Zanjan

About Zanjan: City of Carpet History

As the capital of the Zanjan province, Zanjan City is located in a mountainous area. The uneven lands of this city are divided into north & south mountains. Due to the city’s position on the Iran-Europe transitway and how it connects the west and northwest of Iran, Zanjan is a valuable city. The city is home to one of the biggest and most famous Islamic buildings in Iran, Soltaniyeh. Soltanieh Dome is registered on the UNESCO global heritage list.

Ghezel Ozan and Zanjan Rud are the famous rivers of this city. Zanjan Rud River bridges are also historic symbols of Iranian-Islamic architecture. Zanjan people speak Turki in the Zanjani dialect. The city’s foundation dates back to the Sassanid era. Reconstructed during the Safavid era, the city had a lot of ups and downs throughout history.

About the Climate of Zanjan

Due to the climate diversity of the city, you can experience all four seasons in this area. Zanjan province has mostly cold weather. For experiencing Zanjan in the best weather be sure to visit during spring or summer. Zanjan's winters often include snowfall. 

Zanjan World Heritage Sites

Zanjan city is located in the north-west of Iran, hosting Soltanieh Dome which is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Soltanieh Dome

This mausoleum of Oljaytu was constructed in Soltaniyeh city, which was the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty from 1302 to 1312. Soltaniyeh historical dome is the largest brick dome in the world. Soltanieh is an outstanding example of Persian-Islamic architecture. The 50-meter-long dome is covered in turquoise-blue faience and surrounded by 8 slender minarets. As the earliest existing example of the double-shelled dome in Iran, the mausoleum’s interior decoration is also outstanding. The building has been described as ‘anticipating the Taj Mahal’. For the first time in the architectural history of the world, two-shelled domes were invented here. Following Florence Santa Maria Cathedral and Istanbul Hagia Sophia, The Soltaniyeh brick dome is the third tallest dome in the world.