Saveh

Saveh (also known as Savah) is a city in the Markazi Province of Iran. It is located around 100 km (62 miles) southwest of Tehran, at an elevation of 1,030 meters (3,380 ft). ["Savah". 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.] cite news|first= |last= |pages=|title=Iran's only female mayor sweeps up small town|date=August 04, 2004|publisher=The Daily Star|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=6882] As of 2004, the city had a population of approximately 140,000 people.

Economy

Saveh produces large amounts of wheat and cotton. It is also well known for its pomegranates and melons. [cite book|title=The Columbia Gazetteer of the World|first=Saul|last=Cohen|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=1998|pages=2833] Kaveh Industrial City, the largest industrial city in Iran, is located in Saveh.

Legends

According to Iranian tradition, the Magi who visited the infant Jesus traveled from Saveh, and are buried among its ruins. Marco Polo described the tombs of the Magi in his travel book, "Il Milione"::"In Persia is the city of Saba, from which the Three Magi set out... and in this city they are buried, in three very large and beautiful monuments, side by side. And above them there is a square building, beautifully kept. The bodies are still entire, with hair and beard remaining." (Book i).cite book | author = Polo, Marco and Rustichello da Pisa | year = 1903 | title = The Travels of Marco Polo: The Complete Yule-Cordier Edition | editor = Henry Yule and Henri Cordier | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10636/10636-8.txt]

Saveh is said to have possessed one of the greatest libraries in the Middle East, until its destruction by the Mongols during their first invasion of Iran.

Another legend about Saveh is the Lake of Saveh. It is a lake which is said to have been located near the city. According to the legend mentioned in historical Persian texts, this lake dried out on the night of the birth of Muhammad. A recent investigation in the Zarand area between Tehran and Saveh has revealed some evidence of the existence of this lake in Zarand Plain. [Okhravi, R. and Djamali, M. (2003). "The missing ancient lake of Saveh: a historical review". "Iranica Antiqua", 38, 327-344.]

Politics

In 2004, Saveh became only the second city in the history of the Islamic Republic to appoint a woman as mayor.

References