Shiraz is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which is historically known by the exonym Persia proper. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 people, and its built-up area with Sadra was home to almost 1,800,000 inhabitants. A census in 2021 showed an increase in the city's population to 1,995,500 people. Shiraz is located in southwestern Iran on the () seasonal river. The city has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years.

The earliest reference to the city, as Tiraziš, is on Elamite clay tablets dated to 2000 BCE. The modern city was founded by the Sasanian dynasty and restored by the Umayyad Caliphate in 693 CE and grew prominent under the successive Iranian Saffarid and Buyid dynasties in the 9th and 10th–11th centuries, respectively. In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, due to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of multiple Persian scholars and artists. Two famous poets of Iran, Hafez and Saadi, are from Shiraz, whose tombs are located on the north side of the current city boundaries.

Shiraz is one of the top tourist cities in Iran, visited by people from around the world, and is known as the city of poets, literature, and flowers. It is also considered by some Iranians to be the city of gardens due to the presence of a number of gardens and fruit trees that can be seen throughout the city, such as Eram Garden. Shiraz has historically had major Jewish and Christian communities. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silverware; pile carpet-weaving and weaving of kilim, called and in the villages and among the tribes. Dominant industries in the city include the production of cement, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork, and rugs. Shiraz also has a major oil refinery and is a major centre for Iran's electronic industries: 53 percent of Iran's electronic investment has been centred in Shiraz. The city is home to Iran's first solar powerplant.

Etymology

thumb|upright|Shiraz in a photo by [[Canadian Space Agency|Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield from the ISS on 20 March 2013 (1392 Nowruz)]]Several tablets from the Persepolis treasury archives, written in the Elamite language, mention major workshops in (read ), which is the ancient form of the name Shiraz. Phonetically, this is interpreted as /tiračis/ or /ćiračis/. This name became Old Persian /širājiš/; through regular sound change comes the modern Persian name Shirāz. The name Shiraz also appears on clay sealings found at a 2nd-century CE Sasanian ruin, east of the city. According to the Iranian linguist Zana Salehrad, the name Shiraz may derive from an ancient term meaning "sunlit plain" or "bright land", reflecting the region’s fertile terrain and favorable climate. This etymology suggests that the city’s name originally conveyed its natural abundance and strategic significance in southwestern Iran.

History

Pre-Islamic era

Though, there is no definitive record of its existence prior to the late 7th century CE, few archaeological finds dating from 1933 and beyond indicate that the site or vicinity of Shiraz was likely settled in the pre-Islamic era as early as the 6th century BCE. A number of Achaemenid and Sasanian-era remains have been discovered around the city, including reliefs at Barm-e Delak to the east and Guyim to the northwest, and ruins of Sasanian fortresses at Qasr-e Abu Nasr to the east and Fahandezh. The latter is identified with the fortress of Shahmobad mentioned as being in Shiraz by the 10th-century geographical work, Hudud al-'alam. According to the diplomat and academic John Limbert, this indicates that the name "Shiraz" is traced back to the Elamite "Shirrazish" and that both refer to a settlement that existed at the site of Qasr-e Abunasr. He bases this on its frequent appearance in the Persepolis Administrative Archives (84 different tablets) as well as the number of workers present – in groups as large as 490. however, Shiraz prospered between the 6th and 8th-centuries CE and was possibly the administrative center for the Shiraz plain until the modern city of Shiraz was founded.

Early Islamic era

Shiraz was founded or restored in 693 by Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the brother of the Umayyad viceroy of the eastern half of the caliphate, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, or the latter's kinsman Muhammad ibn Qasim. The Arab Muslim army had conquered the wider region of Fars, where the site of Shiraz is located, in several expeditions launched from their garrison town of Basra between 640 and 653, and specifically captured the immediate area around Shiraz early on, in 641. This area did not possess any cities, though there were a number of forts which were forced to pay tribute to the Arabs. The Sasanians held firm in Istakhr, their capital in Fars, until the Arabs captured it in a heavy battle in 653, during which the plain of Shiraz had been utilized as an Arab campground. As Abbasid authority waned during this period, regional dynasties emerged with considerable autonomy. In 894, Ya'qub's brother and successor, Amr, founded the city's first congregational mosque, today known as the Atigh Jame' Mosque. Adud al-Dawla had a large library, a hospital and several mosques, bazaars, caravanserais, palaces and gardens built in the city, while south of it he erected a fortified camp for his troops, known as Kard Fana Khusraw, in 974.

