your free PDF travel guide for Shiraz
Wikipedia says:
Shiraz (شیراز Shīrāz) is the sixth most populated city in Iran and the provincial capital of Fars Province. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the Daryacheye Khoshk seasonal river. Shiraz has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for more than a thousand years. Shiraz had an estimated population of 1,755,955 in 2005.
The earliest reference to the city is on Elamite clay tablets dated to 2000 BC, when it was known as Tiraziš. Shiraz was the capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty from 1750 until 1781 as well as briefly during the Saffarid period. In the 13th century, Shiraz became a leading center of the arts and letters, thanks to the encouragement of its ruler and the presence of many Persian scholars and artists.
Shiraz is known as the city of poets, wine and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city. Shiraz has major Jewish and Christian communities. The crafts of Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; carpet-weaving, and the making of the rugs called Gilim and Jajim in the villages and among the tribes. In Shiraz industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork and rugs dominate. Shirāz also has a major oil refinery and is also a major center for Iran's electronic industries. 53% of Iran's electronic investment has been centered in Shiraz. (...) more....



