Ardebil Province     Ardebil is the central town in the Province of Ardebil. It is located in 210 km east of Tabriz. Ardebil is only 25 km from Azerbaijan Republic border. The town is situated at an altitude of 1,263 meters above sea level. The town is located on the outskirts of Sabalan Mountain, an extinct volcano. Meshkin Shahr, Khalkhal, Miyaneh and Sarab are towns in the vicinity of Ardebil. Tavalesh Forests and Astara are located to the east of this town. Climate: Many tourists come to the region for its cool climate (max 35 degrees centigrade) during the hot summer months. The winters are bitter cold, with a temperature plummeting to 25 degrees centigrade below zero. The annual average rainfall is 380 mm. The general condition can be specified as dry. Population: The population stood at 340,386 according to the statistics released in 1996. Some 67,000 households live in this town. Estimates put the number of women in Ardebil at 165,800. Language:Turkish (the local Azari version) and Farsi are spoken. Agricultural products:Wheat, barley, cereals, rye, apple, pear, and nuts (including almond, hazelnuts and walnuts). Due to the plentiful supply of water from mountain sources and streams and deep wells, good harvest yield and excellent crops grow in the region. The arable land is rich and fertile. Agricultural products and abundant supplies of potatoes, honey, dairy products and meat are exported. History Roads links: The best access route from Tehran is via Rasht-Anzali Port Highway along the Caspian Sea shore. Once there, drive to Astara, which is 60 km away, to the east of Ardebil. The best route from the western Turkish border is through Ahar, which is 145 km to the west. History: Ardebil is considered one of the ancient cities of Iran. The Zoroastrian Prophet of the ancient Iranians wrote Avesta, his holy book, during his stay on the top of the Sabalan Mountain. The citizens of this city were the first people to be invited to join the Zoroastrian religion. Ardebil was a major city during Ashkanian (Acadian) Dynast. Roham, an Azari hero, who was from Kian dynasty, originated in Ardebil. If this is true, then Ardebil's history would date back much further than the Sasanian period. Elsewhere, Firooz Sasani is believed by some historians, to have built this city. Shah Essmaiel Safavids, the founder of Safavids Dynasty of Iran, launched his rebellion in Ardebil in 1495, at the age of 13. He and his followers were from Turkish tribes. He played his role in spreading the Turkish language in this city. He also chose Tabriz as the capital city of his kingdom. He was crowned in Tabriz where elaborate ceremonies were held. He thus became the first king of the Safavids dynasty. Although the citizens of Ardebil were Sunnis, during Essmaiel's reign, Iran formally adopted the Shia'a denomination of Islam and converted to its teachings and tenets. Ardebil lost some of its attractions and its ancient glory by the time of the Ghajarieh dynasty in the late 18th and throughout the nineteenth centuries. The total area of the Ardebil region was one third of that of Shiraz. Ardebil played a key role during Mashrooteh Movement. Historical Monuments Collection of Sheikh Saffieddin Ardebili's Mausoleum. Being a unique religious building, it is considered one of the most fabulous monuments in this town. Originally it was the residence of Sheikh Safi. There are two domes one above Sheikh Safi's tomb and the other over Shah Essmaiel Safavids's tomb. Buried in the tombs of the king and his princes, there are some wooden boxes, which are adorned and artistically carved. Shah Abbas (I) Safavids presented some copies of valuable hand-written books as gifts to the graveyard library, but a Russian warlord called Passkowich in 1828 plundered the library. Chini Khaneh Museum: It is also located in the abovementioned collection. It has a large dome. It has a unique moulded plaster-work, gilding, paintings, and its plaster-works resemble those of Alighapoo's in Isfahan. There are bowls, chinese ceramic plates, pitchers, ornamental flower vases, hand-written Korans and Commands and silver coins dating back to Safavids era, in this museum.