The city was spared destruction by the invading Mongols, when its local ruler offered tributes and submission to Genghis Khan. Shiraz was again spared by Tamerlane, when in 1382 the local monarch, Shah Shoja agreed to submit to the invader. In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, thanks to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of a number of Persian scholars and artists . For this reason the city was named by classical geographers Dar al-'Elm, the House of Knowledge. Among the Iranian poets, mystics and philosophers born in Shiraz were the poets Sa'di and Hafez, the mystic Ruzbehan, and the philosopher Mulla Sadra. Thus Shiraz has been nicknamed "The Athens of Iran".

As early as the 11th century, several hundred thousand people inhabited Shiraz. In the 14th century, Shiraz had 60,000 inhabitants. During the 16th century, it had a population of 200,000 people, which by the mid-18th century had decreased to only 55,000.

<gallery mode="packed">

File:HG7 5639.jpg|The shrine of Shah Cheragh houses the remains of Sayyid Ahmad, son of Imam Musa al-Kazim

File:Masjed (20975400379).jpg|Tomb of Seyed Alaeddin Husayn, brother of Sayyid Ahmad nearby

File:Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze (Shiraz) 001.jpg|Imamzadeh Ali ibn Hamzah, nephew of Shah Cheragh and Imam Reza.

</gallery>

Safavids and later dynasties

thumb|260px|An illustration of Shiraz by French traveler [[Jean Chardin in 1670s while he was travelling through the Safavid Empire]]

In 1504, Shiraz was captured by the forces of Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid Dynasty. Throughout the Safavid Empire (1501–1722) Shiraz remained a provincial capital and Emam Qoli Khan, the governor of Fars under Abbas the Great, constructed a number of palaces and ornate buildings in the same style as those built during the same period in Isfahan, the capital of the Empire. For this reason, Shiraz is a holy city for Baháʼís, and the city, particularly the house of the Báb, was identified as a place of pilgrimage. Due to the hostile climate towards Baháʼís in Iran, the house has been the target of repeated attacks; the house was destroyed in 1979, to be paved over two years later and made into a public square.

During the Pahlavi era, Shiraz became the center of attention again. Important landmarks like Tombs of Poets' such as Sa'di

<gallery mode="packed" heights="130">

File:Shiraz en 1671 André Daulier Deslandes.jpg|Shiraz, André D. Deslandes, 1671

File:La ville de Sieras en Perse.jpg|Shiraz, Jean Struys, 1681

File:Lotf Ali Khan.jpg|Lotf Ali Khan (r. 1789–1794), ruler of the Zand dynasty

File:Bazar Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy, 1881.jpg|Illustration of the Vakil Bazaar by Jane Dieulafoy, 1881

File:Women from Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy in 1881.jpg|Women from Shiraz, by Dieulafoy in 1881

File:Harold f Weston - Iran23.jpg|Qur'an Gate, by Harold F. Weston, 1921

</gallery>

Modern times

alt=Narenjestan Qavam|thumb|Narenjestan Qavam

The city's municipality and other related institutions have initiated restoration and reconstruction projects.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The majority of the population are Persians. Most of the population of Shiraz are Shia Muslim. Shiraz also was home to a 20,000-strong Jewish community, although most emigrated to the United States and Israel in the latter half of the 20th century. Along with Tehran and Isfahan, Shiraz is one of the handful of Iranian cities with a sizable Jewish population and more than one active synagogue. Shiraz also has a significant Baháʼí Faith population, the largest in the country after Tehran. There are currently two functioning churches in Shiraz, one Armenian and the other Anglican.

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 1,204,882 in 265,637 households. The following census in 2011 counted 1,460,665 people in 416,141 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 1,565,572 people in 477,916 households.

Geography

thumb|Shiraz Garden Drives, in the north, has gardens predating the city's expansion.

