Khoy

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City in West Azerbaijan province, Iran

title: "Khoy" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-khoy-county", "cities-in-west-azerbaijan-province", "armenian-communities-in-iran"] description: "City in West Azerbaijan province, Iran" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoy" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in West Azerbaijan province, Iran ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameKhoy
native_name
settlement_typeCity
image_skylineArg hokumati xoy.jpg
imagesize300
image_sealKhoy Municipality.png
seal_size100
seal_altLogo of Khoy Municipality
pushpin_mapIran
mapframeyes
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameIran
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1West Azerbaijan
subdivision_type2County
subdivision_name2Khoy
subdivision_type3District
subdivision_name3Central
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameHassan Nasrollah pour
leader_title1Parliament
leader_name1Adel Najafzadeh
population_footnotes
population_as_of2016
population_total198845
population_density_km2auto
timezoneIRST
utc_offset+3:30
coordinates
coordinates_footnotes
elevation_m1148
elevation_ft3769
elevation_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.fallingrain.com/world/IR/2/Khvoy.html
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20080307014428/http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IR/2/Khvoy.html
url-statusdead
archive-date7 March 2008
titleXoy, Iran Page
access-date7 July 2008
area_code044-3
website
::

| official_name = Khoy | native_name = | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = Arg hokumati xoy.jpg | imagesize = 300 | image_caption = | image_seal = Khoy Municipality.png | seal_size = 100 | seal_alt = Logo of Khoy Municipality | pushpin_map = Iran | mapframe = yes | mapsize = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Iran | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = West Azerbaijan | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Khoy | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 = Central | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Hassan Nasrollah pour | leader_title1 = Parliament | leader_name1 = Adel Najafzadeh | established_title = | established_date = | area_total_km2 = | area_footnotes = | population_footnotes = | population_as_of = 2016 | population_total = 198845 | population_metro = | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = IRST | utc_offset = +3:30 | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | elevation_m = 1148 | elevation_ft = 3769 | elevation_footnotes = {{cite web | url = http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IR/2/Khvoy.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307014428/http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IR/2/Khvoy.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 7 March 2008 | title= Xoy, Iran Page | access-date=7 July 2008 | area_code = 044-3 | website = | footnotes =

Khoy () is a city in the Central District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Occupied since Median times, it shares a long history as an important Christian center.

History

Khoy was named in ancient times for the salt mines that made it an important spur of the Silk Route. 3000 years ago, a city existed on the area where Khoy is located nowadays, but its name became Khoy only in the 14th centuries ago. In 714 BC, Sargon II passed the region of which Khoy is part of in a campaign against Urartu.

During the reign of Greater Armenia this city was a part of Nor-Shirakan province (ashkar). Khoy was mentioned in the 8th century AD and was called Her by Anania Shirakatsi in "Ashkharatsuyts".

In the Parthian period, Khoy was the gateway of the Parthian Empire in the Northwest. During the reign of Armenian king Tigranes the Great, Khoy is mentioned as being an important settlement of the Silk Route. Around the year 37 BC, Mark Antony had crossed the plain that is located between Khoy and Marand during one of the many and frequent Roman-Parthian Wars.

Scholars such as Josef Markwart consider Khoy to be the identical to the Gobdi station mentioned in the Tabula Peutingeriana.

One of the important historic elements of the city is Surp Sarkis Church. Armenian documents wrote that the date of the making has to be either 332 or 333 AD. In the city and its surrounding villages, churches are seen and it is reported that Armenians have always been comprising a significant amount of the city's population.

By the first half of the 11th century the Byzantine emperors were actively trying to round off their eastern territories, in an attempt to absorb the unstable Armenian dynasties. In 1021-2 emperor Basil II led his army as far as Khoy within 175 km of Dvin, and obtained the surrender of royalty from the Artsruni dynasty of Van.

In 1210, the city was conquered by the forces of Kingdom of Georgia sent by Tamar the Great under the command of Zakaria and Ivane Mkhargrdzeli. This was a response to the sacking of Georgian-controlled Ani which occurred in 1208 and left 12,000 Christians dead.

The city was ruled over by Malika, wife of Jalal al-Din Mangburni after his conquest of the city in the late 1220s.

Modern period

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Gold_coin_of_Karim_Khan_Zand,_minted_in_Khoy.jpg" caption="Gold coin of [[Karim Khan Zand]], struck at the Khoy mint, dated 1779"] ::

In the wake of the demise of the Safavids, the Ottomans took Khoy on 6 May 1724, a territorial gain which was confirmed with Imperial Russia through the Treaty of Constantinople (1724).

