghans brought changes to the region time and time again.
Ancient geographers of Iran divided Iran ("Iran-Shahr") into eight segments of which the most flourishing and largest was the territory of Greater Khorasan.
 Imām Ridhā Mosque entombs the remains of the eighth Twelver Shia Imām ‘Alī ar-Ridhā in Mashad. |
 Goharshad mosque built in 1418 CE by the orders of Goharshad, wife of Shah Rukh. The mosque now serves as one of the prayer halls within the Imām Ridhā Mosque complex. |
 Haruniyeh, named after Harun al-Rashid. The present structure was probably built in the 13th century. The great Sufi Sheikh Imam Mohammad Ghazali is also buried here. |
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 Nader Shah Afshar's tomb in Mashad. |
 Wooden mosque placed in Nishapur Wooden village,a unique village in Iran. |
 Tomb of Farid ad-Din Attar in Nishapur. |
The earliest known evidence for Lower Paleolithic occupation of Iran comes from Kashafrud basin at east of Mashad.The famous Parthian empire was based near Merv in Khorasan for many years.
During the Sassanid dynasty the province was governed by an Espahbod (Lieutenant General) called "Padgoosban" and four margraves, each commander of one of the four parts of the province.
Khorassan was divided into four parts during the Islamic Conquest of Iran and each section was named after the four large cities, such as Neyshabour, Merv, Herat, and Balkh.
In the year 651 CE, the army of Islamic Arabs invaded Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the Abbasid clan until 820 CE, followed by the rule of the Iranian Taherid clan in the year 896 CE and the Samanid dynasty in 900 CE.
Sultan Mohmud Qaznavi conquered Khorasan in 994 CE and in the year 1037 CE Toqrol, the first of the Seljuqian rulers conquered Neyshabour.
Mahmud Qaznavi retaliated against the invaders several times, and finally the Qaznavi Turks defeated Sultan Sanjar. But there was more to come, as in 1157 CE Khorasan was conquered by The Khwarazmids and because of simultaneous attacks by the Mongols, Khorasan was annexed to the territories of the Mongol Ilkhanate.
In the 14th century, a flag of independence was hoisted by the Sarbedaran movement in Sabzevar, and in 1468 CE, Khorasan came into the hands of Amir Teimoor Goorkani (Tamerlane) and the city of Herat was declared as capital.
In 1507 CE, Khorassan was occupied by Uzbek tribes. After the death of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747 CE, Khorasan was occupied by the Afghans.
During the Qajar period, Britain supported the Afghans to protect their East India Company. Herat was thus separated from Persia, and Nasereddin Shah was unable to defeat The British to take back Herat. Finally, the Paris Treaty was concluded in 1903 and Iran was compelled not to challenge The British for Herat and other parts of what is today Afghanistan.
Finally Khorasan was divided into two parts: the eastern part, which was the most densely populated region came under British occupation, and the western section remained part of Iran.
Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it was divided to three provinces on September 29, 2004. The provinces approved by the parliament of Iran (on May 18, 2004) and the Council of Guardians (on May 29, 2004) were Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and South Khorasan.
Archaeological sites
Among the archeological sites discovered in this province:
Kohandezh hills
Excavations conducted by Americans between 1935 and 1940 in Nishapur (Neyshabur) discovered museum-worthy objects, which were shared with the government of the Shah. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's publications document its own Nishapur ceramics from those excavations. For half a century after 1945 the site of Nishapur was ransacked to feed the international market demand for early Islamic works of art. Nowadays, the Kohandezh hills reveal the remains from those excavations.
Shadiyakh
Shadiyakh was an important palace in old Nishapur up to the second century after Islam and became more and more important and populated after that. The palace was completely ruined in the 13th century. It was the home of notables such as Farid al-Din Attar, whose tomb is found in Shadiyakh.
 One of the skeletons which were found in Shadiyakh, Nishapur. It is kept in a glass box at the original place. |
 A view of the structure which protects the Shadiyakh excavations |
 The cellar was a siah chaal (a kind of prison) |
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 Bathroom and public saloon |
Excavations began in 2000 and continued for approximately two years.
Khorasan today
The major ethnic group in this region are Persians, there are other sizeable communities such as Kurds , Khorasani Turks, Turkmens, Hazaras Balochs and Pashtuns. There is also Afghan community in the province due to the influx of Afghan refugees coming from Afghanistan in recent years.
Attractions
This province envelopes many historical and natural attractions, such as mineral water springs, small lakes, recreational areas, caves and protected regions, and various hiking areas.
Besides these, Khorasan encompasses numerous religious buildings and places of pilgrimage, including the shrine of his Imam Reza, Goharshad mosque and many other mausoleums and Imamzadehs which attract visitors to this province.
The Cultural Heritage of Iran lists 1179 sites of historical and cultural significance in all three provinces of Khorasan.
Some of the popular attractions of Razavi Khorasan are:
- Tus, where Ferdowsi, Persia's Homer is buried.
- Neyshabour, where Farid al-Din Attar, Omar Khayyám, and Kamal-ol-molk are buried.
- Goharshad mosque and the vast shrine-complex of Imam Reza that forms the heart of Mashhad
- Khaneh Khorshid
- Shandiz and Torghabeh (famous for their riverside restaurants)
- Tomb of Nadir Shah Afshar in central Mashhad
- Akhangan (Akhanjan) tower, north of Tus
- Haruniyeh dome in Tus, where the famous mystic Imam Mohammad Ghazali is buried.
- Tus citadel
- Bazangan lake, in Sarakhs district
- Kooh Sangi, a notable hill in Mashhad
- Akhlamad
- Band-e-Golestan (Golestan dam)
- Jaghargh
- Zoshk, a country village west of Mashhad
- Kang, a scenic stepped village
- Noghondar
- Kardeh Dam
- Vakilabad and Mellat parks in Mashhad
- Zari, Hendelabad, Mozdooran, Moghan and Kardeh caves.
- Robat Sharaf (a relatively grand caravanserai ruin in Sarakhs district)
- Tomb of Khajeh Abasalt, Khajeh Morad, Ravi (famous Iranian Gnostics) and mausoleum of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi.
- Yahya and Khajeh Rabi mausoleum at the northern edge of Mashhad city*Sabz (green) dome in a roundabout in Mashhad.
Colleges and universities
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (website)
- Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
- Islamic Azad University of Mashhad
- Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences
- Sabzevar University of Tarbiat Moallem
- Islamic Azad University of Torbat e Jam
- Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar
- Islamic Azad University of Neishabur
- Islamic Azad University of Ghoochan
- Islamic Azad University of Torbat Heidariyeh
- Comprehensive University of Applied and Practical Sciences, Khorasan
- Imam Reza University
- Bahar Institute of Higher Education
- Sadjad Institute of Higher Education
- Payame Noor University of Mashhad
- Gonabad University of Medical Sciences
- Islamic Azad University of Gonabad
See also
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Razavi Khorasan province |
- The text of the law for division of Khorasan into three provinces (in Persian)
- Cultural Heritage Foundation of Khorasan
- /Razavi Khorasan Province cooprative office
- /Razavi Khorasan Province cooprative office (in Persian)
- Razavi Khorasan Province Department of Education (in Persian)
- Imam Reza Shrine Official website
- Mashad Mayor's Office
- Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi Official website
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