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Savadkuh County Persian:شهرستان سوادكوه | |
|---|---|
      Kangelo, Savadkuh | |
 Location of Savadkuh County in Mazandaran province (bottom, yellow) | |
 Location of Mazandaran province in Iran | |
| Coordinates:36°06′N52°56′E / 36.100°N 52.933°E /36.100; 52.933[1] | |
| Country | Iran |
| Province | Mazandaran |
| Capital | Pol-e Sefid |
| Districts | Central,Zirab |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,078.00 km2 (802.32 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[3] | |
• Total | 43,913 |
| • Density | 21.132/km2 (54.733/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+3:30 (IRST) |
| Savadkuh County can be found atGEOnet Names Server, atthis link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "9207257" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database". | |
Savadkuh County (Persian:شهرستان سوادكوه)[a] is inMazandaran province,Iran. Its capital is the city ofPol-e Sefid.[4]
Darius the Great, theAchaemenidPersian monarch, mentions Pâtišvâreš in theBehistun inscription as one of the territories under his rule. ThisOld Persian form subsequently becameMiddle Persian Pateŝxârgar and, following the Arab conquest, Perso-Arabic Faršavâdjar. TheGreek historiographerStrabo records this name as Prâxovâtrâs.
In his inscription atKa'ba-ye Zartosht, the secondSassanidPersian monarchShapur I, refers to the region as Pâdešxâr. In theBook of Deeds of Ardashir, Son of Babag, it is Patešxâr again.Ibn Isfandiyar and MirZahir al-Din Mar'ashi – the old geographers of Mazandaran – give its name as Patešxârgar as a large area in present-day Mazandaran, includingAzerbaijan,Gilan,Tabaristan,Kumesh and Damghan.
Mohammad Hassan Khan (Etemad Saltaneh'sTadvin Fi Ahval Jebal Shervin,History of Savadkuh) mentions it as the old name of the ancient area of Savâdkuh. They believe that the word "Savad" was distorted and changed to Faršavât. Savadkuh enjoyed great importance in the history of Tabaristan and even in Iran.
Its tall mountains were the feudal seats of theBavand dynasty, with which theKaran-Vands were allied. They defended the area against the invasions of the Amawid andAbbasids and tried to preserve theirZoroastrian religion and culture. The existence of numerous fortresses and military fortifications that date to the 8th–10th centuries vindicate this claim. In addition, Lajim tower with its 10th century brick-face inscription inPahlavi script demonstrates the attention of the Savâdkuhs to the script, language and customs of their ancestors. The population of this region composed many poems, describing the heroic efforts and bravery of their notables.
After the 2011 National Census,Shirgah District was separated from the county in the establishment ofNorth Savadkuh County.[5]Kaseliyan andSorkhkola Rural Districts, and the city ofZirab, were separated from theCentral District in the formation ofZirab District.[6]
The languages spoken in Savadkuh areMazandarani andPersian, for the major part; and Mazandarani and Persian for the inhabitants of the villages. Its native inhabitants are Shiite Muslims.
At the time of the 2006 census, the county's population was 66,430 in 17,918 households.[7] The following census in 2011 counted 64,378 people in 19,506 households.[8] The 2016 census measured the population of the county as 43,913 in 14,956 households.[3]
Savadkuh County's population history and administrative structure over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.
