Provincial capital of Central Azarbaijan. Altitude 1,400 meters. 650 km N - W of Tehran. 310 km S - E of Bazargan ( Iran - Turkey frontier ) on a good road. 580 km N of Kermanshah by road including 100 km of track. Airport Iran Air services. Railway: Istanbul - Tehran and Bakou - Jolfa - Tabriz lines.
Azarbaijan, a region with hard working peasants and wily merchants. A turbulent region, until recently torn by many invasions and military occupations. A bitterly cold country during long winters, divided up by almost impenetrable mountain ranges with at the bottom of their valleys micro - climates enabling peasants to cultivate a few vineyards and fruit orchards. These are few cliches the traveler brings along in his/her suitcase. They are valid but difficult to verify. There is only one itinerary which is really equipped and open during all seasons: The Bazargan - Mak - Tabriz - Zanjan - Tehran road, the traditional migration route. You need a lot of patience and a tough vehicle to reach these valleys.

THE BLUE (KABOOD) MOSQUE

Tabriz, the Blue Mosque, 1465. This superb mosque was built under the patronage of Saliha Khanum, the daughter of Jahan Shah Qara Qouonlu. The central domed sanctuary was 16 meters in diameter and decorated with a profusion of some of the  finest title mosaic produced in the fifteenth century including a rich inscription with gold highlights.

At the entrance of Tabriz, coming in from Tehran, a shady road leads to a large park with a wide expanse of water and a central pavilion. From this garden called " il Goli ", you can see a large red cliff overlooking the valley of the Tailkel river which runs through Tabriz.

In the Bazar, however, one seizes the originality of the town as a major agricultural center. Armenians, Turkomans, Kurds work side by side in stalls pilled ceiling - high with leather boots, woolen headgear, and many - colored fabrics. Here again you find the friendly bustle of the Oriental market with its mysterious discussions and its smell of leather and spices.

NEZAMI GANJAVI (POET)

A statue of Nezami Ganjavi, the great contemporary Poet.