Kashan County () is in Isfahan province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Kashan.

History The etymology of the city's name comes from Kasian, the original inhabitants of the city, whose remains are found at Tapeh Sialk dating back 9,000 years; later this changed to Kashian, hence the town name. Between the 12th and the 14th centuries, Kashan was an important centre for the production of high quality pottery and tiles. In modern Persian, the word for a tile (kashi) comes from the name of the town.Introducing Kashan معرفی کاشان Retrieved 13 April 2025

Archeological discoveries in the Sialk Hillocks, which lie 4 km west of Kashan, reveal that this region was one of the primary centers of civilization in pre-historic ages. Kashan dates back to the Elamite period of Iran. The Sialk ziggurat still stands today in the suburbs of Kashan after 7,000 years.7500-year-old city of Iranشهر ۷۵۰۰ ساله ایران Retrieved 13 April 2025

The artifacts uncovered at Sialk reside in the Louvre in Paris, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Iran's National Museum.Iranian glazed tiles and potteryکاشی ها و سفالینه های لعابی ایران Retrieved 13 April 2025

By some accounts, although not all, Kashan was the origin of the three wise men who followed the star that guided them to Bethlehem to witness the nativity of Jesus, as recounted in the Bible.Elgood, Cyril. A Medical History of Persia and the Eastern Caliphate: From the Earliest Times Until the Year A.D. 1932. Cambridge Library Collection - History of Medicine. Cambridge University Press, 2010. p. 34 Whatever the historical validity of this story, the attribution of Kashan as their original home testifies to the city's prestige at the time the story was set down.

According to a legend dating from the Safavid era, Abu Lu'lu'a, the Persian skilled craftsman who was enslaved by the Islamic conquerors and who eventually assassinated the caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab in 644, fled to Kashan after the assassination. p. 127, note 23. On Abu Lu'lu'a, see The shrine that was built over his supposed tomb is one of Kashan's notable landmarks.

Sultan Malik Shah I of the Seljuk dynasty ordered the building of a fortress in the middle of Kashan in the 11th century. The fortress walls, called Ghal'eh Jalali still stand today in central Kashan.Film/Jalali Castle and Seljuk Wall of Kashan فیلم/قلعه جلالی و حصار سلجوقی کاشان Retrieved 13 April 2025

Kashan was also a leisure vacation spot for Safavi Kings. Bagh-e Fin (Fin Garden), specifically, is one of the most famous gardens in Iran. This beautiful garden with its pool and orchards was designed for Shah Abbas I as a classical Persian vision of paradise. The original Safavid buildings have been substantially replaced and rebuilt by the Qajar dynasty, although the layout of trees and marble basins is close to the original. The garden itself, however, was first founded 7,000 years ago alongside the Cheshmeh-ye-Soleiman. The garden is also notorious as the site of the murder of Mirza Taghi Khan known as Amir Kabir, chancellor of Nasser-al-Din Shah, Iran's King in 1852.Kashan کاشان Retrieved 13 April 2025

The earthquake of 1778 levelled the city of Kashan and all the edifices of Shah Abbas Safavi, leaving 8,000 casualties. But the city started afresh and has today become a focal tourist attraction due to the numerous large houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, illustrating the finest examples of Qajari aesthetics.Search Earthquake Catalog جستجوی کاتالوگ زلزله Retrieved 13 April 2025Kashan کاشان Retrieved 13 April 2025

The city of Jowsheqan va Kamu was split into the two cities of Jowshaqan-e Qali and Kamu va Chugan in 2014.

Demographics Population At the time of the 2006 National Census, the county's population was 297,000 in 81,816 households. The following census in 2011 counted 323,371 people in 95,260 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the county as 364,482 in 112,258 households.

Administrative divisions

Kashan County's population history and administrative structure over three consecutive censuses are shown in the following table.

+ Kashan County Population Administrative Divisions 2006 2011 2016 Central District 266,921 293,996 324,501 Khorramdasht RD 726 856 1,442 Kuhpayeh RD 5,074 5,284 6,317 Miyandasht RD 7,372 7,662 6,898 Kashan (city) 248,789 275,325 304,487 Meshkat (city) 4,960 4,869 5,357 Barzok District 10,267 11,215 14,910 Babaafzal RD 1,904 1,879 2,393 Golab RD 5,152 6,071 7,929 Barzok (city) 3,211 3,265 4,588 Neyasar District 9,000 8,935 11,821 Kuh Dasht RD 2,174 2,322 3,555 Neyasar RD 4,823 4,442 5,947 Neyasar (city) 2,003 2,171 2,319 Qamsar District 10,812 9,225 13,247 Jowshaqan-e Qali RD 142 145 329 Qohrud RD 1,627 904 2,426 Jowshaqan-e Qali (city) 4,181 Jowsheqan va Kamu (city) 5,477 4,766 Kamu va Chugan (city) 2,434 Qamsar (city) 3,566 3,410 3,877 Total 297,000 323,371 364,482

Geography To the north is Qom County; to the east is Aran and Bidgol County, the desert, and the salt lake; to the south is Isfahan County; and to the west are the Karkas Mountains.

