Karaj - City of Iran

Karaj is a city in Iran, located in Tehran province. It is situated 20 km west of Tehran, at the foot of the Alborz mountains.

Karaj had a population of 1,732,275 in the 2006 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad and Esfahan; however, the city is increasingly becoming an extension of metropolitan Tehran.

Karaj is mostly famous because of its academic and educational complexes along with tourist attractions.

The history of Karaj dates back many centuries. The stone built Zoroastrian fire temple of Takht-e-Rostam from the Parthian era is a testament to this.

The Soleimanieh palace , the mausoleum of Shahzadeh Soleiman, Imamzadeh Rahman and Zeid Palang Abad-e-Eshtehard are other historical relics of the Karaj area.

During the Pahlavi dynasty era, the Morvarid Palace was constructed in nearby Mehrshahr district, designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

The economical base for Karaj is its proximity to Tehran, where transportation of products between the capital and the Caspian Sea is central. Chemicals, fertilizers and processed agricultural goods are also produced here.