| Administrative Divisions | 2006[7] | 2011[8] | 2016[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central District | 42,679 | 40,969 | 22,537 |
| Kaseliyan RD | 3,872 | 4,064 | |
| Rastupey RD | 7,084 | 7,557 | 7,529 |
| Sorkhkola RD | 520 | 552 | |
| Valupey RD | 3,538 | 4,535 | 5,521 |
| Alasht (city) | 976 | 874 | 1,193 |
| Pol-e Sefid (city) | 8,473 | 7,708 | 8,294 |
| Zirab (city) | 18,216 | 15,679 | |
| Shirgah District[b] | 23,751 | 23,409 | |
| Lafur RD | 4,826 | 4,493 | |
| Sharq va Gharb-e Shirgah RD | 10,396 | 10,787 | |
| Shirgah (city) | 8,529 | 8,129 | |
| Zirab District | 21,376 | ||
| Kaseliyan RD | 4,217 | ||
| Sorkhkola RD | 968 | ||
| Zirab (city) | 16,191 | ||
| Total | 66,430 | 64,378 | 43,913 |
| RD = Rural District | |||
Covering an area of 2,441 square kilometres (942 sq mi), Savadkuh is at the centre of Mazandaran Province. It is limited northwestward byNorth Savadkuh County, westward byBabol County, eastward bySari County, southward by theAlborz mountain range andTehran province, and southeast bySemnan province. The main part of this county is located in a valley, in the centralAlborz region, where the Tâlâr river passes through it. There are 250 seasonal and permanent villages.[citation needed]
The tallest summit of Savadkuh, is Khero-Naru, with a height of 3,620 metres (11,880 ft). The most important rivers flowing in the city are Tâlâr and Babol-rud, which originate from the Alborz mountain range southeast and southwest of Savadkuh. These rivers irrigate the farmlands in Babol, Babolsar and Qaemŝahr. Including two areas of mountain in the north and foothill in the south, the mountainous area has a temperate and humid climate, and the weather in the south is dry and cold.[citation needed]
The farmlands in Savadkuh are limited because of its large forests and mountainous areas. So the farmers use their crops themselves, including rice, wheat, barley and sugar cane. According to geographical features, the economy of this city is based on apiculture and animal husbandry, more than agriculture.[citation needed]
The most important natural attractions of Savadkuh are: Ŝur Mast lake, near a village by the same name, Gazu waterfall in Lafur hamlet, waterfalls of Shirga and Gaduk, the mountains of Arfa Kuh, Sangar and Qadamgah, in Rassto Pei hamlet and Shervin mountain in Valu Pei hamlet; and Alasht city.[citation needed]
TheVeresk Bridge is amasonryarch bridge in northernIran. It was constructed mostly by Austrians beforeWorld War II and during the reign ofReza Shah under the leadership of an engineer named Walter Aigner.[9] It is located in theVeresk district of Savadkuh County, inMazandaran province.[10][11]
During World War II, it was known as the Pol-e Piroozi ("The bridge of victory").[12] The bridge stands 110 metres (360 ft) tall and its arch measures 66 metres (217 ft) long. The bridge serves theTrans-Iranian Railway network in Northern Iran.The Veresk bridge connects the railway between Tehran and theCaspian Sea region. It is located inMazandaran Veresk district of Savadkuh, 85 kilometers south ofGhaemshahr and connects two of the mountains in the Abbas Abad region. The bridge is one of the masterpieces of the Danish engineering firmKampsax, (consisting of Danish, German and Austrian engineers) serving theTrans-Iranian Railway network in Northern Iran.[13] The construction of this bridge included craftsmen of many nationalities, including many Italian. The Master Carpenter for the construction of the lumber concrete forms was Giacomo Di Marco, from the Friuli region of Italy, and detailed in the book he authored. It has been said after finishing the bridge, people had a fear that the train wouldn't be able to pass the narrow bridge and that it would break. As a result, the engineer and his family stood under it when the first train passed the bridge (local accounts claim that Reza Shah had asked them to do so anyway).[14]
Lajim Tower, also known as Tomb Tower of Lajim,[15] is a tall cylindrical tower in the village ofLajim[16] inMazandaran province, Iran. The tower was built around 1022 AD.[15] The Lajim inscriptions includes the first documented example of the wordqubba referring to the domed structure of the building.[16] There is no doubt that the Lajim Tower was themausoleum of an unknownPersian prince ofTabaristan.[16]
Kangelo Castle is a historical fortress located in Savadkuh and in the village ofKangelo. TheKangelo Castle was constructed in theSasanian era. According to historians, the castle of Kangelo was used as a place to worship the mirta.
This cave is located between the railway station of Pol-e Sefid and Surkh Abad, in the vicinity of Do Ab. It was discovered in 1956.The cave has a simple area or hall, with a ceiling 80 m. in width and height, and is considered spectacular in the world. Near this cave is a remnant of a ruined castle and tower, which was once a beautiful structure of stone and mortar. This cave is also known as Dej-e-Afsanehie, and this was most probably the defense center of theHouse of Ispahbudhan ofMazandaran in the past.
Located along the Shirgah-Zirab road, near Talar river, it was made of fired bricks and mortar. The main part of this bridge was destroyed because of breaking, and now two herring-bone-shaped arches remained intact. One of them is 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide and 4.75 metres (15.6 ft) high, and another is 4.5 metres (15 ft) wide and 5.50 metres (18.0 ft) high. According to its architectural features, it probably dates back to before theSafavid dynasty.
This monument was built, following the erection of the northern Iranian railway. It was used for religious ceremonies by foreign personnel. The church consists of a chamber, measuring 4.20 by 5.20 metres (13.8 by 17.1 ft). With a height of 4 metres (13 ft), it houses aprayer niche and four cement candlesticks. The construction was made of stone and cement.
Savadkuh is the birthplace ofReza Shah, the founder of thePahlavi dynasty, andHabibollah Badiee, a noted musician.[17]
Media related toSavadkuh County at Wikimedia Commons
