Please wait ...
Dezful
City of Historical Mosques

Dezful city in the southwestern province of Khuzestan is situated close to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains and borders the city of Khoramabad in the north, Shushtar and Masjed Soleiman in the east, Dehloran and Dasht-e Azadegan in the west and Ahvaz in the south. The city has hot semi-arid climate with hot and humid summers and mild winters.

Excavations at Tepe Chogha Mish south of Dezful have yielded Neolithic and Proto-Literate finds that indicate the area was an important center in the 7th millennium BC. Chogha Mish contains evidence about the development of writing, starting from an accounting system with clay tokens that later changed to tablets with marks and finally a cuneiform writing system.

The history of the city, however, dates back to the Sassanid era (224-651 CE). Shapur I (241-272 CE), the second of the Sassanid kings, founded Gundeshapur, as the intellectual center of his empire and a garrison town to house the Romans he had taken captive after defeating  Emperor Valerian (reign 253–260 CE), 14 kilometers from what is known today as Dezful.

Shapur I used the Romans to built a bridge over the Dez River to connect Gundeshapur and Shushtar. This led to the establishment of a city named Dezhpol, which means fortified bridge in the Persian language. Over time and after the Arab attack on the Persian Empire, the name of the city was changed to Dezful.

Dezful is famed for its natural attractions Shouy Waterfall, Dez Dam Lake and Lake Shahyun as well as its historical sites like Tizno House, Raana Watermills and Old Bridge.

The city has a 10th or 11th century Jame Mosque inspired by the Sassanid (224-651 CE) Iwan-e Karkheh, meaning the ‘vault or terrace,’ palace near Karkheh River in Shush.

Dezful

City of Historical Mosques

  • Population

    248,380

  • Coordinates

    32°22′57″N 48°24′07″E

Top things to do:

Top foods to try:

  • Opiouzi- A watery soup made with dried bread, onion, dried pomegranate seeds and turmeric.
  • Sandali Soltoun- A tasty dish made with broad beans, dried lime, garlic and turmeric.
  • Hamees Touleh - A sour dish made with Malva, onion, dried pomegranate seeds and pomegranate paste.