Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Tafresh
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>Tafresh is believed to be one of the oldest regions in the present <a href="/facts/Markazi_province/aLoMkTEU">Markazi province</a> and constituted a <a href="/facts/Zoroastrian/rM0QUMtg">Zoroastrian</a> stronghold in antiquity. A famous general by the name Delaram of Tafresh fought in the defense of <a href="/facts/Sasanian_Empire/JvbRevkA">Sasanian Iran</a> during the <a href="/facts/Early_Muslim_conquests/HyPkljcc">Islamic conquest</a> and has given name to the village <a href="/facts/Delaram,_Markazi/ofDYgL9I">Delaram</a> nearby Tafresh. Today the village is also called <a href="/facts/Teraran/ofDYgL9I">Teraran</a>. </p><p>There are fifty <a href="/facts/Historical_monument/p4Gs7ABC">historical monuments</a> in Tafresh that have been listed as part of <a href="/facts/Iranian_national_heritage/p63MJQ01">Iranian national heritage</a>. These include ruins of <a href="/facts/Zoroastrianism/rM0QUMtg">Zoroastrian</a> places of worship and burial sites (so-called <i><a href="/facts/Dakhma/amIypbQX">dakhmas</a></i>) in and around the town, particularly on the summits of the surrounding mountains and hills. There are also remains of Zoroastrian <i>dakhmas</i> in nearby villages, such as in <a href="/facts/Kaburan/UkXAUN4l">Kaburan</a> and Khalchal.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>Tafresh appears in the <i><a href="/facts/Nuzhat_al-Qulub/1t8LYtsb">Nuzhat al-Qulub</a></i> of the 14th-century author <a href="/facts/Hamdallah_Mustawfi/XBr352vP">Hamdallah Mustawfi</a>, who reported that the town encompassed of 13 villages, the largest ones being Fam and Tarkhuran. He further reported that the town was assessed for a tax value of 6000 <a href="/facts/Dinar/QJnLGQs8">dinars</a>, and the inhabitants were adherents of <a href="/facts/Twelver_Shi%27ism/sUejq9pd">Twelver Shi'ism</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="demographics">Demographics</h2> <h3>Population</h3> <p>At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 13,914 in 4,254 households.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The following census in 2011 counted 16,447 people in 4,928 households.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 16,493 people in 5,232 households.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="geography">Geography</h2> <p>The flight distance between Tehran and Tafresh is 170 km towards southwest. The average altitude of Tafresh is 1912 meters above sea level, with a <a href="/facts/Continental_climate/Yn5Erc8Y">continental</a> and <a href="/facts/Semi-arid/XnSYao1E">semi-arid</a> climate with an annual rainfall of 270 mm. </p> <h2 id="learning-and-culture">Learning and culture</h2> <p>Despite its small size, Tafresh is known in Iran for being the cradle of science, literature, culture and art, as well as a land of mountains and plains, springs and waterfalls.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>Tafresh has provided Iran with many notable figures such as poets, ministers, statesmen, scientists and <a href="/facts/Calligraphy/lFIUgDeW">calligraphers</a>, especially from <a href="/facts/Qajar_dynasty/sz5ulL0k">Qajar</a> times and onwards. The Qajar statesmen <a href="/facts/Amir_Kabir/sEIjgzhb">Amir Kabir</a> and <a href="/facts/Ghaem_Magham_Farahani/qQXHsA5y">Ghasem Magham Farahani</a> hailed from the <a href="/facts/Tafresh_County/8JTfIkPS">Tafresh Province</a>. The strong tradition of learning reassured the early establishment of <a href="/facts/Modern_Schools/v8vu13yz">Modern Schools</a> in the early 20th century. </p><p>Famous scientists from Tafresh include <a href="/facts/Mahmoud_Hessaby/wuQCLR0g">Mahmoud Hessaby</a>, the father of <a href="/facts/Modern_physics/J9Kko1qU">modern physics</a> in Iran,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Ahmad_Parsa/pEsQwXtz">Ahmad Parsa</a>, the father of Iranian <a href="/facts/Botanics/PaIRoxnb">botanics</a>, <a href="/facts/Abbas_Sahab/79PthXKz">Abbas Sahab</a>, the father of <a href="/facts/Cartography/8YdDAAeX">cartography</a> in Iran,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Mohammad_Gharib/pqAtrmVY">Mohammad Gharib</a>, the father of <a href="/facts/Pediatrics/hnkMfLeg">pediatrics</a> in Iran, and Abdolkarim Gharib, the father of <a href="/facts/Modern_geology/m6xGQNWn">modern geology</a> in Iran. </p><p>For this reason Tafresh has received the nickname "City of Iran's Fathers" (Shahr-e pedarān-e Irān). The city has preserved its position as an important Iranian scientific and literary center in the 21st century due to its <a href="/facts/University/skaJt2Io">modern universities</a>. </p><p>The village of <a href="/facts/Delaram,_Markazi/ofDYgL9I">Delaram</a>, with a population today of about 250 people, is famous as the "Village of physicians" (Dehkade-ye pezeshkān) since it has produced more than 175 physicians.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="traditional-handicrafts">Traditional handicrafts</h2> <p>Tafresh is famous for its <a href="/facts/Persian_carpet/dCNUwSyR">traditional carpet weaving</a> and <a href="/facts/Toreutics/WSnHh88H">artistic metalworking</a>. The Tafresh carpet is of the <a href="/facts/Hamadan/oKCzyFga">Hamadan</a> type but the quality is finer than the average production of that area. </p> <h2 id="universities">Universities</h2> <p>Three universities are situated in Tafresh: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Tafresh_University/qFFTEs77">Tafresh University</a> (formerly branch of <a href="/facts/Amirkabir_University_of_Technology/a1NsEY5V">Amirkabir University of Technology</a>).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Tafresh_Azad_University/lECrNVBT">Islamic Azad University</a>, Tafresh branch.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Payame_Noor_University/Hlz4e1aw">Payame Noor University</a>, Tafresh branch.