Maragheh

Maragheh (also Romanized as Marāgheh; also known as Marāgha), is an ancient city and capital of Maragheh County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 163,859, in 42,491 families.

History

Maragheh is an ancient city situated in a narrow valley running nearly north and south at the eastern extremity of a well-cultivated plain opening towards Lake Urmia. The town is encompassed by a high wall ruined in many places, and has four gates. Two stone bridges in good condition, said to have been constructed during the reign of Hulagu Khan, who made Maragheh the capital of the Ilkhanate.

Geography

Maragheh is located on the southern slopes of the Sahand mountain range and in the valley of the river Sufi Chay. The highest point in the city is the hill of Maragheh Observatory.

Notable people

• Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, a Persian polymath and prolific writer: An architect, astronomer, biologist, chemist, mathematician, philosopher, physician, physicist, scientist, theologian and Maragha astronomer.
• Asadi Tusi, Persian poet and linguist, and author of the oldest surviving dictionary of Persian.
• Mirza Taghi Khan Amir Kabir, Iranian liberal reformer.

See also

• Maragheh observatory
• Maragheh meteorite

External links

• Maragheh official website