Maku, Iran

For other uses, see Maku (disambiguation).

Maku ماكو
—  city  —
Panoramic view
Maku
Coordinates: 39°17′43″N 44°31′00″E / 39.29528°N 44.5166667°E / 39.29528; 44.5166667Coordinates: 39°17′43″N 44°31′00″E / 39.29528°N 44.5166667°E / 39.29528; 44.5166667
Country	Iran
Province	West Azerbaijan
County	Maku
Bakhsh	Central
Population (2006)
– Total	41,865
Time zone	IRST (UTC+3:30)
– Summer (DST)	IRDT (UTC+4:30)

Kakh Muzeh Maku, near Maku, built by one of the commanders of Mozzafar-al-Din Shah, is a popular attraction.

Maku (Persian: ماكو; also Romanized as Mākū)^[1] is a city in the Central District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 41,865, in 10,428 families.^[2]

It is situated 22 kilometres (14 mi) from the Turkish border in a mountain gorge at an altitude of 1634 metres. The Zangmar River cuts through the city.^[3][4] The common languages in Maku are Kurdish and Azerbaijani . Maku Free Trade and Industrial Zone is Iran’s largest and the world’s second largest free trade zone and will encompass an area of 5000 square km when it will open in 2011.

History

Maku was the capital of a Kangarli Khanate^[5] one of numerous small, semi-independent Khanates that resulted from the breakup of the Safavid empire in the 17th century.^[6]

The city is well-known in Bahá'í history for its fort where the Báb had been exiled to and imprisoned for nine months. At this fortress Mullá Husayn, the first Disciple of the Báb, arrived on Náw-Rúz of the year 1848 to see the Báb.

In ancient times the region of Maku was a part of Lesser Media and its name itself may be derived from the old Kurdish word Madkuh meaning "the Mountain of the Medes". Medes were the ancient Kurdish tribes.

Population

According to the 2006 census, the city has a population of 41,865 who speak mostly Kurdish and Azeri

Attractions

1. Baqcheh Jooq Palace: dates back to the end of the Qajar period. It used to be the house of the local governor until 1974. It's 7 km northwest of central Maku and presently functions as a museum displaying some carpets and local handicrafts.
2. Ruins of a fortress are folded into a ledge of the high cliff that towers above the town centre.^[7]
3. Hiking : it is advisable to have a guide or stay within eyesight of the town. Due to its proximity to the Turkish border, it is easy to cross the border unintentionally.
4. Rock climbing: There are numerous rock climbing sites at the northern part of the city, some exceeding 200 meters.
5. Panj Cheshmeh - This bridge is located 5 km. from Maku on the Zangmar River, and is a monument from the Safavid era. This bridge was constructed in order to facilitate communications between Tabriz and Maku, and the surrounding rural areas.^[3]

References

1. ^ Maku, Iran can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3073662" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
2. ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)" (Excel). Islamic Republic of Iran. http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/04.xls. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Pol-e Panj Cheshmeh (Five spans bridge)" Gardesh Yaran International Tour Operator Co.
4. ^ Satellite view
5. ^ Iran
6. ^ Imranova, K. and Bayramov, E. "Historical formation of the Azerbaijani political culture and national consciousness" Azerigenocide.org
7. ^ Lonely Planet Iran, 4th edition, p124

• Maku on facebook
• Maku on panoramio
• P. Oberling, The Turkic Peoples of Iranian Azerbaijan, 1964a, American Council of Learned Scientists

External links

• MakuCity.com
• Mahrāveh Soroushiān, Maku, a Passageway to Cultures (Maku, Gozar'gāh-e Farhang'hā), in Persian, Jadid Online, 9 February 2009, [1].
  An audio slideshow, [2] (5 min 23 sec).