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Rasht ( رشت in Persian, also transcribed as Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran. It is a major trade center between Caucasia, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali. Rasht is also a major tourist center. Rasht had an estimated population of 560,123 in 2005.
Language
Gileki is spoken by more than 3.000.000 people. The vast majority of the speakers live in the Gilan Province of Iran. Gileki belongs to the northwestern branch of the Iranian languages. The Iranian languages form a top-level constituent of the Indo-European language family. It is closely related to Mazanderani and is subdivided into two main dialects: Bie-pas and Bie-pish. Bie-pas dialect is mainly spoken in west of Sefidrud including Rasht and Fuman while Bie-pish dialect belongs to eastern part of Gilan including Lahijan and Langrud.
Gileki is an oral language and has no official status in Iran.
Perhaps the word Rasht is derived from the name of Rostam, who slayed the "white demon" in the present-day province of Mazandaran.
People and culture
The people speak Gileki, Persian, Taleshi.
Colleges and universities
- Gilan University of Mofid
- University of Gilan
- Islamic Azad University of Bandar Anzali
- Islamic Azad University of Rasht
- Gilan University of Medical Sciences
- Institute of Higher Education for Academic Jihad of Rasht (موسسه آموزش عالي غيرانتفاعي جهاد دانشگاهي رشت)
History
For a more comprehensive treatment of the region, see the history section of Gilan.
Rasht was first mentioned in historical documents in 682 CE, but it is certainly older than this. It has seen the Sassanid era, the armies of Peter the Great and later Russian rulers, and British colonialism. The people of Rasht also played a major role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran.
Timeline
- 682: Rasht is first mentioned in historical documents
- 1669: Stenka Razin, a Cossack warlord, plundered the city
- 1722 - 1734: occupied by Peter the Great during the Russo-Persian War, 1722-1723
- 1901: a major epidemic plague devastates the city.
- 1917 - 1920: The Russian and British armed forces fight in the port city of Bandar-e Anzali and Rasht. The British retreat and the Russians occupy the area. In 1920 Bolshevik Russians set a great fire in the bazaar, causing many citizens to go into temporary exile.
- 1937: a revolt, sparked by the desire to collect a "road tax" from the Russians, was suppressed
- 1977: Rasht University established
Notables of Rasht
- Ebrahim Poordavood (Born in 1885)
- Mīrzā Kūchak Khān
- Hushang Ebtehaj
- Marjane Satrapi
- Aydin Aghdashloo (Born, 1940)
- Fazlollah Reza
- Mohammad Namjoo
- Mohammad Moin
- Arsen Minasian
- Ardeshir Mohassess
Suburbs
- Chomarsara
- Golsar
- Karfabad
- Kharemam
- Lakaan Shahr
- Manzariyeh
- Noghredasht
- Ostadsara
- Pirsara
- Rashtian
- Sagharisazan
- Park Shahr
- Takhti
External links and Sources
- Iranian Public Satellite TV
- Gilan Province
- Some pictures from Gilan and Rasht
- Pictures at Guilan.net
- City of Rasht Information Center
- Iran Chamber Society: Rasht
- Iran Chamber of commerce, Industries & Mines: Gilan
- Encyclopedia of the Orient
- Info Please
37°17′N 49°35′E / 37.283°N 49.583°E / 37.283; 49.583
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