Until 1828, Khoy had a large number of Armenians; however, the Treaty of Turkmenchay (1828), gave the Russians the right to encourage Armenians to immigrate into the Russian Empire. Nevertheless, a small Armenian population remained living in Khoy. This was noted by an American missionary in 1834. He noted further that in the villages around Khoy there were a few more, but the vast majority had migrated to the North of the Aras river following Russia's victory over Persia in 1828 and the encouraged settling in the newly incorporated Russian regions of Eastern Armenia.

With the advent of the 1910s, Khoy was occupied by Ottoman troops, but they were completely expelled from the area by the Russians by 1911. Khoy was one of the many cities in Iran which garrisoned Russian infantry and Cossacks. The Russians retreated at the time of Enver Pasha's offensive in the Iran-Caucasus region, but returned in around early 1916, and stayed in the region up to the wake of the Russian Revolution. In 1918, for a final brief period, the Ottomans took Khoy until the decisive end of World War I and the Armistice of Mudros. In World War II, Khoy was again occupied by Soviet troops, who remained until 1946. After 1946 the city indefinitely became part of Iran and is located in the far northwest of the country.

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 178,708 in 45,090 households. The following census in 2011 counted 200,958 people in 57,149 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 198,845 people in 59,964 households.

Geography

Location

Khoy is north of the province's capital and largest city Urmia, and 807 km north-west to Tehran. The region's economy is based on agriculture, particularly the production of fruit, grain, and timber. Khoy is nicknamed as the Sunflower city of Iran. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 178,708, with an estimated 2012 population of 200,985. Khoy is largely populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis, except for the residents of the western edge of Khoy, who are mostly Kurds; The majority of the population (more than 90%) subscribes to the Shiite sect of Islam. The Kurds of this less, who live mostly in a nomadic way as opposed to the mostly settled Azerbaijanis, are largely Sunni and are composed of two independent tribes, Shakkak and Jalali.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as cold semi-arid (BSk).

Highest recorded temperature:42.8 C on 26 July 2020 Lowest recorded temperature:-30.0 C on 24 January 1964

|width = auto |metric first=yes |single line=yes |location=Khoy (1991-2020, extremes 1959-present) | Jan record high C =17.0 | Feb record high C =20.2 | Mar record high C =27.2 | Apr record high C =32.0 | May record high C =35.6 | Jun record high C =39.8 | Jul record high C =42.8 | Aug record high C =41.6 | Sep record high C =40.0 | Oct record high C =32.6 | Nov record high C =25.0 | Dec record high C =21.4 | year record high C = |Jan high C=3.4 |Feb high C=7.1 |Mar high C=13.4 |Apr high C=19.2 |May high C=24.1 |Jun high C=29.8 |Jul high C=33.1 |Aug high C=33.3 |Sep high C=28.9 |Oct high C=21.7 |Nov high C=12.8 |Dec high C=5.6

|Jan mean C=-1.5 |Feb mean C=1.5 |Mar mean C=7.3 |Apr mean C=12.9 |May mean C=17.5 |Jun mean C=22.6 |Jul mean C=25.8 |Aug mean C=25.5 |Sep mean C=20.8 |Oct mean C=14.3 |Nov mean C=6.6 |Dec mean C=0.6

|Jan low C=-6.0 |Feb low C=-3.7 |Mar low C=1.2 |Apr low C=6.3 |May low C=10.6 |Jun low C=14.6 |Jul low C=17.8 |Aug low C=17.3 |Sep low C=12.4 |Oct low C=7.2 |Nov low C=1.3 |Dec low C=-3.4 | Jan record low C =-30.0 | Feb record low C =-27.0 | Mar record low C =-20.6 | Apr record low C =-8.0 | May record low C =-0.2 | Jun record low C =3.4 | Jul record low C =8.0 | Aug record low C =7.0 | Sep record low C =2.0 | Oct record low C =-7.0 | Nov record low C =-15.7 | Dec record low C =-25.4 | year record low C =

