Masjed Soleyman

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Masjed Soleyman ( مسجد سلیمان Persian, German mosque of Solomon) is a city in the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan. Here in 1908 promoted oil from the Middle East for the first time. Its population is about 116,000 (as of 2012) and consists mostly of Bakhtiari.

The town was founded as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company was looking for in this area about 100 years ago for oil. In Naftoon, which is the city center today, the first oil well was promoted. The 100 -year anniversary of this discovery was celebrated in 2008. There are also three large dams in and around the city: Shahid Abbaspur Dam ( Karun -1), Karun -3 and Masjid -e- Soleiman dam.

Early history masjed Soleymans

In masjed Soleyman there is an archaeological place called Masjid -i Solaiman. The village is located about 40 km east of Shushtar. Here stood in the Seleucid and later times a large sanctuary on a terrace.

The stone terrace is approximately 54 × 91 m tall and has an irregular shape. In the north, south and east there were stairs leading to the terrace, stood in the middle of the Parthian and Sassanid great temple. There was certainly a Seleucid predecessor, date from the Hellenistic numerous equestrian figures. North-west of this temple a smaller building (about 8 × 17 m).

The discovery of a plaque with a bust of a woman and a woman's head that resembles the image of Athena, gave rise to the presumption that the Hippia Athena was worshiped in the great temple. In Strabo ( XVI.1.18 ) is actually mentioned that the Parthians destroyed an Athena sanctuary in this area. In the small building were found the remains of a Hercules statue. Therefore suspected novel Ghirshman, the excavator of the temple, that this god was worshiped here.

After the Seleucid period the building remains as a shrine have been in operation. The function of this system as a sanctuary seems very likely, however, is not really backed up.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Mehran Karimi Nasseri ( born 1942 ), a political refugee
• Mohsen Rezai (born 1954 ), Iranian general and politician
• Behzad Gholampour (born 1966 ), goalkeeper coach of the Iranian national