History of Birjand

Birjand is the capital of South Khorasan Province and the administrative center of Birjand County, located in eastern Iran. As of the 2006 census, the city had a population of 157,848. Birjand holds the distinction of being the first city in Iran to establish a water supply organization, with the Birjand waterworks being recognized as the Iran’s first. It was also the second city in Iran, after Qaleh Morghi and before Tehran, to implement an urban water pipeline system in 1923. The city’s original name is Birjand, although it has appeared in historical texts in various forms such as Barjand, Barjan, Barkan, and Birgand.

Birjand’s Shokatiyeh School was the third modern school in Iran, established after Dar ul-Funun in Tehran and the Roshdiyeh School in Tabriz. Due to its strategic and political importance, Birjand became home to Iran’s third airport in 1933, following Qaleh Morghi and Bushehr. Until World War II, both British and Russian consulates operated in the city.

The name Birjand is rooted in the Pahlavi language, dating back to pre-Islamic times. According to one narrative, Birjand was possibly founded during the late Sasanian era by Zoroastrians from Yazd and Kerman as a desert stopover on the route to Greater Khorasan and Transoxiana.

Numerous archaeological findings and historical references attest to the thousands of years of antiquity of Birjand:

• Poems by the poet Hakim Nizari Quhistani
• An old quarter in the city’s historic fabric
• Excavations from the Dokhtar Fortresses in Band-e Darreh and Ghal’eh Darreh
• A Pahlavi inscription from Kal-e Jangal in the village of Rich (Khusf district)
• The rock inscription of Lakh-e Mazar in the village of Kuch
• Parthian Pahlavi rock carvings and inscriptions in the Ostad-e Tangal Valley

Zoroastrian cemeteries and fire temples in many villages indicate the area’s deep historical roots. Some surrounding villages carry names with Pahlavi and mythological origins, such as, Giv, Sohrab, Majan, Salm Abad, Derakhsh, Khorashad, Rudak, Dastjerd, Chaj, Chahakand and Jamshidabad.

After the advent of Islam, the oldest Islamic monument in Birjand is the Jameh Mosque, built in 750 AH (circa 1349 CE). The famous geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi was likely the first to mention “Pirjand” as a city in the region of Qohestan. Hamdollah Mustawfi listed Birjand as one of the 16 provinces of Qohestan, describing it as a regional center with saffron, grapes, fruit, and limited grain production. Zayn al-Abidin Shirvani referred to Birjand as a small town with about 4,000 houses, noting that its water came from qanats (underground aqueducts) and that the population was entirely Shiite. Mohammad Hassan Khan Etemad al-Saltanah also mentioned Birjand among the villages of Qohestan. Some historical records use the name “Barkand”, meaning “half-city” from “bar” (half) and “kand” (city).

Birjand has been destroyed multiple times by earthquakes. In the city’s folklore, many tales describe its devastation during a massive quake and its repopulation by a group of nomadic gypsies.

The city’s development surged during the Safavid era, especially after the Amirieh family rose to prominence. Evidence suggests that the city’s growth and prosperity began from the Safavid period onward and maintained a cohesive architectural style through the mid-Qajar era. Historic elements such as mud-brick dome-shaped houses, narrow winding alleys, guardhouses and bustling caravanserais reflect a legacy of defense against foreign invaders and sandstorms. Birjand historically had 19 significant neighborhoods. Its historical identity can still be discerned through elements like small squares, ancient water reservoirs, mosques, and public baths.

Historical Sites:

• Water Reservoirs
• Band-e Darreh (a popular tourist attraction)
• Kolah Farangi Fortress
• Band-e Omrshah
• Akbarieh Mansion
• Birjand Castle
• British Consulate (Manzariyeh Garden)
• Shokatiyeh School
• Masoumiyeh School
• Mosalla of Birjand
• Rahim Abad Ice House