According to one source, the name Ardabil comes from theAvestanartavil orartawila which means "holy place".[12] The formArtavēt appears in the 8th-century Armenian history ofLewond, whichVladimir Minorsky considers to be a reflection of an older form. Minorsky derives the name from theIranian rootsarta 'sacred law/order' andvēt 'willow, willow branch', proposing the meaning 'place of the willows of the sacred law (arta/asha)'.[13]
The pre-Islamic history of Ardabil is vague.[6] Muslim historians attribute the foundation of Ardabil to theSasanianKing of KingsPeroz I (r. 459–484), who named it Shad Peroz or Shahram Peroz.[14][6] It is possible that the city corresponded to the Sasanian mint city known inMiddle Persian as ATRA, although this remains uncertain. During theArab conquest of Iran, Ardabil was the seat of amarzban (margrave), who agreed to surrender to the Arabs in return for permitting the people of Ardabil to continue their religious observances at thefire temple of Shiz (present-dayTakht-e Solayman).[6]
Because of its proximity to theCaucasus, Ardabil was always susceptible to attacks by the Caucasian hill peoples, as well as by the inhabitants ofthe steppes of the Northern Caucasus. In 730–731, theKhazars passed through theAlan Gates and defeated and killed theArab governor of Armenia,al-Jarrah ibn Abdallah. The clash took place on the plain outside the town of Ardabil, which was subsequently captured by the Khazars, who made incursions as far asDiyar Bakr andal-Jazira before they were repelled by the Umayyad princeMaslama ibn Abd al-Malik (d. 738).[6] According to the Arab geographeral-Maqdisi (died 991), "seventy languages" were spoken around Ardabil, which most likely refers to variations of theAdhari language.[15]
In 1209, a reinvigoratedGeorgia had its forces plunder Ardabil, reportedly killing 12,000 residents. Ardabil later withstood two attacks by theMongols but was ultimately sacked by them in 1220. The city managed to recover and reached a more prosperous state than before, though by this time Tabriz was the leading city in theAzerbaijan region, and under the laterIlkhanate, it had becomeSoltaniyeh.[6][11]
The Safavid shahIsmail I, born in Ardabil, started his campaign to unify Iran's government and land from there, but announced the more strategically-located city of Tabriz as his capitalin 1501. Ardabil remained an important city both politically and economically up to modern times. During the frequentOttoman-Persian Wars, being close to the borders, it was often sacked by theOttomans between 1514 and 1722 as well as in 1915 duringWorld War I when the former invaded neighbouring Iran.
In the earlyQajar period, crown princeAbbas Mirza, son of then incumbentshahFath Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797–1834) was the governor of Ardabil.[6] After Ardabil had already been sacked by the Russians during theRusso-Persian War of 1804–1813, and this being the era of steady Russian advances into the Iranian possessions in the Caucasus, Abbas Mirza ordered the Napoleonic generalGardane, who was serving the Qajars at the time, to strengthen and fortify the town withramparts. During the next and final war, theRusso-Persian War of 1826–28, the ramparts were stormed by the Russian troops, who then temporarily occupied the town.[6] The town's extensive and noted library, known as the library ofSafi-ad-din Ardabili, was taken toSt. Petersburg by GeneralIvan Paskevich with the promise that its holdings would be brought to the Russian capital for safekeeping until they could be returned, a promise never fulfilled.[6]
After theRusso-Persian Wars, Iran ceded its territories in the Caucasus to Russia under the terms of theTreaty of Turkmenchay (1828). As a result, Ardabil was situated only 40 kilometers from the newly-drawn border, becoming even more important economically as a stop on a major caravan route along which European goods entered Iran from Russia.[16] After he visited Ardabil in 1872, German diplomat Max von Thielmann noted, in his book published in 1875, the extensive activity in the town's bazaar, as well as the presence of many foreigners,[16] and estimated its population at 20,000.[16] During the earlyIranian Constitutional Revolution, Russia occupied Ardabil together with other Iranian cities until the eventual collapse of theRussian Empire in 1917.[6]
At the time of the National Census of 2006, the population of the city was 412,669 in 32,386 households.[18] The following census in 2011 counted 482,632 people in 134,715 households.[19] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 529,374 inhabitants living in 158,627 households.[4]
Ardabil is located on the Baliqly Chay River, about 70 km (43 mi) from the Caspian Sea (Khazar), and 210 km (130 mi) from the city ofTabriz. It has an average altitude of 1,263 metres (4,144 ft) and total area of 18.011 km2 (6.954 sq mi). Neighbouring on theCaspian Sea. It has been of great political and economic significance throughout history, especially within theCaucasus region. It is located on an open plain about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level, just east of MountSabalan (4,811 m), where cold spells occur until late spring.
