Neyshaboor

Neyshaboor - A Glance on the Cultural,
Historical and Touristic Attractions

Located north of Khorosan, Nayshabur covers an area of 9.248 square kilometers. It is limited northward by Binolcod mountains and Qoochan, westward by Esfarayen and Sabzevar, westward by Mashhad, and southward by Torbat-e Haydariyyeh and Kashmar. Nayshabur enjoys seasonal rivers, the major of them is Kalshoor. It has a variable climate. Its well-watered valleys and green foothills in the northern areas enjoy a temperate climate, whereas its southern areas have a relatively warm and desert climate. Nayshabur includes 2 cities, 5 districts, 15 villages and 632 hamlets. According to the census of 1991, it had a population of 399287 persons.

The History of Neyshaboor

Located on the Silk-Road, Neyshaboor is one of the most ancient cities if Iran. It dates back to the Sassanid monarch, Shapur I. According to recent archaeological discoveries, Neyshaboor shared in trade with the valley of Indus river in Pakistan and the area of Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC. Recently significant ancient sites, dating to the 3rd and 4th millennium BC, were discovered around the city. It seems that the most ancient evidence related to Neyshaboor is an inscription known as Ka´be-ye Zartosht (Ka´ba of Zoroaster). Dating in origin from the regin of Shapur I, it is also called Tamam Aparakhshtar. One of the most important pre-historical fire-temples, known as Azar-Barzin-Mehr, was located in Neyshaboor and dedicated to the farmers. It was formerly named Abarshahr, but from the Islamic period onwards its name changed into Neyshaboor. In the time of ´Abdollah ebn-e Taher, Neyshaboor served as a capitel and gradually grew in importance. After the fall of the Taherid dynasty, the Saffarids adopted it as a capitel. Under the Ghaznavids and Saffarids, It was brought to a peak and changed to the wealthiest and most populated Islamic areas. Soon after it razed to the ground, owing to the Mongol invasion. A new city was built on the north-western boundary of the old one shortly after, due to which the city flourished again. It was devastated by an earthquake in 808 AH. Neyshaboor rose to importance under the Timurid dynaty and grew in size and splendour, thanks to the efforts of the people who admire their culture and authorities who are conscious. Kayyam's Monument, built in 1935 Brick-made columns on the road to Khayyam's Garden Remains of the ancient city of Neyshaboor Covering an area of about 2000 hectares, the remains of the ancient city of Neyshaboor is located on the south-eastern boundary of the present-day Neyshaboor. The area enjoys, ancient hills of Kohandezh, Alb-Arsalan, Sabz-pooshan, Shadiyakh, Tappeh Madraseh, Bazaar, Qanat Tappeh and Takestan. Its National Monuments Registration Number is 216. In 1935, for the first time, some scientific archaeological excavations were conducted by an American expedition led by Charles and Wilkinson on Behalf of the Metropoliten Museum, due to which some superb Islamic objects were discovered in hills of Tappeh Sabz-pooshan, Tappeh Madraseh, Qanat Tappeh and Tappeh Takestan. In 1966, Richard Bullitt carried out a Comprehensive research to renovate the ancient city. In 1968, Sayfollah Kambakhsh-Fard excavated one part of the ancient city. In 1988, the fourth research was carried out by an expedition led by Sayyed Mahmood Moosavi, due to which some architectural remains, dating back the Saljuq period, were discovered. From the late 1999, an expedition led by Rajab-Ali Labbaf Khaniki has been excavating the area of Shadiyakh. Our hope is that the superb and resplendet objects, dating in origin from the Islamic to the Kharazam period, will be discovered and displayed as a field museum. Remains of the ancient city of Neyshaboor

People in traditonal clothes in front of a city gate,
in the middle of the 19th century.

	Scheich Farid Addin ATTAR	Kamal-ol-Molk (one of the great Iranian artists 1847-1940)
	Touristic Sites of Neyshaboor Neyshaboor includes historical monuments and mausoleums of the celebrated persons such as Hakim Omar Khayyam, ´Attar Nayshaburi, Kamal-ol-Molk, Emamzadeh Mohammad Mahrooq and Ebrahim (pbuh), Fazlollah ebn-e Shazan and Sa´id ebn-e Salam Maghrebi. Besides, it enjoys mountanious sites and summer quarter, the most picturesque of them are Darrod, Kharn, Garineh, bar, Some´eh, Kelider, Boozhan, Ghar-rug, Mirabad, Hessar, and Barfiz. Covering an area of several hectares, the international camp of Baghrud is located 12 km north of Neyshaboor. Having over 5000 visitors in a day, it is the second in the camps of Iran. Several traditional gardens are also aituated inside and outside of Neyshaboor- among them Bagh-e Neshat, in Taqiabad village, kamal-ol-Molk`s home in Hosseinabad village, Bagh-e Amin-ol-Eslami, Bagh-e Qavami and Bagh-e Jamshid, inside the city. Khayyam Museum The Cultural Heritage Organization established the Khayyam Museum near his tomb, owing to the occasion of the International Congress of the Celebration of Khayyam, 17 May 2000, and his scientific dignity, his works, especially those relating to astronomy, calendar, mathematics, his frequent references to soil, pot, pottery, the importance of the earthenwares of Neyshaboor and the lacking of the museum displaying objects from hakim Khayyam period. Formerly used as the Cultural Heritage Office, the modern construction is now a museum near Khayyam`s tomb. Superb works and objects have benn transferred to it from different museum. It includes four parts. The first one displays asronomical objects such as observational instruments, astrolabe, various kinds of comoasses and constellations. The second part houses bronze and metal vessels from the 5th- 7th century AH (Khayyam period). The third part displys clay vessels and glazed clay vessels from the 3rd- 7th century AH. Most of the vessels are monochrome, polychrome, carved, over glazed, stamped patterned, and ornate. The most important of them are an earthenware decorated with brown Kufic scripts. The way of inscribing the Kufic script on the earthenwares is a matter of great interest to researchers. The fourth part includes calligraphies relating to astronomy and paintings of Hakim Omar Khayyam. Our hope is that the Museum will be enlarged and riched in the near future. Plan von Neyshaboor