The city of Shiraz, the capital of Fars province, is located at 52 degrees 32 minutes east longitude and 29 degrees 36 minutes north latitude, and is 919 kilometers from Tehran. In the first official census of Iran in 1335, the city of Shiraz with a population of 170,659 people was the sixth most populous city in Iran. Shiraz is located in the south of Iran and the northwest of Fars province. It is built in a green plain at the foot of the Zagros Mountains above sea level. Shiraz is south of Tehran.

A seasonal river, Dry River, flows through the northern part of the city and on into Maharloo Lake. As of 1920, the area had a large forest of oak trees.

Gardens

Shiraz contains a considerable number of gardens. Due to population growth in the city, a number of these gardens may be lost to give way to new developments. Although some measures have been taken by the Municipality to preserve these gardens, a number of illegal developments still endanger them.

Climate

thumb|Sunset in Shiraz, with [[Mount Derak|Derock Mountain in the background]]

Shiraz's climate has distinct seasons, and is overall classed as a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh, bordering BSk). whilst in the year from July 1965 to June 1966 as little as fell. The wettest year has been 1955/1956 with as much as , though since 1959 the highest has been around in each of 1995/1996 and 2004/2005. and the lowest record temperature was on 5 January 1973.

Neighborhoods

List of neighborhoods in Shiraz:

  • Anjireh
  • Zargari
  • Abivardi
  • Farhang Shahr
  • Qasrodasht
  • Koshan
  • Kuye Zahra
  • Ma'ali Abad
  • Molla Sadra
  • Shahcheragh
  • Riyasati Avval
  • Riyasati Dovvom
  • Shahrak-e-Golestan
  • Shahrak-e-Sadra
  • Tachara
  • Zerehi
  • Kolbeh Saadi
  • Podonak
  • Payegah
  • Eram
  • Bagh-e Nari (Narvan)
  • Siahatgar BLVD
  • Abiari Ave
  • Artesh square (Army Square)
  • Bridgestone
  • Babakuhi
  • Kuye Jamaran(siman)
  • Baskul Nader
  • Talkhedash
  • Kaftarak
  • Sare Dozak
  • Chamran
  • Sange Siah
  • Amir Kabir Blvd
  • Modares
  • Dinakan
  • Darvazeh Kazeron
  • Darvaze Isfahan
  • Bagh Safa
  • Atlasi
  • Derki
  • See also: Saadi Street

Economy

Shiraz is the economic center of southern Iran. The second half of the 19th century witnessed certain economic developments that greatly changed the economy of Shiraz. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 allowed the extensive import into southern Iran of inexpensive European factory-made goods, either directly from Europe or via India. Farmers in unprecedented numbers began planting cash crops such as opium poppy, tobacco, and cotton. A number of these export crops passed through Shiraz on their way to the Persian Gulf. Iranian long-distance merchants from Fars developed marketing networks for these commodities, establishing trading houses in Bombay, Calcutta, Port Said, Istanbul and even Hong Kong. Industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork and rugs dominate.

The Shiraz Special Economic Electronic Zone or the SEEZ was established in 2000 with the purpose of boosting manufacturing in electronics and communications.

thumb|[[Persian Gulf Complex]]

Shiraz is a major shopping destination in Iran and the Middle East, with more than 25 malls and 10 bazaars.

The Persian Gulf Complex, located at the north end of the city, is the largest mall in the world in terms of the number of shops.

The city is served by Refah Chain Stores Co., Iran Hyper Star, Isfahan City Center, Shahrvand Chain Stores Inc., and Ofoq Kourosh chain store.

thumb|center|800px|Panoramic view of Shiraz at Daylight

thumb|center|800px|Panoramic view of Shiraz at night

Culture

Shiraz is known as the city of poets, gardens, wine, nightingales and flowers.

The garden is an important part of Iranian culture . There are multiple old gardens in Shiraz such as the Eram garden and the Afif abad garden. According to some people, Shiraz "disputes with Xeres [or Jerez] in Spain the honour of being the birthplace of sherry." Shirazi wine originates from the city; however, under the current Islamic regime, liquor cannot be consumed except by religious minorities.