Ardebil has acold semi-arid climate (Köppen:BSk), bordering ahumid continental climate (Köppen:Dsb,Trewartha:Dc), with warm, very dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Many tourists come to the region for its mild climate during the hot summer months. The winters are long and bitterly cold, with record low temperature of −33.8 °C. The annual rainfall is around 300 mm (12 in).
Climate data for Ardabil (1991–2020, records 1976–2020)
The hot springs and natural landscapes in the Ardabil area attract tourists.[citation needed] The mineral springs of Ardabil (Beele-Darreh, Sar'eyn, Sardabeh and Booshloo) are notable throughout Iran for their therapeutic qualities.
Of the many lakes in the area, the largest include Ne'or,Shorabil, ShoorGel, NouShahr and Aloocheh that are the habitats of some species of water birds. The Lake Ne'or is located in a mountainous area 48 km south-east of the city of Ardabil. It covers an area of 2.1 km2 and has an average depth of 3 metres. It is fed by springs in the lake bed.
Ardabil is associated with historical confusion between the893 Dvin earthquake which was often wrongly documented as the893 Ardabil earthquake due to the similarity of the Arabic name for city ofDvin inArmenia, 'Dabil' to Ardabil.
On 28 February 1997, adestructive earthquake hit the Ardabil area. At least 965 people were killed, 2,600 injured, 36,000 homeless, 12,000 houses damaged or destroyed and 160,000 livestock were killed. Severe damage was incurred on roads, electrical power lines, communications and water distribution systems around Ardabil.[23]
The economy of Ardabil is partially agricultural, partially tourist-based, with some industries in operation.
The Iranian government in 2006 announced plans to build "the largest textile factory of its kind in the Middle East" in Ardabil.[24]
Arta Industrial Group (AIG) has one of the largest textile conglomerates in Iran, which is located in the provinces calledQazvin and Ardabil. The group has received numerous awards for being one of the top 20 exporters and industrial groups in Iran since 1998. It is the first company to producehigh-density fiberboard (HDF),medium-density fiberboard (MDF),laminateflooring and multi-layer films in Iran.
AIG has the first private industrial site inIran in the city of Ardabil, which has fifteen main factories owned by (AIG). This Industrial zone covers an area of 100 hectares and Residential Area for engineers and managers of the company.
In the heart of the city, stands the ancientbazaar, described by historians of the 4th century CE as cruciform, with simply designed domes extending in four directions. Most sections of the bazaar were constructed and renovated during theSafavid andZand periods.[25]
One of the main sights in the city of Ardabil in north-west Iran is the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili, who died in 1334. The Shaykh was aSufi leader, who trained his followers in Islamic mystic practices. After his death, his followers remained loyal to his family, who became increasingly powerful.
In 1501, one of his descendants, Shah Isma'il, seized political power. He united Iran for the first time in several centuries and established the Shi'i form of Islam as the state religion. Isma'il was the founder of theSafavid dynasty, named after Shaykh Safi al-Din.
