Ferdows فردوس
Jahad Square in Ferdows
Ferdows
Coordinates: 34°01′07″N 58°10′20″E / 34.01861°N 58.17222°E / 34.01861; 58.17222Coordinates: 34°01′07″N 58°10′20″E / 34.01861°N 58.17222°E / 34.01861; 58.17222
Country	Iran
Province	South Khorasan
County	Ferdows
Bakhsh	Central
Elevation	1,293 m (4,242 ft)
Population (2006)
- Total	23,405
	Census
Time zone	IRST (UTC+3:30)
- Summer (DST)	IDST (UTC+4:30)
Website	Http://E-Ferdows.ir
Ferdows at GEOnet Names Server

Ferdows (Persian: فردوس), also Romanized as Ferdos, Ferdous, and Firdaus; named Toon or Tūn until 1929) , the center of Ferdows County, is a city located in the northwest of South Khorasan Province in Iran. It is about 345 km south of Mashhad and 200 km northwest of Birjand. At the 2006 census, its population was 23,405, in 6,538 families..

After dividing the Khorasan province into 3 provinces, Ferdows County was initially a part of Razavi Khorasan province, but was incorporated within the borders of South Khorasan Province in March 2007.

History

Founded in the Medes dynasty, Ferdows is currently a small town. It was a large and famous city in ancient days. There is an unproven theory that the town's name in ancient days was "Taban" (or shining; تابان in Persian).In Islamic days it deformed to Toon. Ferdows was named Toon until 1929, when was changed to Ferdows.

The first people who inhabited Ferdows were a group of Sagartians. Toon was a famous and thriving city before Islamic era and also in Islamic era until the raid of Mongols. It was one of the most cities of Ghohestan along with Qaen. Nasir Khusraw cited Toon as a large city in 11th century. Toon was plundered and destroyed by Mongols in 1239. After the invasion of Mongols, Toon grew and became one of the major cities of Ghohestan again. Marco Polo cited south khorasan region as Toonoqaen means Toon & Qaen.

Ferdows, was a famous city in Khorasan at the beginning of the 20th century and the Municipality of Ferdows, opened at 1925, was one of the first Municipalities of Khorasan province. But Ferdows destroyed in a huge earthquake in 1968 and after that, It lost its high status significantly.

Geography

Ferdows, is located between a desert (in south and west) and a mountainous region (in north and east). Most of villages around Ferdows, are situated in the mountainous region in north and northeast. The nearest town, Eslamieh, lies just 3 km northeast. Ferdows placed on the main route from southern Iran to Mashhad and hosts more than 6 million pilgrims annually on their way to Mashhad.

The Religious School of Ferdos, once belonging to Safavid Dynasty.

Climate

Ferdows climate is mild in the spring, hot in the summer, cool and rainy in autumn and cold in the winter. Locating near the deserts, the temperature difference between day and night and also summer and winter is high. The majority of precipitation occurs from mid-autumn to mid-spring. The hottest month is July (mean minimum temperature 21.8°C, mean maximum temperature 36.6°C) and the coldest is January (mean minimum temperature -1°C, mean maximum temperature 10.3°C)

Main sights

Major visitor attractions of Ferdows are:

• Ferdows Hot Mineral Spring: one of the most important attractions of Ferdows for Iranian and International tourists
• Ferdows Religious School (belonged to Safavid dynasty)
• Ferdows Congregation Mosque (Jame' Mosque of Ferdows) (belonged to Seljuk dynasty)

Products

Ferdows is famous for its high quality Saffron and pomegranate.

Notable people

• Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
• Mohammad Jafar Yahaghi
• Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni
• Fazel Tooni
• Nesari Tooni
• Qotboddin Heydar Tooni
• Seyed Mohammad Hakim-Elahi

See also

• 1968 Dasht-e Bayaz and Ferdows earthquake

Notes

South Khorasan Province Capital Birjand Counties and Cities Birjand County Birjand  · Khusf Boshruyeh County Boshruyeh · Eresk Darmian County Asadiyeh  · Tabas-e Masina Ferdows County Ferdows  · Eslamiyeh Ghayen County Ghayen  · Arianshahr  · Esfeden  · Hajjiabad  · Khezri Dasht Beyaz  · Zohan  · Nimbeluk Nehbandan County Nehbandan  · Shusef Sarayan County Sarayan  · Ayask  · Seh Qaleh Sarbisheh County Sarbisheh  · Mood Sights Ferdows Hot Spring  • Jameh Mosque of Ferdows  • Nehbandan citadel  • Furg citadel  • Ghal'eh Paeen-Shahr  • Deragon Cave  • Behgard Garden  • Chenshat cave  • Kolah Farangi citadel  • Ferdows Religious School  • Kal Jangal Parthian fresco ,Birjand  •