Story of a Trailing Spouse: Borujerd city...little Paris

rural landscape of Lorestan province

The city of Borujerd is one of the oldest cities in Iran. It is the second largest city after Khorram Abad, and the industrial point of the province. Its historical and cultural background as well as its remarkable nature, has changed it to a tourist destination. The city has kept its old architecture and lifestyle mostly through its magnificent mosques, old bazaar and old Qajar-era houses, and the serene and scenic villages and well-structured city.

Hotel Zagros, where we stayed is strategically located on Choqa Hill. From this vantage point, one can enjoy the most captivating and panoramic view and scenic beauty of the city during the day and night.

The Imam (Soltani) mosque of Borujerd is another fine example of oldest Iranian mosques and its magnificent structure comprises of a unique relatively high façade, and a dome decorated all over, with brick kufic epigraphs and tile works. The decorations provide pieces of evidence in relation to the religious beliefs of the people of the region. Hence the city has been named as Dar-Al-Sorur which means the house of happiness.

The 40,000 square meter Women’s Park of Borujerd, where we had our lunch before departing back to Tehran, is (according to ICH News Agency) the first urban park in Iran specifically designed for and dedicated to women in Iran. Originally a garden and agricultural field, it was built to give opportunity to women and girls to use the park freely without the formal Islamic hijab. However an exemption was made just for the day to also allow our men folk to join their trailing spouses enjoying the serenity and greeneries of the ‘forbidden’ park.

Today, Borujerd, sometimes, is also referred to as the little Paris. Perhaps this is partly a reflection of the easy going and warm-heartedness of the Borujerdi people whom we met during our short stay in their beautiful city.