|precipitation colour=green |Jan precipitation mm=15.0 |Feb precipitation mm=16.6 |Mar precipitation mm=29.4 |Apr precipitation mm=46.1 |May precipitation mm=47.1 |Jun precipitation mm=23.8 |Jul precipitation mm=9.7 |Aug precipitation mm=6.0 |Sep precipitation mm=10.1 |Oct precipitation mm=19.7 |Nov precipitation mm=25.6 |Dec precipitation mm=18.7 | unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days =3.4 | Feb precipitation days =3.8 | Mar precipitation days =5.2 | Apr precipitation days =7.5 | May precipitation days =8.5 | Jun precipitation days =4.2 | Jul precipitation days =1.8 | Aug precipitation days =1.3 | Sep precipitation days =1.8 | Oct precipitation days =3.4 | Nov precipitation days =4.1 | Dec precipitation days =4.4 | year precipitation days = | Jan rain days =2.1 | Feb rain days =3.1 | Mar rain days =7.3 | Apr rain days =11.6 | May rain days =10.4 | Jun rain days =4.8 | Jul rain days =2.2 | Aug rain days =2 | Sep rain days =2.6 | Oct rain days =5.7 | Nov rain days =5.7 | Dec rain days =3.9 | year rain days = | Jan snow days =5 | Feb snow days =5.1 | Mar snow days =2.9 | Apr snow days =0.3 | May snow days =0 | Jun snow days =0 | Jul snow days =0 | Aug snow days =0 | Sep snow days =0 | Oct snow days =0.1 | Nov snow days =1.7 | Dec snow days =4 | year snow days =

| Jan humidity =74 | Feb humidity =66 | Mar humidity =56 | Apr humidity =55 | May humidity =55 | Jun humidity =47 | Jul humidity =45 | Aug humidity =44 | Sep humidity =48 | Oct humidity =58 | Nov humidity =68 | Dec humidity =76 | year humidity = | Jan dew point C =-6.0 | Feb dew point C =-5.0 | Mar dew point C =-2.0 | Apr dew point C =2.7 | May dew point C =7.1 | Jun dew point C =9.4 | Jul dew point C =11.9 | Aug dew point C =11.2 | Sep dew point C =8.0 | Oct dew point C =5.0 | Nov dew point C =0.5 | Dec dew point C =-3.6

| Jan sun =117 | Feb sun =146 | Mar sun =183 | Apr sun =204 | May sun =254 | Jun sun =317 | Jul sun =344 | Aug sun =335 | Sep sun =289 | Oct sun =224 | Nov sun =167 | Dec sun =113 | year sun =

| source 1 = NCEI (snow and sleet days 1981-2010) | source 2 = IRIMO(extremes 1959-2010) Meteomanz(since 2021)

Sights

Khoy is well known for the tomb of Shams Tabrizi, renowned Iranian poet and mystic. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Pol_havai_-_railway_bridge_Khoy.jpg" caption="''[[Ghotour Bridge]]'' - railway bridge Khoy"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Tomb_of_Shams_Tabrizi_9.JPG" caption="Tomb of Shams Tabrizi 9"] ::

File:Khoy city.iran.jpg| File:Khoy city center in iran country.jpg|city center square File:Iran bazar khoy.jpg|Khoy bazaar File:Khaneh_kabiri_khoy4.jpg|historical Kabiri House in Khoy File:Plane & airport of khoy.JPG|Khoy Airport Image:Darvazeh sangi khoy.jpg|Stone gate of Khoy Image:Khaneh kabiri khoy.jpg|Kabiri House Image:Khaneh kabiri khoy2.jpg|Kabiri House Image:Khaneh kabiri khoy3.jpg|Kabiri House Image:Khoybridge.jpg|Ghotour Bridge Image:Khoybridge2.jpg|Ghotour Bridge Image:Mahlezan church.jpg|Mahlezan church Image:Serkis Khoy.jpg|Serkis Image:Shamseddine tabrizi tower khoy.jpg|Tomb of Shams Tabrizi Image:Shamstower.jpg|Tomb of Shams Tabrizi File:Stone gate of Khoy.JPG|Stone gate of Khoy

Notable places

  • Tomb of Shams Tabrizi, Shams Tabrizi Tower
  • Bastam and Bolourabad Castles
  • Khatoon Bridge
  • Old Stone Gate
  • Old Bazaar
  • Motallebkhan Mosque
  • Mount Avrin
  • Ghotour Iron Bridge |title = Ghotour Valley Bridge |publisher = American Bridge Company |url = http://www.americanbridge.net/Experience/experience_detail.php?prj_ab_id=GhotGhot04082004093855700 |access-date = 25 March 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130223020745/http://www.americanbridge.net/Experience/experience_detail.php?prj_ab_id=GhotGhot04082004093855700 |archive-date = 23 February 2013
  • Surp Sarkis Church
  • Pourya-ye Vali

