Esfahan (ancient Aspadana), city in central Iran, capital of Esfahan (Isfahan) Province, on the northern bank of the Zaindeh Rud. Farming is the chief occupation of the surrounding region in which cotton, grain, and tobacco are grown. The city is a major textile-milling center, and cotton, silk, and woolen goods are produced here; other manufactures include brocade, carpets, foodstuffs, and metalwork. The city also serves as the outlet for animal products of the province.
Esfahan was renowned in former times for its architectural grandeur and the beauty of its public gardens. Most of the gardens and many of the edifices are now in ruins, but a number of imposing structures have been preserved or restored. In the central part of the city is a 17th-century royal mosque known as Masjid-i-Shah, which is faced with colored tile and regarded by many as an outstanding example of Persian architecture. The mosque is located within a huge rectangular garden, now surrounded by bazaars. Nearby is the Masjid-i-Shaikh-Lutfullah, a mosque famous for its dome of blue tile. The Ali-Kapu gate leads to the former royal gardens, in which is found the throne room, Chihil Sutun, or Forty Pillars. Additional points of interest include the Shah Hussain madrasa, a magnificent building constructed in 1710 as a school for dervishes, and an arcaded bridge spanning the Zaindeh Rud.