Shiraz was the birthplace of the poet Hafiz Shirazi. Shiraz is a center for Iranian culture and has produced a number of famous poets. Saadi, a 12th- and 13th-century poet, was born in Shiraz. He left his native town at a young age for Baghdad to study Arabic literature and Islamic sciences at the Nizamiyya of Baghdad. When he reappeared in his native Shiraz, he was an elderly man. Shiraz, under Atabak Abubakr Sa'd ibn Zangy (1231–1260) was enjoying an era of relative tranquility. Saadi was not only welcomed to the city but he was highly respected by the ruler and enumerated among the greats of the province. He seems to have spent the rest of his life in Shiraz. A number of scientists also originate from Shiraz. Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi, a 13th-century astronomer, mathematician, physician, physicist and scientist was from Shiraz. In his The Limit of Accomplishment concerning Knowledge of the Heavens, he also discussed the possibility of heliocentrism.

Tourism

The city holds significant importance as a tourism destination in Iran, with its cultural heritage being globally recognized.

<gallery mode="packed">

File:Darvazeghoran,_Iran_shiraz.jpg|The Qur'an Gate was a part of the great city wall built under the Buyid dynasty

File:Háfezova hrobka.jpg|Tomb of Hafez, in memory of the celebrated Persian poet Hafez

File:Delgosha Garden, Shiraz.jpg|Delgosha Garden

File:Ghavam Garden, Shiraz.jpg|Qavam House

File:Nasir al- mulk mosque, Shiraz.jpg|Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque

File:Afif-Abad Garden, Shiraz.jpg|Afif-Abad Garden (Arms Museum)

File:Eram Garden 94.jpg|Eram Garden

File:Shahpouri-House-in-Shiraz-Persia-Photo-by-Hossein-Amini.jpg|Shapouri House

File:Mausoleo de Saadi, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 02.jpg|Tomb of Saadi

File:Khwaju Kermani's tomb, Shiraz.jpg|Tomb of Khwaju Kermani

</gallery>

  • The tombs of Hafez, Saadi, and Khwaju Kermani (whose tomb is on a mountainside above the city's Qur'an Gate). Other lesser known tombs are that of Shah Shoja' (the Mozafarid emir of Persia, and patron of Hafiz), and the Haft Tanan mausoleum, where seven Sufi mystics are buried. The Tomb of Baba Kuhi sits atop a mountain overlooking the city, and the tomb of Karim Khan Zand is at the Pars Museum.
  • The oldest mosque is Atigh Jame' Mosque, followed by Vakil Mosque and Nasir al-Mulk mosque.
  • The Arg of Karim Khan (citadel) sits adjacent to the Vakil Bazaar and Vakil Bath at the city's central district.
  • The Qur'an Gate is the entrance to Shiraz. It is located near the gorge of Allah-o-Akbar and is flanked by the Baba Kuhi and Chehel Maqam mountains. The gateway once contained two hand-written Qur'āns by Sultan Ibrahim Bin Shahrukh Gurekani in an upper room, which have now been moved to the Pars Museum.
  • The Eram Garden (Bagh-e Eram) in Shiraz is a location for visitors with a variety of plants as well as a mansion.

<gallery mode="packed">

Pars Museum, Shiraz.jpg|Pars Museum

Atigh Mosque, Shiraz.jpg|Atigh Mosque

Luna Park, Shiraz.jpg|Luna Park

Jahan Nama Garden, Shiraz.jpg|Jahan Nama Garden

Saraye Moshir, Shiraz.jpg|Saraye Moshir

Ghavam ol Molk House, Shiraz.jpg|Qavam ol-Molk Mansion

Zinat ol Molk House, Shiraz.jpg|Zinat ol Molk Mansion

Saadat House, Shiraz.jpg|Saadat Mansion

Bazaar de Vakil, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 55.jpg|Vakil Bazaar

