Shiraz, Provincial capital in Fars region, Iran
Shiraz is a provincial capital in the Fars region of southwestern Iran, spread across an agricultural lowland at 1500 meters (4900 feet) elevation. The city is surrounded by the Zagros Mountains and serves as a trade center connected to the port of Bushire.
The Zand dynasty made the city their capital from 1750 to 1794, and during this period Karim Khan commissioned numerous buildings and complexes. Before this era, the place had already been a center of Persian scholarship and poetry.
The tombs of Persian poets Saadi and Hafez stand in landscaped gardens in the northern part of town, where visitors walk among rose beds and cypress trees. Locals come here to read verses or simply sit beneath shaded trees.
The city works well as a base for trips into the surrounding mountains and to nearby archaeological sites such as Persepolis, about an hour away. Local bazaars in the center offer crafts, spices, and textiles to browse.
Traditional crafts such as inlay work and weaving are still practiced in workshops inside and outside the city, often in family businesses. Visitors can watch artisans at work and buy finished pieces directly on site.
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