Dezful (Dezh-pol, Persian: دزفول Fortress Bridge) is a city in the Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Khūzestān (خوزستان is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The city is thought to be 6000 years old. The most famous ancient structure of the city is a bridge that dates back to 300 BCE. In 2006, the city had 235,819 inhabitants. [1][2]
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History
The name "Dezful" has been derived from the two words "Dezj" (fortress)+ "Pol" (bridge), that in combination can stand for 'the bridge to the fortress' or 'fortified bridge'. The original name of the city was 'Dezjpol' but after the Arabs invaded the area, because they had no 'zj' and 'p' in their vocals, the City was called Dezful, with the 'z' having an 's' sound. The bridge was built during Shapur I and is the oldest fully functioning bridge in the world. Shapur I was the second Sassanid King of the Second Persian Empire. When the Roman Emperor Valerian was defeated in Battle of Edessa, remains of his captured army were used to finish the bridge. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Battle of Edessa took place between the armies of the Roman Empire under the command of Emperor Valerian and Sassanid forces under King Shapur It's believed that the bridge was made over the ruins of a much older bridge, built during the Elamite dynasties. Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran.
It is also believed that a fortress protected the strategic bridge across the Dez river, whence the name, although no trace of this castle remains. Interestingly, the old part of the city adjacent to the bridge is known the "Qaleh" (castle). In the middle of the river, close to the bridge you can see remains of several water mills built ca. 300 BCE. Most of them were actually used up to the beginning of the 20th century. The last one was in use up to 1985.
The people of Dezful (Dezfulis) speak a Persian dialect distinct to the city. There are a number of Khuzestani Persian Dialects unique to the province of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran.
Geography
Dezfūl sits on the main north-south highway from Tehrān to Ahvāz, the provincial capital of Khūzestān. The main rail line from Tehrān to the Persian Gulf is 15 km (9 mi) from Dezfūl, on the opposite side of the Dez River.
The city lies close to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains. The Zagros Mountains (جبال زاجروس (رشته كوههاى زاگرس ( Sorani Kurdish: Zagros - زاگرۆس make up Iran 's and Iraq 's
Economy
Dezfūl is the primary commercial center for northern Khūzestān and a market for the agricultural products of Lorestān province. The city also contains a large cotton textile mill and many small- and medium-scale industries. The Dez Dam, 203 m (666 ft) high, completed in 1963, is 32 km (20 mi) upstream from Dezfūl; the dam provides water and electricity for the city, as well as irrigation for nearby sugarcane farms.
References
- ^ Census85 (Farsi - Statistical Center of Iran)
- ^ Population and Housing Census
External links
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