View source for Sari, Iran

{{about||the administrative subdivision|Sari County|other places named Sari in Iran}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Sari
| native_name              = ساری
| other_name               = Zadracarta
| settlement_type          = city
| image_skyline            = Sari, Saat sq (Night).jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = Saat Square, Sari
| image_seal               = Sari government logo.svg
| nickname                 =
| motto                    =
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_map                =
| map_caption              =
| pushpin_map              = Iran <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption      =
<!-- Location ------------------>
| coordinates              = {{coord|36|33|48|N|53|03|36|E|region:IR|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = {{flag|Iran}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[Provinces of Iran|Province]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[Counties of Iran|County]]
| subdivision_type3        = [[Bakhsh]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Mazandaran Province|Mazandaran]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Sari County|Sari]]
| subdivision_name3        = [[Central District (Sari County)|Central]]
<!-- Politics ----------------->
| established_title3       = Founded
| established_date3        = By Farrukhan, Daboyan Dynasty of [[Tapuria]]
<!-- Area    --------------------->
| government_footnotes     =
| government_type          =
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Mehdi Obouri (مهدی عبوری)
| unit_pref                = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes           =
| area_magnitude           =
| area_total_km2           =
| area_land_km2            =
| area_water_km2           =
| area_water_percent       =
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use<ref> </ref> tags-->
| elevation_m         = 5 northwest up to 50 in southeast
| elevation_ft        = 15 – 150
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| population_total         = 259084
| population_as_of         = 2006
| population_footnotes     =
| population_density_km2   =
<!-- General information  --------------->
| population_note          =
| postal_code_type    = Postal Code
| postal_code         = 48xxx-xxxxx
| area_code           = 011
| website             = [http://www.sari.ir/ www.sari.ir] [http://esaricity.ir esarycity.ir] [http://www.saricity.ir www.sarycity.ir]
| footnotes           =
| timezone            = [[Iran Standard Time|IRST]]
| utc_offset          = +3:30
| timezone_DST        = [[Iran Standard Time|IRDT]]
| utc_offset_DST      = +4:30
| car_code            = IRAN 62
| blank_name          = Vehicle Plate
| blank_info          = IRAN 62
}}
'''Sari''' (({{lang-fa|ساری}} {{pronunciation|Sari.ogg}}) ; also [[Romanize]]d as '''Sārī'''; also known as '''Shahr-i-Tajan''' and '''Shari-i-Tajan''')<ref>{{GEOnet3|-3082809}}</ref> is the provincial capital of [[Mazandaran]] and former capital of [[Iran]] (for a short period), located in the north of [[Iran]], between the northern slopes of the [[Alborz Mountains]] and southern coast of the [[Caspian Sea]]. Sari is the largest and most populous city of Mazandaran.<ref>{{IranCensus2006|02}}</ref>

==Location==
The ''[[Mazandaran Sea]]'' provides a beautiful coastline to the north of Sari; north-east of the city lies ''[[Neka]]''.
''[[Qa'emshahr]]'' (formerly known as Shahi) is to its south-west, ''[[Juybar]]'' is to its north-west,
and ''[[Kiasar]]'', ''[[Damghan]]'', and ''[[Semnan (city)|Semnan]]'' are cities located to the south.
[[File:MazandaranSari.PNG|thumb|center|500px|Map showing position of Sari county as well as Sari city in [[Mazandaran]] province]]

==History==

===Early history===
Excavations in the [[Huto and Kamarband Caves|Hutto cave]] present evidence for the existence of settlements around Sari as far back as the 70th millennium BCE.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.showcaves.com/english/ir/subterranea/Huto.html|title=Subterranea of Iran: Huto and Kamarband Cave|work=showcaves.com}}</ref>
The Muslim historian [[Hamdollah Mostowfi]] attributes the foundation of Sari to king [[Tahmuras|Tahmoures Divband]] of the [[Pishdadian Dynasty]]. [[Ferdowsi]] mentions the name of the city in [[Shahnameh]], at the time of [[Fereydun]] and [[Manuchehr]], when Manuchehr is returning to Fereydun's capital, '''Tamisheh''' in [[Mazandaran]], after the victory over [[Salm (son of Fereydun)|Salm]] and [[Tur (son of Fereydun)|Tur]]:<ref>{{cite web|title=Shahnameh/Book of Kings|author= Abu'L Ferdawsi|publisher=Jalal Khaleghi-Motlagh|url=http://rira.ir/rira/php/?page=view&mod=classicpoems&obj=poem&id=15367&lim=20&pageno=3|website=rira.ir}}</ref>