The Safavids, who ruled without a break until 1722, and then intermittently until 1757, promoted the shrine of the Shaykh as a place of pilgrimage.
In the late 1530s, Isma'il's son, Shah Tahmasp, enlarged the shrine, and it was at this time, that the carpet was made as one of a matching pair. The completion of the carpets was marked by a four-line inscription placed at one end. The first two lines are a poetic quotation that refers to the shrine as a place of refuge:
'Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world.Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.'
The third line is a signature, 'The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.' Maqsud was probably the court official charged with producing the carpets. He was not necessarily a slave in the literal sense but called himself one to express humility, while the word for 'portal' can be used for a royal court or a shrine. Perhaps Maqsud meant both, as in this case the court was the patron of the shrine. The fourth line contains the date 946 in the Muslim calendar, which is equivalent to AD 1539–1540.
The two Ardabil carpets were still in the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din in 1843, when one was seen by two British visitors. Thirty years or more later, the shrine suffered an earthquake, and the carpets were sold off, perhaps to raise funds for repairs. The damaged carpets were bought in Iran byZiegler & Co., a Manchester firm involved in the carpet trade. Parts of one carpet were used to patch the other. The result was one 'complete' carpet and one with no border.
In 1892, the larger carpet was put on sale by Vincent Robinson & Co. of London. The designerWilliam Morris went to inspect it on behalf of this museum. Reporting that the carpet was 'of singular perfection ... logically and consistently beautiful', he urged the museum to buy it. The money was raised, and in March 1893 the Museum acquired the carpet for £2000.
The second, smaller carpet was sold secretly to an American collector, and in 1953 it was given to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Ardabil carpet hung on the wall in this gallery for many years. In 2006, the museum created the case in the centre of the gallery so that the carpet could be seen as intended, on the floor. To preserve its colours, it is lit for ten minutes on the hour and half-hour.[26]
World Heritage Site comprising the mausoleums ofSheikh Safi andShah Ismail I, Chini khaneh (meaning the house of chinaware), a mosque, Jannat Sara (meaning the house of paradise), Khanaqah (the house of Dervishes), Cheragh Khaneh (the house of lamps), Shahid khaneh (the house of martyrs) and Chelleh Khaneh (the place where devotees shut themselves up during the 40 days of Lent). The mausoleum of Sheikh Safi, the dome of which is called "Allah-Allah" has an octagonal interior.(Virtual tour)
Masjid Jameh
Ruins of once significant and unique mosque[citation needed]
This Persian bazaar was built during Safavid period and in addition to main bazaar hall with open vaults has ahammam and a small yet mystifying mosque.
Ardabil bridges
Ardabil host numerous historical bridges namelyPol-e Gilandeh,Pol-e Nayer,Pol-e Haft Cheshmeh,Pol-e Panj Cheshmeh,Pol-e She Cheshmeh andQarah Soo Bridge, most were built during Safavid era.
Lerd is a tourist village inPalanga Rural District,Shahrud District,Khalkhal County,Ardabil Province. This village is considered the tourism pole of Khalkhal city.Among the souvenirs of this village, we can mention local clothes for women, dairy products, honey, walnuts, types of pears, apples. The tomb of Imamzadeh Mohammad, the beautiful and famousSibieh Khani waterfall and Kokhlan-Bar stone cave are located at the entrance of this village.
Imamzadeh Saleh mausoleum
The mausoleum of Imamzadeh Saleh who is a descendant of aShia Imam was built 250 years ago.
Saint Mary church
ThisArmenian Orthodox church has a wooden main door and painted dome built in 1876.
Mausoleum of Sheikh Jebra'il
located 2 km north of Ardabil
Babadavood anbaran
Friday mosque
In addition to these, in many villages of Ardabil, relics of ancient monuments, including tombs have been found.
