Kerman was founded as a defensive outpost, with the nameVeh-Ardashir, byArdashir I, founder of theSasanian Empire, in the 3rd century AD.[8]
After theBattle of Nahāvand in 642, the city came under Muslim rule. At first, the city's relative isolation allowedKharijites andZoroastrians to thrive there, but the Kharijites were wiped out in 698, and the population was mostly Muslim by 725.
Already in the eighth century the city was famous for its manufacture ofcashmere woolshawls and other textiles.
Under the rule of theSeljuk Turks in the 11th and 12th centuries, Kerman remained virtually independent, conqueringOman andFars.[10] WhenMarco Polo visited Kerman in 1271, it had become a major trade emporium linking thePersian Gulf withKhorasan andCentral Asia.[11] Subsequently, however, the city was sacked many times by various invaders. Kerman expanded rapidly during theSafavid dynasty. Carpets and rugs were exported to England andGermany during this period.[12]
In 1793Lotf Ali Khan defeated theQajars, and in 1794 he captured Kerman. But soon after he was besieged in Kerman for six months byAgha Mohammad Khan Qajar. When the city fell to Agha Mohammad Khan, angered by the popular support that Lotf Ali Khan had received,[clarification needed] many of the male inhabitants were killed or blinded, and a pile was made out of 20,000 detached eyeballs and poured in front of the victorious Agha Mohammad Khan.[13] Many women and children were sold into slavery, and in 90 days the city turned into ruins. However, the Zoroastrians of Kerman who had been strong supporters of Lotf Ali Khan suffered the wrath of the founder of Qajar dynasty the most during this period.
The Masjid gate through which Agha Mohammad Khan entered the city
The present city of Kerman was rebuilt in the 19th century to the northwest of the old city, but the city did not return to its former size until the 20th century.
The population of the city in 1996 was 385,000.[14] At the time of the 2006 national census, the city's population was 496,684 in 127,806 households.[15] The following census in 2011 counted 534,441 people in 147,922 households.[16] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 537,718 people in 162,677 households.[5]
It is the largest[17] and most developed city in the province and one of the most important cities in southeastern Iran. It is also one of the largest cities of Iran in terms of area. Kerman is famous for its long history and strongcultural heritage.[18] The city is home to many historic mosques andZoroastrianfire temples. Kerman has been the capital city of Iranian dynasties several times during its history. It is located on a large, flat plain, 800 km (500 mi) south-east ofTehran, the capital of Iran.[19]
Kerman is surrounded by the following cities:Anar to the northwest;Ravar to the north;Shahdad to the northeast;Rafsanjan to the west;Jiroft to the south;Sirjan to the southwest;Mahan to the southeast; andBam to the east.
Kerman is located on a high margin of theLut Desert (Kavir-e Lut) in the south-central part of Iran. The city is surrounded by mountains. Kerman is also located along the mountain Saheb al-Zaman.
The city is 1,755 m (5,758 ft)above sea level, making it third inelevation among provincial capitals in Iran. Winter brings very cold nights to Kerman. The mountains in the south and southeast are snow-capped all year round.
Kerman is located at latitude 30.29 and longitude 57.06.[21][22]
The city's many districts are surrounded by mountains. The northern part of the city is located in an arid desert area, while the highland of the southern part of the city enjoys a more moderate climate.
The city of Kerman has a moderate climate. The average annual rainfall is 148 mm. Otherwise, its climate is relatively cool (by Iranian standards).[12]
Climate data for Kerman – Altitude: 1753.8 m (1991–2020, records 1951–2020)[i]
For Iranianpaleontologists, Kerman has always been considered afossil paradise. The discovery of newdinosaurfootprints in 2005 renewed hopes for a better understanding the history of this area.[26][27]
The economy of Kerman is mostly based on farming, notably nut farming and also mining.Pistachios are an important part of the economy in Kerman.
Carpet weaving is one of the main industries of the city, and thecarpets produced there are renowned internationally.[11] Carpet weaving is a very old tradition in Kerman. The oldest carpet discovered in Kerman, dates from about 500 years ago.[28]Cotton textiles andgoatwool shawls are also manufactured.[29]
A number of modern establishments such astextile mills andbrickworks also have been constructed. The province's mineral wealth includescopper andcoal.[11]
Tiled dome of the Shrine of Shah Nematollah Vali, inMahan, 20 mi (32 km) outside of Kerman
The only Iraniananthropology museum dedicated to Zoroastrianism is located in the Kerman Fire Temple, showcasing the ancient history of Zoroastrians. The idea of launching the museum along with the library of Kerman's Zoroastrian Society came to light in 1983, when the head of the society, Parviz Vakhashouri, and the former head of the library, Mehran Gheibi, collected cultural heritageartifacts of Kerman's Zoroastrian community. These two officials added many other objects to this collection. The museum was officially inaugurated during Jashn-e Tirgan in 2005 byIran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO).
Jashn-e Tirgan or Tiregan is an ancient Iranian rain festival observed on July 1. The festivity refers toarchangel Tir (literally meaning arrow) or Tishtar (lightning), who appear in the sky to generate thunder and lightning for providing much-needed rain.
TheSadeh ceremony is celebrated every year in Kerman.
Also, the archeological ancient areas ofJiroft and Tappe YahyaBaft are located south of Kerman.Rayen Castle is also located inRayen town, southeast of Kerman.
Some of thehandicrafts and souvenirs of the province of Kerman are traditional embroidery known aspateh, carpets, rugs, jajeems,kilims (a coarse carpet),satchels, and other hand woven articles.Caraway seeds andpistachios fromRafsanjan,Zarand, and Kerman are best of the main items of this province.[30]
The city is home to athletic teams representing different sports.Mes Kerman is the major football team of the city. It was promoted to Iran's top league, thePersian Gulf Pro League, in the 2005–06 season. The team is named after and sponsored by Kerman's copper industries. This team has a history of participating in theAFC Champions League. The team now competes in theAzadegan League.
MES handball team is in the top league.
MES cycling team is in the top league of cycling in the country.
MES chess team is in the first league of the country.
The city'sbaseball team, known as the Boshra Baseball Academy, won the country's baseball cup for the first time in 2013.[31]
Kerman is the media hub of theKerman province. Newspapers are published in the city, such asKerman Emruz (Kerman Today) andBidari.Hadis–Pasargad is a weekly newspaper. Kerman has a 24-hour TV channel known as the Kerman Channel or Channel 5. The city also has a radio station.[citation needed]
Kerman's Metro had been approved by the government cabinet and was meant to cover large parts of the metropolitan area in Kerman, but the project's operations were cancelled due to several issues.[citation needed]
Yahya Kamalipour was born in 1947 in the city of Ravar in Kerman province. He had the idea of starting a global media magazine in his mind since 1999 and before he became the director of the communications department. In that year, he shared his idea with the then director of the communication group, but he did not show much interest in this project. But when he was appointed to manage the communication group, he was able to implement this idea and in the fall of 2002, the first edition of the World Media Magazine was placed on the Internet
^Kerman can be found atGEOnet Names Server, atthis link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3070237" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
^A.H.T. Levi, "Kerman", inInternational Dictionary of Historic Places, ed. Trudy Ring, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1995–1996, vol. 4, p. 413.
^"Kerman".Columbia Encyclopedia (Sixth ed.). Columbia University Press. 2008.Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved2008-07-24 – via Encyclopedia.com.
^abcPourshariati, Parvaneh."Kerman".Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Gale Group.Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved2007-09-03.
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