</li></ul> <h2 id="notable-people">Notable people</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ashk_Dahl%C3%A9n/j84hFuYg">Ashk Dahlén</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> professor, scholar in Iranian Studies, translator</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fereydoun_Farrokhzad/dkdTlvUl">Fereydoun Farrokhzad</a>, originally from Tafresh, singer, actor, TV host, political figure</li> <li><a href="/facts/Forough_Farrokhzad/PlkU116l">Forough Farrokhzad</a>, originally from Tafresh, poet, film director</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mahmoud_Hessabi/wuQCLR0g">Mahmoud Hessabi</a>, originally from Tafresh, scholar of modern <a href="/facts/Physics/a7aH2y08">physics</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ali_Mansur/rJzm8ILJ">Ali Mansur</a>, originally from Tafresh, prime minister</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mehran_Modiri/lynVVd22">Mehran Modiri</a>, originally from Tafresh, director and actor</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ali_Mosaffa/4gzGJYAR">Ali Mosaffa</a>, originally from Tafresh, movie actor</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ahmad_Parsa/pEsQwXtz">Ahmad Parsa</a>, originally from Tafresh, botanist</li> <li><a href="/facts/Abbas_Sahab/79PthXKz">Abbas Sahab</a>, pioneer in <a href="/facts/Cartography/8YdDAAeX">cartography</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Shaykh_Tabarsi/naHrxJ6f">Shaykh Tabarsi</a>, a <a href="/facts/Persians/4GhM3jl2">Persian</a> <a href="/facts/Shia_Islam/JIQl7ooz">Shia</a> scholar</li> <li><a href="/facts/Parvaneh_Vossough/Rgw9tuFd">Parvaneh Vossough</a>, physician, chiefly known for her work for children with cancer</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <p> Media related to Tafresh at Wikimedia Commons </p><p> Tafresh travel guide from Wikivoyage </p><p> Iran portal </p> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="sources">Sources</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Guy_Le_Strange/T2LETbHL">Le Strange, Guy</a> (1919). <a href="https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283218/page/n1/mode/2up"><i>The Geographical Part Of The Nuzhat-al-qulub</i></a>. Brill. <a href="/facts/OCLC_(identifier)/Yqad8waq">OCLC</a> <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/976165251">976165251</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Also romanized as Tafreš[3] <a href="/wiki/Romanize" target="_blank">/wiki/Romanize</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Habibi, Hassan (c. 2024) [Approved 21 June 1369]. Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of Markazi province's divisions to the citizenship of Arak city. lamtakam.com (Report) (in Persian). Ministry of the Interior, Political Commission of Defense of the Government Board. Proposal 3233.1.5.53; Notification 84900/T123K. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via Lam ta Kam. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240118143614/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113046" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240118143614/https://lamtakam.com/law/council_of_ministers/113046</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Khalchal Castle, only Zoroastrian burial structure in middle Islamic centuries". IRNA. IRNA. Retrieved 7 January 2019. <a href="http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82428114" target="_blank">http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82428114</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Le Strange 1919, p. 72. - Le Strange, Guy (1919). The Geographical Part Of The Nuzhat-al-qulub. Brill. OCLC 976165251. <a href="https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283218/page/n1/mode/2up" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283218/page/n1/mode/2up</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006): Markazi Province. amar.org.ir (Report) (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110920084413/http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/00.xls" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110920084413/http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/00.xls</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011): Markazi Province. irandataportal.syr.edu (Report) (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. Archived from the original (Excel) on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022 – via Iran Data Portal, Syracuse University. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230119170600/https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Markazi.xls" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20230119170600/https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Markazi.xls</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016): Markazi Province. amar.org.ir (Report) (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. Archived from the original (Excel) on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201017052005/https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_00.xlsx" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20201017052005/https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_00.xlsx</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Tafresh: City of Science, Literature and Tourism". Iran Online (in Persian). Retrieved 8 January 2019. <a href="http://www.ion.ir/news/237998/" target="_blank">http://www.ion.ir/news/237998/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Professor Mahmoud Hessaby". Iran Chamber Society. Iran Chamber Society. Retrieved 7 January 2019. <a href="http://www.iranchamber.com/personalities/mhessaby/mhessaby.php" target="_blank">http://www.iranchamber.com/personalities/mhessaby/mhessaby.php</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Firooznia, Firouz. "SAḤĀB, ʿAbbās". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 7 January 2019. <a href="http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sahab-abbas" target="_blank">http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sahab-abbas</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"175 physicians and professors in Delaram, a village of 250 inhabitants" (in Persian). Fars News. Fars News. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2019. <a href="https://www.farsnews.ir/news/13950129000935/5-پزشک-و-پروفسور-در-روستای-250-نفره-دلارام" target="_blank">https://www.farsnews.ir/news/13950129000935/5-پزشک-و-پروفسور-در-روستای-250-نفره-دلارام</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Axelsson, Pelle. "The Persian Empire". Intellect Interviews. Retrieved 23 April 2023. <a href="https://intellectinterviews.com/2019/04/the-persian-empire/" target="_blank">https://intellectinterviews.com/2019/04/the-persian-empire/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>