Ardabil province

The natural features of the province of Ardabil are mentioned in the Avesta, according to which Zoroaster was born by the river Aras and wrote his book in the Sabalan Mountains. During the Muslim conquest of Iran, Ardabil was the largest city in Azarbaijan, and remained so until the Mongol invasion period.^{[citation needed]}

Shah Ismail I started his campaign to nationalize Iran's government and land from here, but consequently announced Tabriz as his capital in 1500 CE. Yet Ardabil remained an important city both politically and economically until modern times.^{[citation needed]}

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Many tourists come to the region for its cool climate (max 35 °C (95°F)) during the hot summer months. The winters are bitterly cold, with temperatures plummeting to −25 °C (-13°F).

Its famous natural region is the Sabalan mountains.^{[clarification needed]} The province is considered the coldest province in Iran by many. Large parts of the province are green and forested.

Ardabil's capital stands about 70 km from the Caspian Sea. Neighboring the Caspian Sea and the Republic of Azerbaijan, the city is of political and economic significance.^{[citation needed]}

Ardabil is the seat of the sanctuary and tomb of Shaikh Safî ad-Dîn, eponym of the Safavid dynasty Kulliye. It has many hot springs and natural landscapes which attract tourists.^{[citation needed]} The mineral springs of Ardabil are Beele-Darreh, Sareyn, Sardabeh and Booshloo, which are known throughout Iran for their medicinal qualities.

It also has a number of lakes: the largest of which are Ne'or, Shoorabil, ShoorGel, NouShahr and Alooche, which are the habitats of some species of water birds.

Lake Ne'or is located in a mountainous area 48 km south-east of the city of Ardabil. It covers an area of 2.1 km² and has an average depth of 3 metres. It is fed by springs in the lake bed. Lake Shoorabil is located in a hilly area south of the city of Ardabil and covers an area of 640,000 m². The surface of the lake is covered with a thin white layer of minerals, which is useful for healing skin diseases and rheumatism. Near the lake there is the leisure complex of Shoorabil.

Ardabil is a city of great antiquity. Its origins go back 4000 to 6000 years (according to historical research in this city). This city was the capital of Azerbaijan province in different times, but its golden age was in the Safavid period.

One of the most ancient cities in Iran is Meshkin Shahr. It is located in the north-west of Iran in Azerbaijan, 839 kilometers from Tehran. It is the closest city to the Sabalan mountains. In the past, it was called "Khiav", "Orami", and "Varavi".

• Ardabil University of Medical Sciences
• Mohaghegh Ardabili University
• Islamic Azad University of Ardabil
• Payam Noor University of Ardabil
• Soureh University of Ardabil
• Islamic Azad University of Khalkhal

• Lerd tourist village

Media related to Ardabil Province at Wikimedia Commons