Golpayegan

Golpayegan ) is a city in the Central District of Golpayegan County, Isfahan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The city is 186 km northwest of Isfahan and 102 km southeast of Arak, at an altitude of 1,830 m. Its temperature fluctuates between +37 and -10 °C. Its average annual rainfall is 300 mm.

At the 2006 National Census, its population was 47,849 in 14,263 households. The following census in 2011 counted 54,572 people in 17,411 households. The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 58,936 people in 19,546 households.

Land of tulips
Historically, the name of the town has been recorded as Vartpadegān, Jorfadeghan, Darbayagan, Kuhpayegan, and Golbādagān. Golpayegan means "fortress of flowers" and "land of tulips". According to Ḥamd-Allāh Mostawfi, the town of Golpāyegān was built by the daughter of Bahman, named Samra, also known as Homāy Bente Bahman in Persian.

History
After Parsadan Gorgijanidze was dismissed from his post as prefect (darugheh) of Isfahan, he was appointed as the new eshik-agha (Master of Ceremonies) and given five villages in the confines of Golpayegan as a fief by king (shah) Abbas II (r. 1642-1666). Historically, the name of the town has been recorded as Karbāyagān; Jarbāḏaqān; Darbāyagān; and Golbādagān. Golpayegan Kebab is unique and made from endemic cows, it is registered in Iranian intagible heritage list.

Geography
Golpayegan is located in the center of Iran, 156 km northwest of Isfahan. Golpayegan is located in the north of Khomein and is adjacent to Khansar from the south, Aligudars from the west, and Memeh from the east. Its people speak Persian and the Golpayegani dialect. Most of the inhabitants are engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Climate
Golpayegan has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk).

Historical monuments
Several historical monuments are located in the Jāme' mosque of Golpayegan (, "The Congregational Mosque"), a minaret (Manār) from the Seljuk period, the Sarāvar mosque from the 15th-16th centuries, as well as the Hevdah Tan shrine from the 17th century, Gouged Stronghold, the stronghold was used as a caravansary, but during the war time or when the bandits attacked, it was used as a castle.