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Quick answerIsfahan is a city in Iran, with 2,238,000 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 4.0 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Shah Mosque, the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the Si-o-se-pol Bridge. Its official language is Persian, and its currency is the Iranian rial.
Isfahan is the third-most populous city in Iran, with about 2.2 million people in the city and about 4 million in the metro area (2025). It stands on the Zayandeh River in central Iran and is famous for the Shah Mosque and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
Key facts
| Country | Iran |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 2,238,000 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 3,989,070 (2025) · Isfahan metropolitan area (citypopulation.de) |
| Elevation | 1574 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Tehran |
| Language | Persian |
| Currency | Iranian rial (IRR, ﷼) |
| Coordinates | 32.6647° N, 51.6703° E |
Overview
Isfahan is a city in central Iran, on the Zayandeh River about 440 kilometres south of Tehran. The city has a population of approximately 2,238,000, making it the third-most populous city in Iran, after Tehran and Mashhad, and the metro area held 3,989,070 people. It sits 1,574 metres above sea level and is the capital of Isfahan Province.
Isfahan flourished between the 9th and 18th centuries, and under the Safavid Empire it became the capital of Iran for the second time, under Shah Abbas the Great. The city is known for its Persian-Muslim architecture, its grand boulevards, its covered bridges, its palaces, its tiled mosques and its minarets. Its centrepiece is the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a vast square ringed by mosques, palaces and bazaars and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today Isfahan is one of Iran's main cultural and tourist centres, famous for the Shah Mosque, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, the Ali Qapu Palace, the Si-o-se-pol bridge and the Chehel Sotoun Palace. It is also known for its handicrafts, above all its carpets, its miniatures and its metalwork, and for the Vank Cathedral in the Armenian quarter of New Julfa.
What Isfahan is known for
- Shah Mosque
- Naqsh-e Jahan Square
- Si-o-se-pol Bridge
- Chehel Sotoun Palace
- Vank Cathedral
- Persian architecture
Landmarks
- Shah Mosque
- Naqsh-e Jahan Square
- Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
- Ali Qapu Palace
- Si-o-se-pol Bridge
- Chehel Sotoun Palace
- Vank Cathedral
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Isfahan?
About 2.2 million people live in Isfahan (2,238,000 in 2025). The wider metro area had about 4 million people. That makes Isfahan the third-most populous city in Iran, after Tehran and Mashhad, and the second-largest metropolitan area in the country.
What is Isfahan famous for?
Isfahan is famous as one of the most beautiful cities in Iran, for the Shah Mosque and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also known for the Si-o-se-pol bridge, the Chehel Sotoun Palace, the Vank Cathedral and its Persian-Muslim architecture, tiles and miniatures.
Where is Isfahan located?
Isfahan is in central Iran, on the Zayandeh River, about 440 kilometres south of Tehran. It is the capital of Isfahan Province and sits 1,574 metres above sea level on the Iranian plateau. Its coordinates are 32.66° N, 51.67° E, and its time zone is Iran Standard Time.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Iran — the country Isfahan is in
- Tehran — another city in Iran
- Mashhad — another city in Iran
- Karaj — another city in Iran
- All cities in Iran
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.