Current Time in Khomeynī Shahr, Iran

Khomeyni Shahr lies in Isfahan Province in central Iran, only about ten kilometres west of the city of Isfahan itself, on the fertile plain watered by the Zayandeh Rud river. The town stands at around one thousand six hundred metres above sea level on the edge of the Iranian plateau, with dry mountains visible on the horizon and irrigated gardens, orchards and fields of wheat and vegetables surrounding the built-up area. Summers are hot and very dry, while winters can be cold with occasional snow.

Roughly two hundred and fifty thousand people live here, making it one of the largest towns in the province after Isfahan and Kashan. Although administratively separate, it functions as part of the greater Isfahan urban region, and many residents commute to the provincial capital. Its own economy is strongly industrial, with metalworking, machine tools, casting, tile and ceramic production, textiles and food processing, supported by proximity to the great steelworks and industrial estates west of Isfahan. Traditional farming and gardening continue in the outlying districts.

The town grew from a cluster of ancient villages, the largest of which was known as Sedeh, a name recorded for many centuries and associated with an old Zoroastrian midwinter fire festival of the same name. Under the Safavid dynasty, when Isfahan became the capital of Persia and one of the most magnificent cities in the world, the surrounding villages prospered as suppliers of food, textiles and labour. In the twentieth century the settlements were united into a single municipality called Homayounshahr, and after the revolution of 1979 the town was renamed in honour of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Visitors will find several historic mosques with fine brickwork and tiled mihrabs, old bathhouses, covered bazaars and the remains of qanats, the underground channels that traditionally brought water from the foothills. The pleasant older lanes, with their high mud-brick walls and wooden doors, retain a village atmosphere in places. The real attraction of the area, however, lies just next door, for the great monuments of Isfahan, including the Imam Square, the Sheikh Lotfollah and Shah mosques, the Ali Qapu palace, the covered bazaar and the celebrated bridges over the Zayandeh Rud, are among the finest sights in the Islamic world and easily reached.

The town has a reputation across Iran for traditional sports, particularly wrestling and the exercises of the zurkhaneh, the house of strength, where athletes swing heavy wooden clubs to the beat of a drum and recited poetry. Local food follows Isfahani tradition, with beryani, khoresht dishes, gaz nougat and saffron sweets.

Roads and highways link the town closely with Isfahan, and the Isfahan metro and bus networks serve the corridor, while an international airport and railway connect the region with Tehran and the rest of the country. Several university campuses, including a large branch of the Islamic Azad University and a technical college, are based here.

Khomeyni Shahr is important as an industrial town with deep historical roots beside one of Iran's most beautiful cities.