Climate : Cold
OldName : Artavil
Area : 11081
Population : 564٬365
Ardabil Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north west of the country, bordering the Republic of Azerbaijan, the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabagh republic and the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Zanjan, and Gilan.
Its centre is the city of Ardabil. The province was established in 1993 from the eastern part of East Azerbaijan and the northern part of Gilan.
Many tourists come to the region for its cool climate (max 35 °C) during the hot summer months. The winters are bitter cold, with temperatures plummeting to -25°C.
Its famous natural region is the Sabalan mountains. 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 and has an area of 18011 km². Neighbouring the Caspian Sea and the Republic of Azerbaijan, the city is of great political and economic significance.
The province has been blessed with splendid natural beauty and numerous sights.
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.
Ardabil was the largest city in Azarbaijan, and remained so until the Mongol invasion period.
Shah Ismail I started his campaign to nationalize Iran's government and land from here, but consequently announced Tabriz as his capital in 1500CE. Yet Ardabil remained an important city both politically and economically until modern times.
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.
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 beautiful natural landscapes and these attract tourists. The mineral springs of Ardabil are Beele-Darreh, Sareyn, Sardabeh and Booshloo, which are famed throughout Iran for their medicinal qualities.
It also has many beauty lakes: the largest of which are Ne'or, Shoorabil, ShoorGel, NouShahr and Alooche, which are the habitats of some species of water birds.
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".
Reference : wikipedia.org