{{quotation|ز دریای گیلان (مازندران) چون ابر سیاه / دمادم به ساری رسید آن سپاه / چو آمد به نزدیک شاه آن سپاه / فریدون پذیره بیامد به راه }}

Coming from this and other similar evidence in the [[Shahnameh]], native people of Sari have a folklore that the city was populated when the blacksmith [[Kaveh the blacksmith|Kaveh]] (a native of the city) revolted against the tyranny of [[Zahhak|Zahak]]. After that success, [[Fereydun|Fereydun of Pishdadi]] (from Tamishan) feeling indebted to Kaveh, chose this city so as to live near him until his death. For this reason, when Touraj and Salam murdered [[Iraj]] (son of Fereydun), they buried him here.
Espahbod Tous-e Nouzar (great-grandson of Fereydun) systematically founded it to remain as family monument.<ref name="CHN">{{cite web|title=Attractions - Mazandaran|publisher=Iran’s Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN)|url= http://www.chnpress.com/tourism/Attractions/mazandaran}}</ref> Sari may be synonymous with the city of [[Hyrcania|Zadracarta]] (Persian: ''Sadrakarta'') mentioned by Ancient Greek sources as early as the 6th century BCE ([[Achaemenid dynasty]]).<ref>Persien: Das Land und seine Bewohner: ethnograph. Schilderungen 2 Teile in 1 Bd, by Jakob Eduard Polak, (Olms, 1976)</ref> However, other sources suggest that modern [[Gorgan]] is located closer to, or on, the site of Zadracarta.

According to [[Arrian]], this was the largest city of [[Hyrcania]]. The term means "the yellow city" and it was given to it because of the great number of orange, lemon, and other fruit trees that grew in the outskirts of that city. Hence it is by D'Anville, Rochette, and other geographers, identified Saru, which [[Pietro Della Valle]] says in his "Travels" means "the yellow city". It is probable that Zadracarta and Saru are the same with the Syringis of Polybius, taken from Arsaces II by [[Antiochus the Great]], in his vain attempt to reunite the revolted provinces of Hyrcania and [[Parthia]] to the Syrian crown. Han Way, who visited Saru in 1734, makes mention of four ancient Magian temples as still standing then, built in the form of several rotundas, each thirty feet in diameter, and about 120 in height. However [[William Ouseley|Sir William Ouseley]], who had travelled to the site in 1811, has speculated that these to be masses of brick masonry of the Mohammedan age. Out of four, one of the rotunda is still standing since the rest were overturned by an earthquake. This and other remains of similar buildings, bear the names of Fereydun, Salm, Tur, and other mythical figures, whose celebrity had been established about 2000 years prior to their erection. One of them Avas called the tomb of Kaus, and was supposed to contain the ashes of [[Cyrus the Great]]. Sir William Ouseley thinks it was that of Kabus, or Kaus, the son of Washmakin, who governed [[Mazandaran|Mazanderan]] in the fourth century of the Hejira. It was at Saru that the ashes of the youthful hero, [[Sohrab|Sohraub]], were deposited by his father, [[Rostam|Roostum]], after he had unwittingly slayed Sohrab in a hand-to-hand battle. Saru is celebrated for its abundance of gardens, which emit a pleasing fragrance in the vernal and summer months. An oriental proverb declares that the "gates of paradise derive sweetness from the air of Sari and the flowers of [[Garden of Eden|Eden]] receive their fragrance from its soil". The city was again a regional capital in the [[Sassanid dynasty]] era.<ref name="Britannica">Britannica Article for Zadracarta</ref>

=== Capital of Tabaristan local rulers ===
In the seventh century, [[Farrukhan the Great]] of the [[Dabuyid dynasty]] reconstructed the city, and
because his son's name was "Sarouyeh", he called it by this name. Sari once again became the capital of [[Tabaristan]] during that century ([[Amol]] was the capital previously ).

