Ispahan, City
1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.
Haspaam, Haspahamum, Aspahamum, or Hispaham, the Royal City of the Kingdom of Persia, in the Province of Hierach; where the Sophy or King of Persia, resides. Very great, rich, populous, and daily growing greater. The King has here a most magnificent Palace: there belong to it three very large Suburbs. Some think the ancient Name was Hecatompylon; others, Aspa. The Kings of Persia have resided here near an hundred years: and that is it that hath given it this great increase. It stands upon the River Zenderoud, or Zenderu; which ariseth from the Mountain of Dimavend, and divides this City into two parts; and about five Miles beneath, is swallowed up by the Sands. It lies seventy German Miles from Casbin to the South; eighty from Ormus to the North, and a little more from Bagdat to the East. Seated in a Plain, surrounded on all sides, at the distance of about three or four Leagues, with an high Mountain, like an Amphitheatre. Long. 86. 40. Lat. 32. 26. The Province of Hierach, in which it stands, was the ancient Parthia. This City with the Suburbs, is about eight German Miles in compass; and has twelve Gates: whereof there are but nine constantly open; it has about eighteen thousand Houses, and five hundred thousand Inhabitants. The Walls and Bastions are of Brick; but ill built, ill kept, and out of repair; so that they are of no use, to secure the City. Upon the River there is a lovely Stone Bridge. This City was taken and destroyed twice by Tamerlane; and about 1450, suf¦fered much from one of its own Princes. The Mosques, the Bazar, (or Market Place,) the Baths, great Mens Houses and Gardens, are the great Ornaments of it. Some of the great Houses with their Gardens, take up twenty Acres of Ground: these Gardens they adorn with Fountains, Flowers, fine Walks, and delicate Rows of Trees, both for Shades and Fruits. So that the far greatest part of this vast City is taken up by Gardens; and not peopled like ours. I have taken this short Account out of Olearius, (who in 1637, was in this City;) and Thevenot, who travelled this Kingdom since.
1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.
Ispaham, or Ispahan, the Capital City of Persia, in the Province of Yerak. It is supposed to have been built on the Ruins of the ancient City Hecatompolis. It contains in Circuit above 8 German Miles, taking in its large Suburbs; so that it is a Days Journey to go round it. It is not a Place of any considerable Strength. The River Zenderut divides it by its double Chanel; whereof, the one runs through the Royal Park, and from the other a Water-course is drawn, whence, by Subterraneous Passages, Water is conveyed into the Sophi's Garden. This River furnisheth all the City with Water, there being scarce a private House which hath not its Fountain, notwithstanding that the Wells they have supply them with Water little or nothing at all inferiour to that of the River. The Houses are generally Square built, and have Terrasses on the Tops of them, where the Persians walk, and take their Rest in the Heat of Summer: They are not above 2 or 3 Stories high. The Streets are narrow, especially in the Heart of the City.
The Meidan, or great Market-Place, is the fairest that is in all Persia; and there is none such in Europe. It is a Long Square, surrounded with Houses of the same Heighth and Symmetry, and all built of Bricks. The Shops that are under the Piazza, or Arched Walks, that go round the Place, are taken up by Bankers, Gold-Smiths, Lapidaries, and other rich Merchants. It is planted round with Trees that are always green, whose Branches are kept lopped, so that one may see the Shops through the Trees, which affords a very pleasing Prospect. There is a Rivulet of pure Spring-Water, which runs along by the Trees, in a Chanel of Hewen Stone, whose Waters are gathered into 2 large Basins, or Trunks, at both Ends of the said Rows of Trees, from whence they are carried away by Subterranean Conduits. Every Trade hath its peculiar Quarter, or Street, about the Meidan, which is very pleasant to behold. At the End of one of the Galleries, or Arched Walks, of the Meidan, there are two Balconies, where the Musick (which consists of Kettle-Drums, Hautbois, and another sort of Instrument, by them called Kerenet) is heard every Evening at Sun-set, and at every other Time when the King passeth that Way. The King's Palace faceth the Meidan, and at the Gate are placed 40 Pieces of Canon, part of which have been cast in the Country, and the rest taken out of Ormus, when the Persians, with the Assistance of the English, took that City from the Portuguese; but they have no Carriages for them, and consequently they are of little use. The Palace is only surrounded with an high Wall, without any other Defence. In the Day-time there are not above 3 or 4 Persons that keep Guard, and at Night there are about 15 placed at the Gate, and 30 more before the King's Lodgings. Over the great Gate of the Palace is a large and high Pavillion, or round Building, full of Windows on all Sides, where the King places himself to see the Shews in any publick Rejoicings. In the Entry of the Palace, at the Right Hand; is a Gate, which opens into a Garden, in the midst of which is a Chapel, which is a safe and assured Refuge to all that fear a Prison, whether it be in Cases Civil or Criminal, and even not excepting the King's Anger; where they continue till their Peace be made, or have got the King's Pardon. But the Persians do so much abominate Theft, that they will not afford the Thieves or Robbers the Privilege of this Place of Refuge, except it be only for a few Days.
The City Ispahan is beautified with many Metzias, or Mosques; Bazars, or Market-places, and Caravansera's, or Publick Inns to lodge Travellers and Merchants. It is a Place of great Trade, as being frequented upon that Account, not only by Indians, Tartars, Turks, Armenians, Georgians and Jews, but also by the English, Hollanders, Spaniards, Italians and French; it being a kind of Staple of all the richest Commodities of Asia and Europe. The common Money of this City, and all over Persia, is Silver or Copper, there being little or no Gold Coin. There are 3 Religious Convents in this City; whereof, the one is of Spanish Austin-Friars, the other of Italian Carmelites, and the 3d. of French Capucines, or Franciscans. The most considerable Suburb is that of Tzulfa, where there are 12 Temples, and above 3000 Houses very well built. The Christian-Armenians dwell here, who pay Tribute: And the Georgian Christians take up the greatest part of the Suburbs of Hasenabath: And the Kebbers, or Infidels, dwell in the Suburb of Kebrabath. See Kebbers. Olearius's Travels into Persia.
Ielphee, or Zulpha, a Suburb to the City Ispahan, the Capital of Persia, Inhabited by Armenian Christians, who have many Privileges granted them by that Crown. They have a Patriarch in this Place, much respected by the K. of Persia, though a Mahometan Prince, and 12 Bishops. In 1609. a Thousand of these Armenian Christians were at one time martyr'd by Abbas King of Persia, on a Pretence that they had submitted to the Pope. Herbert pag. 68.