| Official Name: | Kazeroon |
| Native Name: | Persian: کازرون |
| Native Name Lang: | fa |
| Nickname: | City of Science, City of Civilization, The Green City |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Fars |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kazerun |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Central |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Reza Nozari |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Total: | 96683 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | IRST |
| Utc Offset: | +3:30 |
| Coordinates: | 29.6156°N 51.6567°W |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 860 |
| Area Code: | 071 |
Kazerun (Persian: کازرون) is a city in the Central District of Kazerun County, Fars province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.[2]
The historic city Bishapur is near Kazerun; it was a capital of the Sasanian Empire.
The nearby ruins of the ancient city of Bishapur 12miles N., include bas-relief depictions from the Sasanid era (ca. 224 - 651). A statue of Shapur I (AD 241–272) can be found in a large cave at the site. The ruins of the Qaleh-ye Gabri (Castle of the Gabrs, or Zoroastrians) are located on a mound SE of Kazeroon., during the Qajar Dynasty many people from Kazerun migrated to Bahrain, today there are many people with the surname Kazeruni.
From 1548 to 1834, an Afshar family governed the district of Kazerun.[3] In June 1824, a severe earthquake occurred in Kazerun and Shiraz that killed a few thousand people.[4]
The nearby ruins of the ancient city of Bishapur 12miles N., include bas-relief depictions from the Sasanid era (ca. 224 - 651). A statue of Shapur I (AD 241–272) can be found in a large cave at the site. The ruins of the Qaleh-ye Gabri (Castle of the Gabrs, or Zoroastrians) are located on a mound SE of Kazeroon., during the Qajar Dynasty many people from Kazerun migrated to Bahrain, today there are many people with the surname Kazeruni.
Since 16 April 2018, as part of the 2017–18 Iranian protests, the city has experienced anti-government protests, with the proximate local cause being a plan by Kazerun lawmaker Hossein Rezazadeh to turn parts of the city's northern outlying districts of Nowdan and Qaemiyeh into a new city named Kuh-e-Chinar. On 18 May 2018, five people were killed after security forces opened fire on demonstrators.[5]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 84,594 in 20,810 households.[6] The following census in 2011 counted 89,685 people in 25,034 households.[7] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 96,683 people in 28,988 households.[8] It is the fifth-largest city in Fars.
Kazerun has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh).
The first higher education center of Kazerun was established under the supervision of Tehran University of Medical Sciences under the name of Kazerun Health Research Training Station in 1955 in this city.[9] [10] In 1978, Azad University of Iran established a branch in Kazerun, but the activity of this university was stopped with the occurrence of the Islamic Revolution. At present, 6 university centers are operating in Kazerun city. Salman Farsi University of Kazerun is known as the scientific hub of west of Fars province.[11] Also, the Islamic Azad University, Kazerun branch, is the only branch of the Islamic Azad University in the southwest of the country, which has its own medical faculty and hospital.[12] [13]
| University Name | Established year | Type | Dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salman Farsi University of Kazerun[14] [15] [16] | 1993 | Public | Ministry of Science, Research and Technology |
| Islamic Azad University, Kazerun branch[17] [18] [19] | 1985 | Private | Islamic Azad University |
| Payame Noor University, Kazerun branch[20] [21] [22] | 2000 | Public | Payame Noor University |
| University of Applied Science and Technology, Kazerun branch[23] [24] | 2008 | Public | University of Applied Science and Technology |
| Farhangian University, Kazerun branch (Zeinab Kobra)[25] | 1983 | Public Teacher education | Farhangian University |
| Skill National University, Kazerun branch (Girls)[26] [27] | 1997 | Public | Skill National University |
In the centuries after Islam, the historical large bazaar of Kazerun was one of the commercial hubs of the south of the country.[28] [29] [30] Even now, this market and other commercial centers of Kazerun are the commercial hub of west of Fars province and cover the main needs of the people of this region.[31] [32]
Among the infrastructures and large industrial units of Kazerun, the following can be mentioned:
