Takab تكاب، تیکان تپه |
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city | |
Coordinates: 36°24′03″N 47°06′48″E / 36.40083°N 47.11333°ECoordinates: 36°24′03″N 47°06′48″E / 36.40083°N 47.11333°E | |
Country | Iran |
Province | West Azerbaijan |
County | Takab |
Bakhsh | Central |
Government | |
• Governor (acting) | Iraj Saghafi |
Population (2006) | |
• Total | 43,702 |
Time zone | IRST (UTC+3:30) |
• Summer (DST) | IRDT (UTC+4:30) |
Takāb or Tekāb (Persian: تكاب) also known as Tikan Tapa (Azerbaijani: Tikan Təpə) is a city in and the capital of Takab County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 43,702, in 10,078 families. The city's inhabitants are predominantly Iranian Azerbaijanis who speak the Azerbaijani language. The famous historical complex Takht-e Soleyman is situated to the North-East of the city. Takht-e-Soleyman was one of Takab's oldest Zoroastrian fire temples during the Sassanid Dynasty and had the name Azargoshnasp. The Karaftu Cave is also situated in Takab near Saqqez.
Shiz is the ancient name used during Persian Empire for Takab. Takab means one narrow water way in Persian language. Tak means one or alone and Ab means water. Takab was originally known as Tikan Təpə by its native Afshar people until 1941 when Iran's Academy of Persian Language and Literature officially changed it to Takab. Afshar people are one of the Oghuz Turkic peoples. These originally nomadic Oghuz tribes moved from Central Asia and initially settled in Iranian Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan republic, and Eastern Turkey. Later some of them relocated by the Safavids to Khurasan and Mazandaran. Today, they are variously grouped as a branch of the Turkmens or the Azerbaijanis.