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Khuzestan is a small part in south west of Iran which was a part
of the great and independent government of Elam in ancient times. One of the
oldest human civilisations which dates back to 6000 B.C. rose from this area.
The Elamites, Achaemenids, Parthians and Sasanids have also selected and built
some parts of this land as their winter capitals. Because of its geographical
importance, this area was always subject to phenomenon. Because of the
precedence of human civilisation in this area, so many ancient and splendid
monuments have remained in this land.
This large (pop. 308,000) oil-refinery boomtown, located
at the junction of the Karun and Arvandrud rivers, was largely destroyed during
the Iran-Iraq War. Before the war, Abadan had a fairly good museum, but little
else worth seeing; now it has even less.420 mi/675 km south-southwest of Tehran.
This city is counted as one of the oldest cities in Iran and was called "Oksin"
in the inscriptions and Hormoz Shahr in the Sasanids period. This city has been
built on the sediments of the Tertiary period. Karun River has left alluviums on
this eroded surface from the Quaternary period and has made it a cultivated and
smooth land. The height of Ahvaz city is 12 m above sea level. Karun River has
divided this city into western and eastern parts. There is an airport which has
daily and weekly flights to Tehran, Esfahan and other cities. Railway passes
through this city and connects it to other cities.
Like Abadan, Ahvaz is a commercial city (pop. 580,000) that was
heavily bombed during the Iran-Iraq War. The city's main attraction is its
proximity to several historic sites: Choga Zambil (Elamite ruins and
well-preserved ziggerat), Haft Tappe (ruins) and Shush 70 mi/115 km north of
Abadan.
Once
Iran's largest port, Khorramshahr was almost destroyed during the Iran-Iraq War
and is currently being rebuilt. The port, which lies near the Iraqi border on
the Karun waterway, dates from ancient times (Alexander founded a city nearby).
400 mi/645 km southwest of Tehran.
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Occupied for at least 6000 years from prehistoric times, the castle overlooking the Achaemenian palaces was built some 90 years ago to house an Archaeological team.
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Mausoleum of Daniyal in Shush is the most important sacred place in Khuzestan province, situated near the historical hills of Shush, Which was reconstructed in 1287 S.H. (1870 A.D.) after distruction by the flood.
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