Gonabad

Gonabad is a city in the Central District of Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

The city is mostly well known because of the Gonabadi Dervishes and for its qanats, also known as kariz. It is one of the most important producers of saffron in Iran. Other agricultural products include: Grape, Pistachio and pomegranate. The shrine the Ni'matullāhī Gonabadi dervish order is located in Beydokht, a village in the Gonabad county.

History
The famous ancient war of Davazdah Rokh had happened between Iran and Turan (Central Asia) in this city on the Zibad Castle.

The construction of this city is attributed to the Achaemenid kings and during the Seljuk Empire and Khwarazmian dynasty periods (fifth to seventh centuries AH) it was Shahrabadi.

Gonabad has also been recorded in Arabic and Islamic sources as Janabd, Kanabd, and Yanabd.

Population
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 34,563 in 9,789 households. The following census in 2011 counted 36,367 people in 10,389 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 40,773 people in 12,037 households.

Geography and climate
The city of Gonabad is located in the south of Khorasan Razavi province on the Brakuh plateau. The city is located on a flat plateau and is 24 km away from the Barakuh mountain range. The highest peak of Barakuh is called Tirmehi Mountain or Zibad Mountain. The city of Gonabad is located in an arid and semi-desert climate on the edge of the desert. This city has been facing a serious drought crisis in recent years. The city of Gonabad is located on the plain and plateau of Siah Kooh or Ghahestan mountain range. Ghahestan mountain range in Gonabad region is more known as Brakuh, Siah Kooh and Zibad mountain.

Forud Castle
Forud Castle is a historical castle located in Gonabad County in Razavi Khorasan Province, The longevity of this fortress dates back to the Parthian Empire.

Zibad Castle


Zibad Castle is one of the four historical monuments of Zibad, Iran. In 2001, the castle was registered as a national property in Iran, which is related to the history of pre-Islamic Iran, and is located in Gonabad city, Kakhk district, in the residential area of Zibad. It has been registered as national heritage. In addition to the castle of Zibad, there are also the royal castle of Zibad nationally registered under the name of Shahab Castle in 2002.

Jameh Mosque of Gonabad
The Jameh Mosque of Gonabad is related to Khwarazmian dynasty and is located in Gonabad.

Qanats of Gonabad
The Qanats of Ghasabeh, also called Kariz Kai Khosrow, is one of the world's oldest and largest networks of qanats (underground aqueducts). Built between 700 and 500 BCE by the Achaemenid Empire in what is now Gonabad, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, the complex contains 427 water wells with a total length of 33,113 m. The site was first added to UNESCO's list of tentative World Heritage Sites in 2007, then officially inscribed in 2016, collectively with several other qanats, as "The Persian Qanat".

Higher education
Gonabad can be considered the most student city in Khorasan Razavi province. According to unofficial statistics, about 30% of the city's population (equivalent to about 12,000 people) are indigenous and non-indigenous students. The most important higher education centers in Gonabad:


 * Gonabad University of Medical Sciences
 * Islamic Azad University, Gonabad Branch
 * University of Gonabad