Babol, Known as "Orange Blossom City" , also Romanized as Bābol; formerly known as Barfrouch) is the capital of Babol County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. Babol is divided into two metropolitan areas (Under Iranian law). At the 2012 census, its population was 219,467, in 66,944 families.
Babol is located in the north of Iran, between the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains and southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Babol is on the north-east of Tehran and is one of the most important cities in the north of Iran. It is the region's chief center. Babol is a new name for the site of the ancient city of Mamatir, that then was named as Barforush. The city receives abundant rainfall. It is famous for its orange farms, for which it is dubbed "the city of orange blossoms".
History and name
Founded in the 16th century, it was built on the site of the ancient city of Mamtir (deriving from "Mah Mithra" "great Mithra). Mithra or 'The Mediator' was believed to be the savior of creation from the threat of darkness and the one who stands between the light of Ahura Mazda and the darkness of Ahriman. Babol was formerly called Barforushdeh (meaning Market town) and Barforush afterwards. The city was later named Barforoush, which literally means market town. In 1931, the founder of the Pahlavi Dynasty Reza Shah (1878-1944) ordered urban planning efforts to commence in the city and changed its name to Babol, which means city with abundant water supply.
Geography and climate
The city is located approximately 20 kilometers south of Caspian Sea on the west bank of BabolRud River and receives abundant annual rainfall. Babol borders Babolsar and Fereydunkenar to the north, Qaem Shahr and Shirgah District to the east, Savadkuh to the southeast, Firuzkuh to the South and Amol to the west. Babol University is famous for its spectacular scenery.
Map showing the location of Babol county as well as Babol city in Mazandaran.
The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot-summer Mediterranean (Csa).
| hideClimate data for Babol | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
16.9 (62.4) |
24.3 (75.7) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
30.4 (86.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19 (66) |
15.4 (59.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.6 (47.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.1 (55.6) |
20.2 (68.4) |
23.5 (74.3) |
25.4 (77.7) |
26 (79) |
22.4 (72.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
14.1 (57.4) |
10.5 (50.9) |
16.7 (62.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
4.4 (39.9) |
5.5 (41.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.4 (57.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 86 (3.4) |
69 (2.7) |
72 (2.8) |
53 (2.1) |
25 (1.0) |
25 (1.0) |
27 (1.1) |
34 (1.3) |
79 (3.1) |
96 (3.8) |
99 (3.9) |
110 (4.3) |
775 (30.5) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org, altitude: 0m[6] | |||||||||||||
Population
In 2012 population census calculation of the city,the population was 219,467 people (79,837 households) and a population of 495,472 people in the located in the city.
Landmarks
The ruins of Shah Abbas I's palace are located in the city. Mohammad Hassan Khan bridge is also one of the most ancient buildings of Mazandaran. It was built by the king Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, the ancestor of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar as the main road from Babol to Amol. Now it is known as the old road of Babol to Amol. Another nice scenery is Babol Noshirvani Park, which is the biggest park including playground located in the north part of Iran, located almost in the vicinity of Caspian Sea. Babol is home to important and intact forests and jungles. for instance, Shiadeh, the unique and intact forest, is located in south-east Babol. Shiadeh is the name of a rural area near the jungle.
Filband, a village near the northern Iranian city of Babol, is famous for its skies which are full of interconnected cumulus clouds, especially in springtime.
Historical and natural attractions
-
- Mohammad Hassan Khan bridge
- Babol Royal Palace
- Babol Museum
- Emamzadeh Ghasem
- Kazem Beik Mosque
- Watchtower
- Babol Jameh Mosque
- Mohaddesin Mosque
- Tekyeh Moghri Kola
- Sultan Mohammad Taher Tomb Tower
- Darvish Fakhr Al-Din Tomb
- Post Building
- Head University of Medical Sciences
- Ibn Shahr Ashub Tomb
- Sarast Tower
- Darvish Alam-bazi Tower
- Hasirforoshan Mosque
- Azroud Thermal Spring
- Babolroud
- Babolkenar Forest Park
- Historic homes Qajansb
- Aghajan Nasab House
- Osia House
- Najafi Mansion
- Sheikh Mousa Yaylak and Waterfall
- Kimoun Waterfall
- Shiadeh Dam
- Saghanefar Kija Tekyeh
- Porang High School
- Shiadeh Saghanefar
- Abuol Hasan Kola Saghanefar
- Mulana Mosque
- Tirkan Waterfall
- Haft Waterfall
- Filband Village
- Bandpey Village
- Pir Alam Tekyeh
- Moftakher ul-Mamalek Caravanserai
- Sadr Hawza
- Chahar Suq Mosque
- Lafoor Jungle
- Bagh-e Ferdows
- Noshirvani Park
Economy
Commerce and trading are the backbone of the city's economy since it is the largest commercial center for Mazandaran province, partially due to its location at the center of the province and also the large population of villages around the city making Babol county the most populated county in the province. Babol produces food and textiles — as well as other processed goods . Including oranges, lemons, and tangerines. There are many rice farms around the city, and, until about 20 years ago, tea, tobacco, and cotton were processed.