Vakil mosque Panorama.jpg|Vakil Mosque

Vakil water storage.jpg|Water Museum

Baños de Vakil, Shiraz, Irán, 2016-09-24, DD 36-38 HDR.jpg|Vakil Bath

Stone Museum, Shiraz.jpg|Stone Museum

Madresyekhaan_(1).JPG|Khan School

</gallery>

  • Margoon Waterfall is located in the Fars province of Iran near the city of Sepidan.
  • Shapur Cave is located in the Zagros Mountains, in southern Iran, about from the city of Bishapur.
  • Sangtarashan cave is located in the Jahrom, in southern Iran.
  • Palace of Ardashir, also known as the Atash-kadeh, is a castle located on the slopes of the mountain on which Dezh Dokhtar is situated. Built in AD 224 by King Ardashir I of the Sasanian Empire, it is located north of the ancient city of Gor.
  • Pooladkaf is a ski resort in the south of Iran. It opened in 2002.
  • The Sarvestan Palace is a Sasanian era building in the Iranian city of Sarvestan.
  • Qal'eh Dokhtar, is a castle made by Ardashir I, in present-day Fars, Iran, in 209 AD.
  • Maharloo Lake. Maharloo is a seasonal salt lake about an hour away from Shiraz, with a dominant pink hue because of the amount of red tide in it; however, the strength of the color differs in various times of the year. It is also known as the pink lake.

<gallery mode="packed">

Margoon_Waterfall_-_panoramio.jpg|Margoon Waterfall

Shapour_statue.jpg|Shapur cave

Gole ashk (2536129888).jpg|Plain of Fritillaria imperialis, Sepidan County

Pooladkaf Ski Resort.jpg|Pooladkaf Ski Resort

Sarvestan_Palace_4.jpg|Sassanid Palace at Sarvestan

Ghaledokhtar Firuzabad Fars.jpg|Qal'eh Dokhtar

</gallery>

Higher education

Shiraz is home to a vibrant academic community. The Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was the first university in Shiraz and was founded in 1946. Much older is the august Madrasa-e-Khan, or Khan Theological School, with about 600 students; its tile-covered buildings date from 1627.

Today Shiraz University is the largest university in the province, and one of Iran's best academic centers. Other major universities in or nearby Shiraz are the Islamic Azad University of Shiraz, Shiraz University of Technology, and Shiraz University of Applied Science and Technology.

The Shiraz Regional Library of Science and Technology is a provincial library serving the public. Virtual University of Shiraz is one of the sub colleges of Shiraz University.

Transportation

Air

thumb|An [[Iran Air Airbus A320 approaching Shiraz International Airport (2011)]]

Shiraz International Airport, also known as Shiraz Shahid Dastgheib International Airport, serves as the largest airport in southern Iran.

Metro

thumb|right|[[Shiraz Metro]]

Construction of a metro system was started in 2001 by the Shiraz Urban Railway Organization. The plan is to create six lines. The length of the first Line is , the length of the second line will be approximately .

The first three lines, when completed, will have 32 stations below ground, six above, and one special station connected to the railway station. The first line was started in October 2014 between Shahid Dastgheib (airport) Metro Station and Ehsan stations.

Bus

thumb|Shiraz has the [[Iran's third Bus rapid transit.]]

The Shiraz and suburbs bus organization was established in 1966. In that year, the company purchased 10 buses from the Iran National Company using both cash and installments. The company had a staff of 10 drivers, 40 assistant drivers, 50 ticket sellers, and 10 repairmen and inspectors. The daily salary of each full-time driver (6 am to 10 pm) was set at 160 rials, while assistant drivers and ticket sellers were set at 83 rials. With the purchased buses, the company launched lines one, two, and three, which were welcomed by the people. Now Shiraz has 71 bus lines.

Rail

thumb|Shiraz Train Station

Shiraz is connected with the rest of Iran's railway network. The trains arrive and leave from Shiraz railway station, Iran's largest railway station according to surface area.

Roads

thumb|View of Shiraz roads and bridges in 2020

There are 700,000 cars in the city of Shiraz.

  • Road 63
  • Road 93

Sports

thumb|[[Pars Shiraz Stadium]]

150px|thumb|[[Omid Norouzi. 2012 Olympic gold medalist.|right]]

Hafezieh Stadium can hold up to 20,000 people and Pars Stadium, which was completed in 2017, can host up to 50,000 spectators.

Notable people

150px|thumb|Hafez statue

150px|thumb|Saadi

150px|thumb|Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi

Rulers and political figures

  • Absh Khatun, 13th-century ruler
  • Karim Khan (1705-1779), ruler and de facto Shah of Iran from 1760 until 1779. He made Shiraz his capital.
  • Jimmy Delshad (born 1940), Iranian-American 67th and 70th Mayor of Beverly Hills
  • Zahra Kazemi-Ahmadabadi (1948–2003), Iranian-Canadian freelance photojournalist arrested, raped, tortured, and killed while in custody in Evin Prison
  • Valerie Jarrett (born 1956), Iranian-American senior advisor to United States President Barack Obama, born in Shiraz to African-American parents.
  • Kamran Bagheri (born 1965), was Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education.