Kazerun Special Economic Zone has an area of 183 hectares. So far, 7 big investment contracts have been concluded in this special economic zone.[33] Kazerun Customs is also located in this special economic zone and has made it possible to export and import to other parts of the world.[34] [35]
Currently, the executive operations of the Khesht and Konartakhte oil field are being carried out.[36] and has one billion and 53 million barrels of oil.[37] [38]
This industrial area has 48 hectares of industrial land. Currently, 35 production and industrial units with employment of 600 people are active in this industrial area.[39]
The construction of Kazerun Petrochemical Complex started in 2007 with the aim of producing polyethylene products.[40] This project is currently on hold.[41] [42]
This combined cycle power plant with a production capacity of 1373 megawatts, is the third largest combined cycle power plant in the country.[43] [44] [45]
Kazerun is one of the agricultural poles of the country and many of its products are exported to other countries.[46]
There are two large fields of fruits and vegetables in Kazerun, which supply a huge part of fruits and vegetables in the south of the country.[47]
| Field Name | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Imam Hossein | West of Kazerun | |
| Kazerun Municipality | East of Kazerun |
Kazerun has a total of 36 cold storage units for storing agricultural products.[48]
The big wheat storage silo of Kazerun has a capacity of 50,000 tons.[49]
Nargesi Dam is one of the big dams under construction by Iran's Ministry of Energy in Kazerun. The purpose of building this dam is to control and contain floods, provide agricultural water for 12 thousand hectares of downstream lands, provide drinking water for the region and water for industry in the cities of Kazerun and Farrashband, including the water needed by Kazerun Petrochemical and the South Zagros industrial area, rehabilitate the Parishan Lake, provide Environmental water and electric energy production is 48.3 gigawatt hours per year.[50]
Kazerun urban wastewater treatment plant with the current capacity of treating 17100 cubic meters of water per day is located in the south of Kazerun city.[51] [52] The development of Kazerun urban sewage network is currently underway.[53]
Kazerun Health and Treatment Network is the highest health authority in Kazerun.[54] Before the Islamic Revolution, two Behbahani and Pahlavi hospitals were active in Kazerun, but now both of them are inactive.[55] Currently, two hospitals and several clinics and treatment centers are active in Kazerun city.
| Hospital name | Established year | Number of beds | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ValieAsr[56] | 1996 | 174 | General | |
| Imam Ali[57] | 2022 | 112 | General |
The third and largest hospital of Kazerun with 206 beds is under construction in the southeast of Kazerun city.[58]
Kazerun Medical System Organization has 759 members.[59]
Emergency 115 Kazerun has 2 bases in Kazerun city and 7 bases in the outskirts of Kazerun (9 bases in total). Kazerun Medical Emergency and Accident Management Center is operating under the supervision of Fars Emergency Organization.[60]
Kazerun is located on the north-south transportation route of the country and has three main entrances and exits on three sides, east, southeast, and west, as well as four secondary exits. The Moharram tunnel and access road construction project is considered the most important active road construction project in Kazerun.[61]
In this direction, the city of Kazerun is connected to the center of the country and the cities of Shiraz, Isfahan and Tehran through the Kazerun-Dasht Arjan axis. This route is also touristic and passes through the middle of the forest Barm plain and the edge of Parishan Lake and is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the country.[62] [63]
In this direction, the city of Kazerun is connected to the northwestern cities of Fars province and the provinces of Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Bushehr through the axis of Kazerun-Qaemiyeh and Kazerun-Rahadar. A part of this route passes through the ancient city of Bishapur and Tang Chogan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[64] [65] [66]
In this direction, the city of Kazerun is connected to the southwestern cities of Fars province and the provinces of Hormozgan and Bushehr through the axis of Kazerun-Baladeh.[67]
The construction project of Moharram tunnel and access roads started in 2009 in Kazerun-Kanaratakhte axis and is still ongoing. This project has facilitated the access of Kazerun city to the south of the country and can send a part of the passing traffic from the north to the south of the country to this city.[68]
Kazerun also has 4 secondary exits, two exits to Davan village, one exit to Qaleh-ye Seyyed village and one exit to Golestan village.
