'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎161v] (327/706)

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KAZU—KAZV
KAZUL—
A village in Kirmanshah inhabited by Bilawari Kurds, Shi’ahs, and is
north of and adjoining the Bilawar valley. It contains 10 houses. A
considerable number of trees ; water plentiful from a stream ; consider
able cultivation. Supplies: 100 sheep and goats.
KAZVIN (Town).—Lat. 36° 18'; Long. 50° T 23" ; Elev. 4,165'.
The capital of a division of the same name, one of the divisions of the old
province of Traq’-i-Ajami, 90 miles west-north-west of Tehran, 124 miles
north-west of Qum.
Its foundation is ascribed to Shapur II, who reigned A. D. 309—380; it was
the capital of Persia in the time of Tahmasp, the last of the Safavian monarchs
who was dethroned by Nadir Shah.
History.
In July 1909, on account of the nationalist revolution, and disturbances
at Tehran, the Bussians sent troops to Kazvin. About 1,000 of these troops
were withdrawn in March 1911, leaving a consular guard* of 77 men. In
December 1911, Russian troops, to the number of 2,500, were again sent there
as a lever to force the Persian Government to submit to Russian ultimatums.
In April 1912 the number was reduced by half, but was again increased in
1913 to 1,625 men.
Kazvin is situated at the foot of the mountains leading to Gilan and at
the extremity of a fine plain. It is surrounded by gardens and vine-
. . yards in every direction, so that nothing is seen
escnp ion. 0 £ the town till it is closely approached. It is
defended by towers and walls, which, like the rest of the town, are in a
state of decay ; add to the neglect of man the fact that the town has been
repeatedly overthrown by earthquakes, and it can be understood that it is
not in a good state of preservation.
The town has 9 gates. Samghan or Tehran ; Darbrai on the old Tehran
road ; Shahzadeh Husain on the Qum road ; Maklavak on the Tabriz road ;
Pambariseh ; Shaikhabad ; Gusfand. Maidan on the Rasht road, and Darb
Kush leading to Alamut, Kuhistan and Kuhpayeh.
There are 17 quarters, the most important being Bachman, Darbrai,
Khandakbar, Maklowak, Gusfand-Maidan, Darb-Kush, Shaikhabad, Dabba-
ghan and Sabalan. Three main streets, the Khiaban-i-Chaussee or Khaibar-
i-Vapoor—leading from the Tehran gate to the Post House, the Khiaban-
i-Alaghapi—leading from the Post House to Government House, and the
Khiaban-i-Darvazeh Rasht—leading from Government House to the Rasht
road, allow one to drive through the town. The other streets are narrow and
tortuous.
The houses are built of baked and unbaked bricks and the courtyards of
most of them are below the level of the streets. There are cisterns in many of
the houses and a few wells have been dug 90 to 120 feet deep.
There is an Armenian church and school in Kazvin, a railway office and
a branch of the leading and discounting Bank of Persia. There are two
conspicuous mosques, one called the Masjid Shah, begun by Agha Muham
mad and finished by Path ’Ali Shah, and the other of much older date,
~~*^Note .—No Russian Consul was known to be at Kazvin in 1912.