Why visit Zanjan
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 98 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Weather in Zanjan
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Zanjan
Zanjan (Persian: زنجان; pronounced [zænˈdʒɒːn] ) is a city in the Central District of Zanjan County, Zanjan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district.Zanjan's population boasts the highest level of happiness among the people of 30 other provinces in Iran, according to a detailed survey conducted by Isna.
From the Wikipedia article Zanjan, Iran (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Zanjan on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks10
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
آتلیه باغ گل سرخ
Park · 2.1 km
آتلیه باغ گل سرخ، مناسب انواع عکاسی و کلیپ و مراسم ها
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes98
Barre Sefid
Restaurant · Breakfast, Persian, Middle Eastern · 0.6 km
24/7
تالارپذیرایی خاطره
Restaurant · Grill, Chicken, Persian · 2.5 km
میدان هنرستان
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
مهکافه
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Burger, Pizza, Sandwich, Salad · 2.5 km
Mo-Su 13:00-23:00
کافه رستوران سنتی محسن
Restaurant · Regional · 1.3 km
بلوار خرمشهر, زنجان
86 more on the map.
History
According to the Nuzhat al-Qulub of the 14th-century Iranian geographer Hamdallah Mustawfi (died after 1339/40), Zanjan was said to have been founded by the first Sasanian ruler Ardashir I (r. 224–242), who named it "Shahin." During the Arab invasion of Iran, Zanjan was conquered in 645 by a force led by al-Barra ibn Azib. Medieval geographers generally agree that Zanjan was located in the region of Jibal/Persian Iraq, near the frontier of the neighbouring region of Azerbaijan. Some geographers also include Zanjan as part of Daylam or Ray.
After 833, the Abbasid Caliphate had a chain of forts constructed from Zanjan to Ardabil to counter the 817–837 rebellion of the Khurramite leader Babak Khorramdin (died 838). In the 10th-century, Zanjan was ruled by local Daylamite dynasties such as the Musafirids (919–1062). According to the 13th-century Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi (died 1229), the Persians referred the city as "Zangan." During the Ilkhanate era (1256–1335), the inhabitants were reported by Hamdallah Mustawfi to have spoken "pure Pahlavi" (pahlavī-e rāst), a Median or northern form of Persian.
From the History section of Zanjan, Iran on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay13
Churches and places of worship75
Shopping35
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries119
Healthcare44
Map of Zanjan
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Zanjan International Airport (JWN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 km away.
- Do Asb 7 km northeast, about 7 min by car
- Dīzajābād 10 km southeast, about 10 min by car
- Sārīmsāqlū 15 km northwest, about 15 min by car
- Yengī Kand-e Seyyedlar 33 km southwest, about 33 min by car
- Bīd Gīneh 33 km southwest, about 33 min by car
- Kāvand 32 km west, about 32 min by car
- Taleh Gerd 33 km southwest, about 33 min by car
- Zarrīnābād 34 km southwest, about 34 min by car
- Solţānīyeh 38 km southeast, about 38 min by car
- Abhar 87 km southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built November 8, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.