Ahvaz

About Ahvaz

Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan Province, is built on the banks of the Karoun (Karun) River, which is the largest river and the only navigable waterway in Iran. Ahvaz has a long history, dating back to the Achaemenid period. In ancient times, the city was one of the main centers of the Academy of Gondishapur. The passing of the Karun River, the biggest and longest river in Iran and the Middle East divides Ahvaz into an east and west part. Ahvaz famous as, “The City of Bridges” has gained important tourist attention. The best places in Ahvaz are situated alongside the river. Most people go to Kianpars Street at night and stroll among the shops. You could visit the old and hectic bazaar area (Taleqani Street). The nearby towns of Shush, Khorramshahr, Shushtar, and Dezful are also regions worth visiting for their breathtaking nature and a triple dose of UNESCO world heritage sites. The best time to visit Ahvaz usually coincides with the Persian New Year (Nowruz), just at the beginning of spring. Bear in mind that, if you have respiratory problems like asthma, visiting Ahvaz may not be the perfect option, since there are so many industrial air pollutants.

About the Climate of Ahvaz

Ahwaz has a subtropical hot desert climate with long, hot summers and cool, short winters. The temperature during summer is between 45 °C and 50 °C, with sandstorms that are common during this time. During the winters the minimum temperature can fall to 5 °C, but winters in Ahvaz have no snow.

Ahvaz World Heritage Sites

Traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf

It has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage website. Iranian Lenj vessels are traditional, hand-built boats used by the inhabitants of the northern coast of the Persian Gulf for sea journeys, trading, fishing, and pearl diving. The traditional knowledge of Lenjes includes oral literature, performing arts, and festivals, in addition to sailing and navigation techniques and terminology, weather forecasting that is closely associated with sailing, and the skills of wooden boat-building itself. 

Susa Archaeological Castle (Shoush)

Shush, located beside ancient Susa, is a city in Khuzestan Province. The Susa Castle is located in the ruins of the ancient city of Susa. Constructed by a French archeologist in the late 1890s, the Castle is similar to medieval monuments in France. In the 6th century BC, Darius the Great gathered materials and people from around the ancient world to set the foundations of a royal complex as impressive as his empire. Apadana Palace was the result. It is now one of the most important parts of the ancient city of Susa (UNESCO World Heritage). The remains of this prototype of ceremonial architecture are now a top attraction of Shush. The site bears exceptional testimony to the Elamite, Persian, and Parthian cultural traditions, which have largely disappeared.

Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System

Shushtar is an ancient city, located 92 kilometers outside of Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province. During the Sassanian era, it was an island city on the Karun River and was selected as the summer capital for the king. However, the history of this masterpiece of creative genius and civil engineering structure can be traced back to Darius the Great in the 5th century BC. The property has an ensemble of remarkable sites including the Salâsel Castel, the operation center of the entire hydraulic system, the tower where the water level is measured, damns, bridges, basins, and mills.

Choghā Zanbīl Ziggurat

Choga Zambil (meaning large basket-shaped hill), is an almost 5000-year-old ruined palace and temple complex of the ancient Elamite city of Dur Untashi (Dur Untash), near Susa in the Khuzestan region of southwestern Iran. The complex consists of a magnificent ziggurat (the largest structure of its kind in Iran), temples, and three palaces. The site was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979. A building on the grounds contains five vaulted underground tombs, four of which are cremated remains, and there is one uncremated corpse. The Elamites traditionally buried their dead, and the reason for the cremation is unknown.

Attractions of Ahvaz

Tomb of Ali Ibn Mahziar

Located in the old port of the city, the Tomb of Ali Ibn Mahziar, a prominent jurisprudence, narrator, and scholar of Shia and one of the followers of Imam Reza (the eighth Imam of Muslims), dates back to the 18th century.

White Bridge

White Bridge, called Pol-e Sefid in Persian, is the symbol of Ahvaz. The construction of this suspended bridge dates back to 1936.

‌Black Bridge

The construction of the first bridge of Ahvaz, later known as the Black Bridge because of the black color of its foundation, Black Bridge, dates back to 1929. The bridge is located on the Karun River with a length of 1050 meters and a width of 6 meters. It is a national heritage site.

Moein al-Tojar

The Moein al-Tojar building remained from the Qajar period. It is located in Ahvaz, 24-meter Street. It is one of the major historical attractions of Ahvaz. It was the caravanserai of the famous merchant Haj Mohammad Taqi Moein al-Tojar.

The longest Middle East artificial waterfall

Ahwaz hosts the longest Middle East artificial waterfall, built on the seventh bridge of the city. This waterfall with superb lighting is very spectacular. If you go to Ahvaz, do not miss this waterfall.

Karun River

Karun River is the largest and longest river in Iran, starting from the Zagros range and moving towards the Khuzestan plain. Karun is also the most prosperous and only navigable river in Iran. Karun is considered an important natural attraction of Ahvaz.

Ahvaz Medical View

Ahvaz has some of the most up-to-date hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment. Ahvaz's surgeons are some of the most qualified, and active in all medical areas. Ahvaz is the canon for infertility treatment for men in the west and south of the country. A hospital was founded in Abadan for tourist treatment.