Khoy City

Climate, cold
Its old name,
Aratta, Songea Bhutto
Area, 5548 square km
Khoy, a city in West Azerbaijan Province, covers an area of over 5,548 square km, and lies on the northwesternmost of the country on the border with Turkey. Its center is Khoy, almost an area of 30 square km, on the north of West Azerbaijan Province.
Khoy is located in a broad plain and encompassed by high-rise mountains and that's why it is also known as Khoy Chokhuru.
It is regarded as the largest city in the province in terms of its area and the second largest in population.
According to the census carried out in 1390, its population was 354,309 of which 226,760 live in the city and 127,549 reside in the villages. The city is 780 km from Tehran and 165 km from Tabriz. Iran-Europe transit road runs 30 km from the city.
On the history of the city, although the archelogical finds are indicative of human settlements in Khoy Plain dating from 10,000 years ago, written documents are seen in the region such as inscriptions on stone or mud tablets from Sumerian, Assyrian and Orartui.
Many researchers assume that Aratta with Sumerian inscriptions is a region which was mentioned several centuries later in Assyrian inscriptions known as Songea Bhutto (in Khoy, Marand and Mahal Gueni.
The remarkable sites from Orartui civilization, as old as 3,000 years old, are seen in every corner of the land. After the Islamic revolution the land has always been called Khoy and has played a significant role in historical events of the country.
In the city great historical events took place; people had a great role in the determining battle between the Turk Seljuk and Roman Emperor in Malazgirt. The city was the base where the valiant Jalaliddin Kharazmshah resisted against the Mongol. Also the battlefield of Chaldoran between Ghezelbash of the Safavid and the Ottoman Emperor happened and it was the strategic center of Abbas Mirza Prince in Iran and Russia combats in the Ghajar era.
The people in the city speak in Turki, Azeri. They are Muslims and shiite. A minority is Sunni. The city's divisions, according to the census carried out in the country in 1385, are as follow:
Khoy includes central district, Safaiyeh District, center of Zarabad District, Evoghli District, and Ghotoor.
The city incudes towns of Firozagh, Diza Diz, Evoghli, Zarabad, and Ghotoor.
Its highest mountain, Avrin, which means great and wonderful in Turkish and measures over 3,650 m, resembles a mum with a white garment embracing the whole city. Also its roaring rivers and springs have quenched the vessels of the city. Among its main rivers are Ghutur, Agh Chai, and Ghodugh Boghan.
It's mountainous and each year harsh snowy winters, fragrant springs, mild summers and sometimes warm and colorful autumns beautify the city.
The customs in Khoy are a combination of the pre-Islamic and post-Islamic rituals. The Ashigh as a symbol of the genuine culture of the region still exist in the region.
Although many natinal traditions have been forgotten as a result of modern life style, The Ashigh are occasionally seen around especially in the villages.
Kusa, Sayachi, the rituals of wheat cultivation (Takhil), wedding ceremonies which last for a couple of days, putting names on their offspring, boys' circumcision, praying for rain, customs of Nane Tappeh and Khidr Nabi, Rams Day, etc.are traditions which are being forgotten.
The average precipitation, 300 to 400 mm, and snow-covered mountains on four sides have created natural intact landscapes in the heart of the region.
Especially late spring and early summer are the best times to enjoy the divine blessings of nature; recreational resort of Pera, Jahannam Darreh, Ghulu Darrasi, Alishigh, Haji Beig Yeylaghi, Ghara Darra, Mamish Khan, Gharis, slopes of Avrin Mountain and tens of springs bursting from the ground are all spectacular highlights of the city.
Among its historical sites are Shams Tabrizi Tower, Khatun Bridge, enclosed market, Kabiriha House, old mosques of Matlab Khan, Mulla Hassan, Shah Haji Baba and Khan- Ghajar era- churches of Sourp Sarkiss and Mahlazan and Shrine of Imamzadeh Sayyed Bohlul which all depict part of the precious history of the city.
Among its important produces are honey and sunflower seeds; the city's honey ranks the first in the country. In the city, there are 193,000 modern and traditional beehives; comprising about 6,000 tons of honey, 65% of the honey produced in the province and 20% of the country's honey.
As it was said earlier, the city's sunflower seeds are of high-quality and it is among prime producers of the country. Interesting to know, the design of the city's airport is
Since the city neighbor ed 2 foreign countries in the past, it was important militarily and politically.
The old documents indicate that despite its appearance, the city was commercially important as well.
Before Islam, a large branch of the famous Silk Road, which connected east to west, passed through Khoy.
According to Estakhari in the book entitled Almasalik and Almasalik, at the beginning of Islam a highway linked Saudi Arabia to the places beyond Khazar and to Aras, Ardebil, and Azerbaijan 's center which went though Khoy.
Khoy, on the Silk Road, is the only border path close to Turkey. It is the only city whose distance from Van in Turkey is almost an hour which goes through Razi Bazarcheh, a small market. Khoy's airport came into operation in Mehr, 1383, solar calendar, and as one of the most beautiful airports throughout the country and a major gateway to develop the north of the province , it now plays a great role in the transportation system of the country.