After invasions by the successors of [[Mongol]]s, [[Timur the Lame]] of [[Uzbeks]], [[Oghuz Turks|Turcoman]], and [[Tatars]] the city lost its high status and was periodically burnt to ashes.

===Safavid-Qajar era===
Because [[Shah Abbas I]]'s [[Khayr al-Nisa Begum|mother]] was from [[Behshahr]] (Ashraf), he founded [[Farahabad, Mazandaran|Farahabad]] as his alternate capital of Persia in the north of the city and created the gardens in Ashraf. Mazandaran alongside neighboring [[Gilan]] were subsequently settled during Abbas' reign by large amounts of [[Georgian people|Georgians]], [[Circassian people|Circassians]], [[Armenians]] and other [[peoples of the Caucasus]], whose descendants still live across Mazandaran.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/georgia-iv--2|title=Georgian communities in Persia|accessdate=17 April 2014}}</ref><ref>^ Muliani, S. (2001) Jaygah-e Gorjiha dar Tarikh va Farhang va Tammadon-e Iran. Esfahan: Yekta [The Georgians’ position in the Iranian history and civilization]</ref><ref name="academia.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.academia.edu/628154/Pietro_della_Valles_Latin_Geography_of_Safavid_Iran_1624-1628_|title=PIETRO DELLA VALLE’S LATIN GEOGRAPHY OFSAFAVID IRAN (1624-1628)|accessdate=17 April 2014}}</ref> Still many towns, villages and neighbourhoods in Mazandaran bear the name "Gorji" (i.e. Georgian) in them, although most of the Georgians are already assimilated into the mainstream Mazanderanis.
After the [[Safavid dynasty]] fell and until the rise of [[Mohammad Khan Qajar|Agha Mohammad Khan]] to power there, is no evidence of any notable events in Sari.

===Early 20th century===
Major developments took place after the [[Qajar dynasty]]. During the reign of [[Reza Shah Pahlavi]], the face of the town was changed drastically. Sari Rail Station and most of the streets and governmental buildings date from that era. During World War II the [[Soviet army]] occupied the city, but left it after the war.

==About Sari==
[[File:Tagan Park (Sari).jpg|thumb|Tajan Riverside Park]]

The Clock Tower, in the Clock Square (Meydan-e-Sa'at) located in downtown Sari, attracts visitors and has become a famous landmark. Sari also contains the tombs of the Muslim cleric leaders Yahya and Zayn Al-Abedin, Emamzade-ye Abbas, and Shazdeh Hussein the architecture of which are from the 15th century.

==Economy==
The economy of Sari is based on food production such as milled rice, dairy products, canned meat and cookies. Sari is a major citrus fruits producer, especially oranges, tangerines and lemons. Oil seeds such as soybean and rape being cultivated in vast lands around villages for producing of vegetable ghee and cooking oil. During the 1950s to 1970s, a factory of MM company was the city's largest industrial complex and one of the country's biggest vegetable oil producers. After the [[1979 revolution]], the company was nationalized but got bankrupt and closed later on.<ref>حسین اسلامی: تاریخ دوهزارساله ساری (دارالملک مازندران)، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی قائم شهر، ۱۳۷۲.</ref> Other sources of the economy include, but are not limited to, paper, wood, fabrics and construction materials. [[Mazandaran Wood and Paper Industries]], the biggest factory of its kind in the middle east, is situated in a 2000-acre ground on Semnan Road. Mazpaper is presently producing more than 20% of country's paper requirements and is a major economical entity not only for the city but also for the province. The MWPI's major subsidiary is the NEKA CHOUB Co., that is manufacturing plywood and chipboard.

==Climate==
Sari has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: Cfa), with a [[Mediterranean climate]] (Csa) influence.<ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{cite web|title=Climate: Sari - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/764529/|publisher=Climate-Data.org|accessdate=20 September 2013}}</ref> Winters are cool and rainy whilst summers are hot and humid. Sari's 2005–2006 statistical weather information, in comparison with that of other [[Mazandaran]] cities, shows that Sari has an average climate, but it is somewhat sunnier and has more spring rain. However, recent rainfall in Sari has declined.

