Nickname: City of Filigree
Capital
Zanjan
Population
~1.1 million
Zanjan is best known for the Ilkhanid mausoleum at Soltaniyeh, one of the largest brick domes ever built, and for a handicraft tradition of gold and silver filigree, malileh, still worked by hand in the capital's bazaar. The province otherwise unfolds as rolling farmland between Tehran and Tabriz.
Culture & people
A mixed Azerbaijani- and Persian-speaking province best known for the Soltaniyeh Dome, once the mausoleum of the Ilkhanid ruler Oljaitu.
Notable cities
Zanjan
The provincial capital, known nationally for handmade knives and fine filigree metalwork sold in its old bazaar. It sits on the historic road linking Tehran to Tabriz.
Soltaniyeh
Home to the Dome of Soltaniyeh, the mausoleum of the Ilkhanid ruler Oljaytu and one of the largest brick domes in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a highlight of any Zanjan itinerary.
Abhar
A smaller town along the Tehran-Tabriz corridor with a handful of Seljuk and Safavid-era monuments. It functions mainly as a convenient stop between the province's larger sites.
Highlights
- Soltaniyeh Dome, a UNESCO site
- Zanjan's malileh filigree workshops
- Rakhtshuykhaneh historic bathhouse
- Katalekhor Cave's limestone chambers
- Zanjan's traditional covered bazaar
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October bring mild weather for exploring Soltaniyeh's dome and the open countryside around it.
Getting there
Zanjan sits on the main Tehran–Tabriz highway and rail line, about a three-hour drive or a two-hour train ride from the capital.
The province's location, highlighted on the map of Iran.
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