Nishapur

Nishapur (or Neyshâbûr) (نیشابور in Persian) is a town in the province of Khorasan in northeastern Iran, situated on a plain at the foot of the Binalud Mountains, near the regional capital of Mashhad. The region's economy is largely agricultural and it is one of the most prosperous localities in Iran, although somewhat blighted by drug smuggling from nearby Afghanistan. As of 1991, it had a population of some 135,000 people. It occupies an important strategic position astride the old Silk Road to China. The main east-west railway line through Iran passes through the town. The region is very prone to earthquakes, with the most recent significant ones occurring in 1986 and 1997.

The town derived its name from its reputed founder, the Sassanian king Shapur I, who is said to have established it in the 3rd century. It became an important town in the Khorasan region but subsequently declined in significance until a revival in its fortunes in 9th century under the Tahirid dynasty. Tughril Beg, the first ruler of the Seljuk dynasty, made Nishapur his residence in 1037 but it declined thereafter. It was badly damaged by earthquakes and the Mongol invasions of the 13th century.

The poet Omar Khayyam was born in Nishapur in 1048 and is buried a few miles outside the town, near the Imamzadeh Mahroq mosque. The poet and mystic Farid al-Din Attar, another native of Nishapur, is also buried nearby.

On February 18, 2004, a train carrying flammable goods derailed and caught fire near the town. Five hours later, during fire fighting and rescue work, a massive explosion destroyed the train and many nearby buildings. Around 300 people were said to have been killed, mainly fire and rescue workers but also the local governor and mayor and the heads of the fire and rail services. [1]