{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Mahdasht, Sari
| Jan record high C = 30.2
| Feb record high C = 31.2
| Mar record high C = 35.0
| Apr record high C = 37.0
| May record high C = 39.0
| Jun record high C = 44.0
| Jul record high C = 39.0
| Aug record high C = 40.5
| Sep record high C = 39.0
| Oct record high C = 38.0
| Nov record high C = 34.0
| Dec record high C = 30.0
| year record high C = 44.0
| Jan high C = 11.9
| Feb high C = 11.9
| Mar high C = 14.0
| Apr high C = 20.9
| May high C = 25.2
| Jun high C = 29.2
| Jul high C = 31.2
| Aug high C = 31.2
| Sep high C = 28.5
| Oct high C = 24.1
| Nov high C = 19.0
| Dec high C = 14.4
| year high C = 21.8
| Jan low C = 3.3
| Feb low C = 3.4
| Mar low C = 5.0
| Apr low C = 9.4
| May low C = 13.8
| Jun low C = 17.8
| Jul low C = 20.7
| Aug low C = 21.2
| Sep low C = 18.6
| Oct low C = 13.8
| Nov low C = 9.3
| Dec low C = 5.2
| year low C = 11.8
| Jan record low C = -2.5
| Feb record low C = -5.0
| Mar record low C = -3.5
| Apr record low C = 1.0
| May record low C = 2.0
| Jun record low C = 4.0
| Jul record low C = 8.5
| Aug record low C = 10.0
| Sep record low C = 2.5
| Oct record low C = 0.0
| Nov record low C = -2.0
| Dec record low C = -5.0
| year record low C = -5.0
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 105.2
| Feb precipitation mm = 91.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 100.6
| Apr precipitation mm = 60.5
| May precipitation mm = 53.2
| Jun precipitation mm = 36.2
| Jul precipitation mm = 35.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 58.8
| Sep precipitation mm = 88.9
| Oct precipitation mm = 98.1
| Nov precipitation mm = 104.4
| Dec precipitation mm = 114.4
| year precipitation mm =
| Jan rain days = 8
| Feb rain days = 8
| Mar rain days = 10
| Apr rain days = 7
| May rain days = 6
| Jun rain days = 4
| Jul rain days = 5
| Aug rain days = 6
| Sep rain days = 7
| Oct rain days = 7
| Nov rain days = 7
| Dec rain days = 8
| Jan humidity = 77
| Feb humidity = 76
| Mar humidity = 76
| Apr humidity = 72
| May humidity = 69
| Jun humidity = 66
| Jul humidity = 66
| Aug humidity = 70
| Sep humidity = 73
| Oct humidity = 75
| Nov humidity = 76
| Dec humidity = 76
| source 1 = Iranian Meteorological Organization<ref>[http://www.irimo.ir/english/statistics/climanormals/mazandar/MAHDASHT.txt ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724181010/http://www.irimo.ir/english/statistics/climanormals/mazandar/MAHDASHT.txt |date=24 July 2011 }}</ref>
| date     = June 2011}}

==City districts==
[[File:New municipality of Sari.jpg|thumb|Sari Municipality]]
Sari's major districts are: <br>
Mirzazamani, Azad Goleh, Bagher Abad,Booali & Posht-e-Hotel(both located in Pasdaran Blvd.), Barbari Mahalleh, Bazaar-e Nargesiyeh,
Bazaar-e Rooz, Chenar-Bon, Gol-Afshan, Golma, Kooy-e Azadi,
Kooy-e DadGostari, Kooy-e Daneshgah, Kooy-e Djahad, Kooy-e
Golha, Kooy-e-Karmandan, Kooy-e Mahyar, Kooy-e MirSarorozeh,
Kooy-e Qelich, Lesani, Mehdi-Abad, Na'l-Bandan,
No-Tekiyeh, Peyvandi, Pir Tekiyeh, Pol-e Gardan, Posht-e Nim-e
Shaban, Posht-e Zendan, Rahband-e Dokhaniyat, Dokhaniyat, Kooy-e Etehad, Rahband-e
Sangtarashan, Sang, Sari Kenar, Sarvineh Bagh, Seyyed AlShohada,
Shafa, Shahband, Shazdeh Hossein, Shekar Abad, Tabarestan,
Tavakkoli, Torki Mahalleh, Torkmen Mahalleh, etc.