Notable natives

For a complete list see: :Category:People from Khoy File:Nasreddin (17th-century miniature).jpg|Mullah Nasreddin, satirical Sufi. File:JahanShah1.JPG|Jahan Shah, was the leader of the Kara Koyunlu oghuz Turks tribal federation in Azerbaijan and Arran. File:Jaleh Amouzgar.JPG|Jaleh Amouzgar, is an Iranologist and a university professor. File:Behrouz Vossoughi.jpg|Behrouz Vossoughi, is an Iranian actor.

Twin towns

Notes

References

Sources

References

  1. ((OpenStreetMap contributors)). (25 September 2024). "اعتمادیه, دهستان دیزج, بخش مرکزی [Etemadiyeh, Dizaj Rural District, Central District], Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, 58139-68197, Iran".
  2. "GXW3+HM3 Khoy, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran".
  3. {{GEOnet3. -3071618
  4. (9 May 2020). "چوار کۆڵبەر لە سنورەکانی بانە و خۆی کوژران و برینداربون".
  5. Hassan. Habibi. fa. تاریخ تصویب (Approval date) 1369/06/21 (Iranian Jalali calendar). (12 September 1990 ). link. fa. لام تا کام [Lam ta Kam]. {{lang. fa. ‌وزارت کشور [Ministry of the Interior]. fa. کمیسیون سیاسی دفاعی هیأت دولت [Political Defense Commission of the Government Board]. fa. شناسه [ID] D6D37EAB-50D7-43D6-B320-D774C01ADE50. {{lang. fa. شماره دوره [Course number] 69, {{lang. fa. شماره جلد [Volume number] 3.
  6. Andrew Burke, "Iran" pp. 138. Lonely Planet. {{ISBN. 1742203493
  7. Lida Balilan Asl, Elham Jafari. "Khoy's Expansion from Early Islam to Late Qajar According to Historical Documents" published spring 2013. vol 3
  8. Minorsky, Vladimir. (1953). "Studies in Caucasian History: I. New Light on the Shaddadids of Ganja II. The Shaddadids of Ani III. Prehistory of Saladin". CUP Archive.
  9. (2014). "Iran". Bradt Travel Guides.
  10. Salia, Kalistrat. (1983). "History of the Georgian nation". University of Wisconsin.
  11. Mikaberidze, Alexander. (2011). "Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1". ABC-CLIO.
  12. Tamta's World by Anthony Eastmond, page 108
  13. (2003). "Historical Dictionary of the Ottoman Empire". Scarecrow Press.
  14. Smith, Eli. (1834). "Missionary Researches in Armenia: Including a Journey through Asia Minor, and into Georgia and Persia". G. Wightmann.
  15. fa. مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran]. link
  16. link. fa. مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran]
  17. fa. مرکز آمار ایران [Statistical Centre of Iran]. link
  18. [https://rch.ac.ir/article/Details/8914 encyclopaedia islamica:اهالی شهرستان خوی به زبان ترکی سخن می‌گویند (صدرایی‌خویی، 1373ش، ص 65)]
  19. [https://www.cgie.org.ir/fa/article/245193/%D8%AE%D9%88%DB%8C Encyclopedia of Islamic World:به جز ساکنان حاشیه غربی شهرستان خوی که بیشتر کرد هستند؛ اکثریت جمعیت منطقه (بیش از ۹۰٪) شیعه دوازده امامی‌اند. کردهای این منطقه بیشتر به صورت عشایری زندگی می‌کنند و از دو طایفه مستقل کره‌سنی و مدرومی هستند]
  20. "Climate: Khoy - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org.
  21. "KHOY - Month summary: July 2020".
  22. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Khoy". [[NOAA.
  23. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981-2010: Khoy". [[NOAA.
  24. "Form 7: TEMPERATURE RECORDS HIGHEST IN C. Station: Khoy(40703)". Iran Meteorological Organization.
  25. "Form 6: TEMPERATURE RECORDS LOWEST IN C. Station: Khoy(40703)". Iran Meteorological Organization.
  26. "KHOY - Weather data by months".
  27. "Shahrud and Neyshabur became sister cities". ISNA news.
  28. "Shiraz and Khoy cities become sisters".
  29. "Rumi Remembered in Birthplace of Shams".

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