Zanjan is the capital of the state of Zanjan, 298 km (185 miles) northwest of Teheran on the main road to Tabriz and Turkey, about 125 km (78 miles) from the Caspian Sea. According to the 2016 census, the population is 433,475, making it the 20th largest city in Iran. Zanjan is known for its beautiful handicrafts such as knives, traditional sandals called charou, and married, a handicraft made of silver wire. Zanjani artists make a variety of decorative dishes, special covers, silver jewelry and much more. In ancient times, Zanjan was known for its stainless steel and sharp knives.

Soltanieh Dome

The central magnet of some Soltanieh ruins is the Ilkhanate mausoleum, also known as Muhammad Kodabande, traditionally known as the Soltanieh Dome in Soltanieh, Zanjan Province. Built between 1302 and 1312 AD, this building houses Iran’s oldest double-shelled dome. . It is one of the largest brick domes in the world, at the theoretical technical limit of the brick dome, and the third largest dome in the world after the Cathedral of Florence and the Hagia Sophia. The estimated 200 tones dome is 49 meters (161 feet) high from its base and is currently undergoing major refurbishment.