Shahre Sabz passenger terminal affiliated with Kazerun Municipality is operating in this city.[69]
Currently, 22 buses and 3 minibuses are serving the citizens of Kazerun and its suburbs under the supervision of Kazerun Municipal Transportation Management Organization.[70]
Handball is the first sport of Kazerun and this city is considered one of the poles of handball in the country.[71] [72] Other popular and long-standing sports in Kazerun include football, wrestling, cycling, basketball, volleyball, and Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals.[73]
The most prominent sports teams of Kazerun are currently two teams Niroo Zamini of Kazerun in the Iran Men's Premier Handball League[74] and Zagros Jonoubi of Kazerun in the Iran Women's Premier Handball League.[75] The venue for the home games of these two teams is the 2500 people Takhti Hall (Kazerun Handball Hall).[76] Kazerun Handball has participated in the men's and women's premier league under different names over the past years and has a history of winning several championships and vice-championships and advancing to the Asian Club League Handball Championship. Kazerun's men's handball teams, despite advancing to the Asian Club Cup competitions 6 times, have participated in these competitions only twice, and women's teams have not participated in these competitions, despite being promoted 3 times, which was mainly due to financial problems.
The top titles of Kazerun men's handball teams in the Premier League[77]
| Club Name | Year | Rank | Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahrdari Kazerun | 2017 | 2nd[78] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2019 | 2nd | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2020 | 1st[79] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2021 | 2nd | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2022 | 2nd[80] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2023 | 2nd[81] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
The presence of Kazerun men's handball teams in the Asian Clubs Cup
| Club name | Year | Rank | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2021 | 9th[82] | Saudi Arabia |
| Niroo Zamini Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2023 | 8th[83] | Iran |
The top titles of Kazerun women's handball teams in the Premier League
| Club Name | Year | Rank | Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2019 | 2nd[84] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2020 | 2nd[85] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2021 | 3rd[86] | - |
| Shahid Shameli of Kazerun | 2022 | 2nd[87] | Promotion to the Asian Club Cup |
| Zagros Jonoubi of Kazerun | 2023 | 3rd[88] | - |
Shohada Stadium of Kazerun, as the largest sports complex in the west of Fars province is the main venue of Kazerun sports teams.[89] There are other sports complexes focusing on different sports fields in Kazerun.
Barm Plain is biggest Plain of Oak in Iran, Davan, Sarmashhad and Kaskan are three villages in Kazeroon.The old name of Kazeroon was "Green City".
This re-enactment has been one of the most celebrated and unique reenactments in Iran. The date of this re-enactment is in the ninth and tenth of the month Moharram. In these two days, people go out and re-enact the Battle of Karbala. The theater starts from morning until noon. Almost all people in the city walk on the street together. They mourn for this historical event.
Al-Mada'in, Iraq [92]Nasrollah Mardani, a famous contemporary Persian poet, is from Kazeroon. It is also believed that Salman the Persian, a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, comes from this city.[93] Haj Sadrallah Zamanian was a pillar of the community for many years. The town is also the scene of a famous battle in the novel My Uncle Napoleon. Kazeroon is a city of Science. Qotb al-Din Kazerooni, Allame Jalaladdin Davani, Allame Ali Davani are from Kazeroon. The mothers of Hafez and Saadi were also from Kazeroon. Firouz Naderi, (the associate director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), responsible for Project Formulation and Strategy), was born in Kazeroon. Reza Malekzadeh, a medical scientist and gastroenterologist who is well known in Iran is from Kazeroon.