Being a city of great antiquity, the origins of Ardabil go back 4,000 to 6,000 years (according to historical research in this city). This city was the capital of Azerbaijan province in different times, but its golden age was in theSafavid period.
located in a hilly area south of the city of Ardabil and covers an area of 640,000 m2. The surface of the lake is covered with a thin white layer of minerals, being useful for healing skin diseases and rheumatism. Near the lake there is the leisure complex ofShorabil.
Baliqly Chay River
Meaning "a river with many fish" inAzerbaijani language, this river originates from the Sabalan Mountains and passes through Ardabil city. As a result, many villages and townships have settled around this river. It also irrigates much of the agricultural lands in this province.
Sabalan (Savalan) mountain
Sabalan (Persian:سبلانSabalân; also calledSāvālān) is an inactivestratovolcano inMeshkinshahrArdabil province of north-westernIran about 20 miles west of Arbadil. Sabalan is the third highest mountain in Iran and a permanentcrater lake has formed at the summit. Sabalan has aski resort (Alvares) and different tourist areas such as theSarein spa. The mountain is known for its vistas, including the Shirvan gorge, where few climbers ever venture.[citation needed]
Ardabil is host to several football teams. The most popular team in Ardabil isShahrdari Ardabil, promoted in 2014 to theAzadegan League, the second tier of Iranian football. The city is renowned for producing great forwards, namely formerBayern Munich player and record international goal scorerAli Daei.[28]
Lotfi A. Zadeh, mathematician, computer scientist, electrical engineer, artificial intelligence researcher and professor emeritus of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.
^abcdسرشماري عمومي نفوس و مسكن 1395 : استان اردبیل [General Population and Housing Census 2016: Ardabil Province].مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran] (in Persian). Archived fromthe original(Excel) on 22 March 2019. Retrieved19 June 2025.
^Ardabil can be found atGEOnet Names Server, atthis link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3053565" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
^"AZERBAIJAN".Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. III, Fasc. 2–3. 1987. pp. 205–257.
^Habibi, Hassan (12 September 1990) [تاریخ تصویب (Approval date) 1369/06/21 (Iranian Jalali calendar)].تصویب سازمان و سلسله تابعیت عناصر و واحدهای تقسیمات کشوری استان آذربایجان شرقی به مرکزیت شهر تبریز [Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of East Azerbaijan province, centered in the city of Tabriz].لام تا کام [Lam ta Kam] (in Persian).وزارت کشور [Ministry of the Interior].کمیسیون سیاسی دفاعی هیأت دولت [Political Defense Commission of the Government Board].شناسه [ID] 2F97A0C4-C95C-4D40-9B57-0BFDC9DC6683.شماره دوره [Course number] 69,شماره جلد [Volume number] 3. Archived fromthe original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved18 June 2025.
^ab"Iran under the Safavids".www.archive.com. Retrieved5 February 2025. Iran under the Safavids, byRoger Savory /Page 1/ (New York, 1980), in 286 bookmarked and searchable pdf pages, with map and illustrations. Scanned by Robert Bedrosian.
^Everett-Heath, John (2020)."Ardabīl".Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Place Names (6 ed.). Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-190563-6.
^abسرشماري عمومي نفوس و مسكن 1385 : استان اردبیل [General Population and Housing Census 2006: Ardabil Province].مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran] (in Persian). Archived fromthe original(Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved19 June 2025.
^abسرشماري عمومي نفوس و مسكن 1390 : استان اردبیل [General Population and Housing Census 2011: Ardabil Province].Iran Data Portal—Syracuse University (in Persian).مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran]. Archived fromthe original(Excel) on 15 January 2023. Retrieved19 June 2025.
Bosworth, C. E. (1986)."Ardabīl".Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, Vol. II, Fasc. 4. New York. pp. 357–365.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Yves Bomati and Houchang Nahavandi,Shah Abbas, Emperor of Persia, 1587–1629, 2017, ed. Ketab Corporation, Los Angeles,ISBN978-1595845672, English translation by Azizeh Azodi.
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