150px|thumb|Portrait of Karim Khan Zand, by [[Mohammad Sadiq (painter)|Mohammad Sadiq, 1758]]

Religious figures, philosophers and theologians

  • Mu'ayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi. He lived during the Fatimid Caliphate and was considered one of the most learned scholars of that time, known as an author of Islamic books, a poet, and scientist.
  • Mulla Sadra, Islamic philosopher and theologian who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century
  • Siyyid 'Alí Muḥammad Shírází, the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Baháʼí Faith
  • Mirza Shirazi, Grand Ayatollah, and leader of the Tobacco Protest resulting in the cancellation of the British Empire's tobacco concession in Qajar Iran

Academics and scientists

  • Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi, 13th-century poet and scholar
  • Sibawayh, linguist and grammarian of the Arabic language
  • Firouz Naderi (1946–2023), scientist and currently the Director for Solar System Exploration at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
  • Gholam A. Peyman (born 1937), inventor of LASIK
  • Ali Asghar Khodadoust (1935–2018), Professor of Ophthalmology, originator of the Khodadoust line method
  • M. Hashem Pesaran (born 1946), economist, emeritus professor of economics at University of Cambridge
  • Fatemeh Keshavarz (born 1952), Iranian-American Chair of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literature Department, Professor of Persian and Comparative Literature, Washington University in St. Louis

Poets and writers

  • Saadi, poet of the medieval period
  • Hafez, poet
  • Shahriyar Mandanipour, writer
  • Simin Daneshvar, novelist and author
  • Mehdi Hamidi Shirazi (1914–1986), contemporary poet
  • Fereidoon Tavallali (1917–1985), contemporary poet and intellectual
  • Abdolali Dastgheib (born 1931), literary critic writer

Other artists

  • Bahram Dabiri (born 1979), painter and artist
  • Shirazeh Houshiary (born 1955), artist, born in Shiraz in 1955. She lives in London.
  • Arsi Nami (born 1984), award-winning singer and songwriter
  • Ebrahim Golestan (1922–2023), writer and filmmaker
  • Gholamhossein Saber (born 1941), artist
  • Tooji (born 1987), singer, model and television host. He represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
  • Bahar Pars (born 1979), actress

Others

  • Sorour Darabi (born 1990), a member of the ICCD, based in Paris because hers is a form of dance that is taboo in Iran
  • Abbas Dowran, acclaimed fighter jet pilot who died during the Iran–Iraq War
  • Eghbal Hamidy, Formula One car designer for Williams, Stewart, Arrows, and Jordan
  • Zahra Kazemi (1948–2003) Iranian-Canadian freelance photographer, arrested for taking photos of a protest and beaten and slain in custody in Evin Prison while a political prisoner.
  • Moshtari Khanum (), a dancer of the Qajar era
  • Jamaluddin Mostaghimi (born 1916), physician
  • Rayehe Mozafarian (born 1986), women and children rights activist, researcher; the founder of Stop FGM Iran, focused on eliminating female genital mutilation
  • Mohammad Namazi, philanthropist and founder of the Namazi hospital in Shiraz. This later became the catalyst for the establishment of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 1955; one of the country's top medical schools.
  • Omid Norouzi, Iranian wrestler, world and Olympic champion
  • Mohammad Bahmanbeigi, activist, founding father of instructions for tribes in Iran

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Shiraz is twinned with:

  • Chongqing, China
  • Dushanbe, Tajikistan
  • Nanjing, China
  • Novi Sad, Serbia (2023)
  • Nicosia, Cyprus
  • Pécs, Hungary
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Weimar, Germany

<!--Weimar – it is twinning. Ref added plus it is listed in official website.-->

See also

  • 1853 Shiraz earthquake – killed at least 9,000 people
  • Ahmadi Square
  • Shiraz Arts Festival
  • Shirazi salad – originated from and is named after Shiraz
  • Swedish intervention in Persia
  • Shiraz expedition

Notes

References

Bibliography

  • 360° VR panorama gallery of Shiraz