==Previous districts==
Sari's old city structure changed in the first Pahlavi era. New avenues and streets in the city center date from that period. In the Qajar dynasty, Sari had famous neighborhoods identified as follows: <br>Afghoun Mahalleh, Bahar Abad, Balouchi Kheyl, Balouchi
Mahalleh, Birameter (Bahram-Ottor), Chaleh Bagh, Dar Masdjed,
Isfahouni Mahalleh, Kohneh Baq Shah,Kurd Mahalleh, Mir Mashad Mahalleh, Mir Sar Rozeh, Na'l Bandan, Naqareh Khaneh, Ossanlou Mahalleh, Paay-e Chenar, QelichLi Mahalleh, Sabzeh Meydan, Shazdeh Hossein, Shepesh Koshan, Shishehgar Mahalleh

==Telephone area codes==
Sari's area code is 151 (+98151 outside of Iran). Sari has
the internal area codes as shown below, three digits are the beginning of seven-digit numbers (e.g., 221-xxxx):
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
| width="17%" | 22 System
| width="14%" | 23 System
| width="17%" | 24 System
| width="17%" | 32 System
| width="17%" | 34 – 37 System
| width="17%" | 38 System
|- valign="top"
| 221 Downtown (2003)D
| 233
| 243
| 321 North of Downtown (2004)A
| 340 Northeast of Downtown (2006)D
| 381
|- valign="top"
| 222 Downtown (First)D
| 234
| 244
| 322 Far South (2005)D
|
| 382
|- valign="top"
| 225 Northwest of Downtown (2005)D
| 235
| 245
| 323 South of Downtown (2002)D
|
| 383 Sari's Primary Industrial Area D
|- valign="top"
| 223 Southwest of Downtown (2000)D
| 236
| 246
| 324 North of Downtown (1997)D
|
| 384 Dangesarak, Koula A
|- valign="top"
| 227 Far West (2002)D
| 237
| 247
| 325 North of Downtown (1998)D
|
| 385
|- valign="top"
|
| 238
| 248
| 326 West of Downtown (2003)D
|
| 387
|- valign="top"
|
|
|
| 328 Far East (2000)A
|
| 388 Wood Industries
|- valign="top"
|}
* Numbers in parentheses show the year the phone office was established.
* D = Digital System, A = Analog System

==Population==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2011}}
The population density of some neighborhoods in downtown (for example: Mirzazamani, Peyvandi, Sang) is greater than 20,000 per square kilometer. Note that before 1950, the population of the city during the summer was less than in winter. This influenced estimations, such that an estimate done in summer might be inaccurate. [[File:Sari Population Graph.jpg|right|Population of Sari From 19th century.]]

* 1808 = 21,000 est.
* 1827 = 19,000 est.
* 1832 = 20,000 est.
* 1850 = 15,000 est.
* 1856 = 9,000 est.
* 1872 = 15,500 est.
* 1874 = 16,000 est.
* 1883 = 16,100 est.
* 1905 = 25,000 est.
* 1923 = 35,000 est.
* 1956 = 26,278 cen.
* 1966 = 44,547 cen.
* 1976 = 70,753 cen.
* 1986 = 141,020 cen.
* 1996 = 195,882 cen.
* 2006 = 262,627 est.
* 2008 = 300,000 est.
* 2011 = 478,370 est.
* 2013 = 296,417 exact<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=POP&f=tableCode%3A240|title=UNdata - record view - City population by sex, city and city type|work=un.org}}</ref>
* 2016 = 504,298 exact

==People and culture==
Local residents are known as Saravis or Sariyan. The population is a mixture of native [[Mazandaranis]], [[Persia]]ns, [[Azerbaijanis]], [[Peoples of the Caucasus|Caucasians]], [[Kurds]], and [[Turkmen people|Turcomans]].
Whereas neighborhoods were identified during the Qajar dynasty by the ethnicity of their inhabitants, this is no longer so. Sari, as well as other regions in northern Iran, is well known for its hospitality. Sari used to be the home of [[Georgians]], [[Armenians]], and [[Zoroastrians]], but today they only form small minorities. Local languages are spoken in some neighborhoods, but almost everyone understands and uses mainstream [[Persian language|Persian]] as a ''[[lingua franca]]''.