Colleges and universities
As the largest commercial center the city of Babol also hosts large number of universities province. Universities include:
- Babol University of Medical Sciences
- Babol Noshirvani University of Technology The university is an influential center for academic research in Iran, due to which it has been consistently ranked among the top schools in the country. BNUT is currently ranked 1st among all Iranian universities according to Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. THE has also ranked BNUT between 351st and 400th among world universities, 55th among the world's young universities, as well as 43rd among Asian universities.
- Mazandaran University of Science and Technology
- Educators University - Education Center Martyr Rajai Babol
- PNU - Babol Center
- PNU - Bandpey Unit
- Islamic Azad University - Babol Unit
- University of Applied Science - Babol Unit
- Babol Vocational College of Imam Sadiq
- Mazandaran Institute of Technology
- Rahedanesh Institute of Higher Education
- Tabari Institute of Higher Education
- Aryan Institute of Science and Technology
- Institute of Applied Science of Art and Culture - Unit 4 Of Babol
- Institute of Applied Science Technology Jahad Daneshgahi
- Institute of Applied Science -Unit Of Western Bandpey
- Vocational College of Sama - Babol Unit
- Vocational College of AzZahra - Babol Unit
Health centers and hotels
- Negin Hotel
- Reza Hotel
- Marjan Hotel
- Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital
- Babol Clinic
- Shahid Beheshti Hospital
- Fatemeh Al-Zahra Hospital
- Yahya Nejad Hospital
- 17 Shahrivar Hospital
- Mehregan Hospital
Industry
Major corporations
- Iran Khodro Mazandaran
- Babol Machine Mfg. & Ind
- MSco
- Khazar Khodro Babol.Co
Sport
Babol is home to Iranian Basketball Super League team BEEM Mazandaran BC which plays in the city's Shahid Sojoodi Arena. BEEM also had a popular volleyball team in the Iranian Super League in 2008–2009. Now Babol have a 2 Team in wrestling, Bime Razi and Arash Zin. They have a popular football club, Khooneh Be Khooneh. Khooneh Be Khooneh play in 1nd division (after Premier League) in Iranian system football but they could going to finals of Hazfi Cup in 2016–17. They could not promote to Premier League for 1 Goal. Babol is host of Freestyle Wrestling Club World Cup in December 2018.
Notable people
- Amir Pazevari (17th century) - poet
- Muhammad Ashrafi (1804-1898) - Shia Marja'
- Hossein Fallah Noshirvani (1902–1972) - philanthropist
- Sheikh Mohammad Haeri Mazandarani (1960) - religious
- Zeinolabe Haeri Mazandaranidin (1919–1996) - religious
- Shahrokh Meskoob (1924–2005) - writer
- Davoud Rashidi (1933–2016) - actor
- Mokarrameh Ghanbari (1928–2005) - painter
- Alireza Mashaghi (born 1977) - scientist
- Emam-Ali Habibi (born 1931) - wrestler
- Hamid Reza Chitgar (1949–1987) - politician
- Towhidi Tabari (born 1964) - artist
- Zeinolabedin Rahnama (1893–1989) - writer
- Reza Salehi Amiri (born 1962) - politician
- Masoud Hedayatifard (born 1971) - scholar in fishery science
- Sohrab Entezari (born 1977) - football player
- Ali Asghar Mazandarani (1826–1911) - cleric
- Farhad Rachidi (born 1962) - scientist
- Karim Motamedi (born 1929) - minister
- Hassan Ghashghavi (born 1957) - ambassador
- Hassan Anousheh (born 1945) - writer
- Arya Aramnejad (born 1983) - singer
- Leyli Rashidi (born 1973) - actress
- Maryam Kavyani (born 1970) - actress
- Maziar (1952–1997) - singer
- Morteza Pouraliganji (born 1992) - football player
- Mehdi Kheiri (born 1983) - football player
- Hadi Norouzi (1985–2015) - football player
- Bashir Babajanzadeh (born 1989) - wrestler
- Parinaz Izadyar (born 1985)- actress
- Sousan Hajipour (born 1990) - taekwondo practitioner
- Noshad Alamian (born 1991) - table tennis player
- Nima Alamian (born 1992) - table tennis player
- Mojtaba Mirzajanpour (born 1991) volleyball player
- Alireza Firouzja (born 2003) - chess player
- Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian (born 1981) - film director
- Parviz Bahram (1933–2019) - dubber