The rivers flowing from the mountains to the desert are small and temporary. The most important is Shah Ab, originating in Qohrud Rural District. Irrigation is mainly dependent on subterranean channels, and the water is slightly salty. There are also several springs, the most notable of which is the Fin water source. Habibollah Zanjani and EIr., “KASHAN i. GEOGRAPHY,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, 2012. . Encyclopaedia Iranica.

Kashan County today

Although there are many sites in Kashan of potential interest to tourists, the city remains largely undeveloped in this sector, with fewer than a thousand foreign tourists per year. Qamsar and Abyaneh are notable towns around Kashan, which attract tourists all year around. The nearby town of Niasar features a man-made cave and fireplace of historical interest.hosts 300,000 tourists کاشان میزبان ۳۰۰ هزار گردشگر Retrieved 13 April 2025A complete introduction to the sights of Kashan معرفی تمام و کمال جاهای دیدنی کاشان Retrieved 13 April 2025

Kashan is famous for manufacturing carpets, silk and other textiles, after Aran va bidgol. Kashan today has an active marble and copper mining industry.

Qaleh Jalali is not in the centre of Kashan, but is on the edge of the southern margin of the old wall of the city; the southern part of the wall and the qaleh (the citadel) join up and form just one piece. Areas outside the wall used to be simply irrigated farmlands, but today are sporadically residential.Qal'ah-i Jalali قلعه جلالی Retrieved 13 April 2025

Tourism

Kashan has many tourist locations.

Fin Garden to the west of Kashan, at the end of Amir Kabir Road (Fin road), is an old and beautiful garden from 300 years ago. The garden has a museum and a bath. In the museum are many ancient tools from 3,000 years ago. Amir Kabir, the chief minister to Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (Shah of Persia), was killed 200 years ago in the bath.Fin Garden (Fin Bath) باغ فین (حمام فین) Retrieved 13 April 2025

The ancient Tepe Sialk (or Sialk hill) ziggurat is on Amir Kabir road and tourists can visit this ancient hill that was used 3,500 years ago.Tepe Sialk, Iranتپه سیلک Retrieved 13 April 2025

Ancient houses are located in the Soltan Mir Ahmad neighborhood in Alavi Street. In this neighborhood are many ancient houses from 300 years ago.

The Karkas mountains are behind the Fin Garden and the Tehran-Isfahan Highway.Karkas Mountainsکوه‌های کرکس Retrieved 13 April 2025

The most important Kashan souvenirs are cotton candy, pancakes, sesame, and rosewater.

Main sights

Kashan's architectural sights include:

Agha Bozorg Mosque Āmeri House Boroujerdi House Jalali castle Tabātabāei House Abbāsi House Attarha House Al-e Yaseen House Sultan Amir shrine and bath 40 Dokhtaran Fortress Shrine of Abu Lu'lu'a, the assassin of the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab Fin Garden Sialk ziggurat Ghal'eh jalali Kashan Bazaar Timcheh Amin-o-dowleh

Transportation

Road 71 Freeway 7, located near the city

Kashan is connected via freeways to Isfahan and Natanz to the South, and Qom, which is an hour drive away to the north.

Education

Colleges and universities in Kashan include: Kashan University of Medical Sciences Islamic Azad University of Kashan University of Kashan

Notable people Sohrab Sepehri Ghyath ad-Din Jamshid Kashani Kamal-ol-Molk Mohammad-Nabi Sarbolouki Ustad Ali Maryam Muhsen Feyz Kashani Yedidia Shofet, former chief rabbi of Iran and the worldwide spiritual leader of Persian Jewry Uriel Davidi, former chief rabbi of Iran and the worldwide spiritual leader of Persian Jewry Isaac Larian, Chief Executive Officer of MGA Entertainment David Alliance, Baron Alliance, businessman and a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom Seyyed Hossein Nasr, leading Islamic philosopher and exponent of the Perennial Philosophy

Sister cities

Umeå, Sweden Kazanlak, Bulgaria Sabzevar, Iran

See also Iranian Architecture Kashan rug List of historical structures in Isfahan province Sialk, Kashan's ancient architecture. Traditional Persian residential architecture

Notes

References