Zoroastrians from Sari who migrated to [[India]] in the 10th century founded there a city which they named "Navu Sari" (English: "New Sari"), a name which was by now shortened to [[Navsari]]; the town is still a center of the Zoroastrian [[Parsi]] community of India.

==Transport==

===Arriving===

====By air====
Sari is served by [[Dasht-e Naz Airport|Dasht-e Naz]] International Airport, which is located in the north-eastern part of the city. List of arrival and departure flights can be found in the Airport's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sariairport.ir/fids/dailyda.asp|title=Arrival Flights of Sari International Airport|work=sariairport.ir}}</ref>

====By train====
The city is connected to [[Gorgan]] and [[Tehran]] by the Shomal Railway route. That is a major branch of [[Trans-Iranian Railway|Iran's Railroad]]. 

====By boat====
The port of Amir Abad is located on the southern coast of the [[Mazandaran Sea|Caspian Sea]].

====By car====
Local highways have been well developed after the Iran–Iraq War. The Sari area is served with the No. 62W Freeway.

====By bus====
There are five bus terminals, but one, Terminal-e Dowlat, is the most used. The others serve cities that are located within 150 kilometers from Sari: Gorgan, Nowshahr, Chaloos, and Kiyasar are within this range.
{|
|- valign="top"
| 
| '''By Train'''
| '''By Road'''
| colspan=3 |
|- valign="top"
| [[Gorgan]]
| 153&nbsp;km*
| 138 Kilometers
| colspan=3 | Neka, Behshahr, Gaz, Nokandeh, Gorgan
|- valign="top"
| [[Bojnourd]]
| 
| 
| colspan=3 | Behshahr, Gorgan, Minoodasht, Ashkhaneh, Bojnourd
|- valign="top"
| [[Mashad]]
| 1152&nbsp;km*
| 730 Kilometers
| colspan=3 | Behshahr, Gorgan, Bonjnourd, Quchan, Mashad
|- valign="top"
| width="100%" colspan=6 |
|- valign="top"
| colspan=2 | [[Babol]]
| 45 Kilometers*
| colspan=3 | Qa'emshahr, Babol
|- valign="top"
| colspan=2 | [[Nowshahr]]
| 170 Kilometers
| colspan=3 | Jouybar, Babolsar, Fereydoon Kenar, Nour, Royan, Nowshahr
|- valign="top"
| colspan=2 | [[Lahijan]]
| 
| colspan=3 | Babolsar, Nour, Nowshahr, Shahsavar, Ramsar, Chaboksar, Lahijan
|- valign="top"
| width="100%" colspan=6 |
|- valign="top"
| height="13" |
| '''By Train '''
| '''Via Savadkooh Road/  '''        
| ''' Via Kiasar Road '''
| '''Via Azadshahr Road'''
| '''Via Haraz Road'''
|- valign="top"
| [[Tehran]]
| 354&nbsp;km*  
 | 265 Kilometers*
| 
| 
| 245 Kilometers
|- valign="top"
| [[Semnān Province|Semnan]]
| 354&nbsp;km*
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- valign="top"
| [[Shahroud]]
| 555&nbsp;km*
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- valign="top"
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> indicates that destination is actually nearer than the figure shown

===Getting around===
The layout of the city renders occasional use of taxis. There is a wide choice of taxi systems including limousines, wireless radio taxis, airport or rail station taxis, and telephone taxis. City buses are also popular because they connect Sari's suburbs to the center of city, providing a low cost and convenient means of transportation to and from the town for people living in those neighborhoods. Although Sari is considered a safe city for pedestrians even at night, nevertheless care should be taken when walking around.

==Outdoors==
Sari is balmy and pleasant. Most major places of interest are listed below:
* Farah Abad Coast
* Gohar Baran Coast
* Darya Kenar Coast
* Khezer Shahr Coast
* Dehkadeh Aramesh Tourist Village
* Tajan River Park
* Melal park
* Zare' Forest Park
* Salardareh Forest Park
* Dasht-E-Naaz National Park
* Pol-e-Gardan hiking trail
* Nemashoun Lake
* Lak-Dasht Lake
* Soleyman-Tangeh Lake
* Bam-e-Shahr Hill (offers a great panoramic view of the city)
* Qor-Maraz (natural spa, Neka)
* jamaloddin kola(damaneh kohe shahdezh)

==Colleges and universities==
In the course of history, Sari was once one of the most cultured cities in the history of Iran. The scientific knowledge of Saravis were noted throughout history and recorded by [[Pietro Della Valle]] and other famous visitors. Today, the universities are as follows:
* University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources
* [[Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences]] (MazUMS) 
* University of [[Natural Science]]
* Islamic Azad University of Sari
* Imam Mohammad Bagher [[University of Technology]]
* Sarian University of Art & Architecture
* Payam-e-Noor University
* University of Tech & Engineering (Khalil Moqadam)
* University of Tarbiyat-e Moallem
* Sama Technology Faculty of Azad University
* Rouzbehan University
* Science and Research Branch Islamic azad university
* Hadaf University

==Sports facilities==
Many sport complexes are in Sari.

Most popular are:
*Jahan-Pahlavan Takhti Sports Complex, located on Farhang Street;
*Hashemi-Nassab Sports Complex, located on the railway side of the autobahn;
*Montazeri Sports complex, located in Shahband neighborhood.

Sari's Mottaqi football stadium is one of the oldest sports field in the country but nowadays it is seldom used in major soccer matches.

===Wrestling===
Sari is the birthplace of many popular wrestlers and athletes. Notable wrestlers from Sari include [[Asgari Mohammadian]], [[Majid Torkan]] and [[Morad Mohammadi]]. The town was the host and scene of 2006 Wrestling World Cup Competitions.

==Cultural attractions==
Although Sari is the most important cultural place in the north of Iran, earthquakes and other causes destroyed most of its cultural heritage and ancient monuments. Still, Sari has been described as Safa City (City of Curvet). <br>Notable are '''Famous Houses''' such as''' [[Kolbadi House]] ''' and '''Amir Divan House (Ramedani House)''', archeological sites including
'''[[Hutto Cave]]''' (70th millennium BC), '''Kamarband Cave''' (70th-millennium BC); also the '''[[Resket Tower]]''' from the House of Karen era{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and the '''[[Farahabad, Mazandaran|Farahabad]] Palace Complex ''' from the Safavid era.
The statue of Arash Kamangir (Arash the Archer) on his chariots in Emam Square was destroyed by the Islamic regime. 'Arash the Archer', a legendary hero, in '''[[Shahnameh]]''' was believed to have thrown his demarcating arrow from Sari.

==Arts and culture==
[[Khosrow Sinai]] (born 19 January 1941 in Sari) a renowned film director of the country was the first Iranian film director to win an international prize after the [[Iranian Revolution|Islamic revolution in Iran]]. He is also known as an Iranian scholar and has been awarded the prestigious [[Knight's Cross]] of the [[Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland]].

==Music==
Seyed [[Abdolhossein Mokhtabad]]-Amrei (born 1966 in Sari) is an [[Iran]]ian composer and singer of [[Persia]]n Classical music.
He received his vocal training under supervision of renowned and legendary maestros and since his professional debut inاارا 1991, has performed numerous  concerts in Iran and abroad, including most European Countries, South East Asia and Northern [[North America|America]] "Canada & United States" and produced more than 20 sets of music albums.

==Authors and poets==
Sari has raised many authors and poets. [[Mina Assadi]] is probably the most famous one. She was born and raised in Sari but then moved to [[Teheran]] to study journalism and work as a journalist at newspapers like [[Kayhan]]. Today Mina Assadi lives in exile in [[Stockholm]], Sweden.

[[Mohsen Emadi]] (born 29 October 1976 in Sari) is another [[Persian people|Persian]] poet and translator.

==Religious sites==

[[File:Sari tomb of abbas01.jpg|thumb|Tomb of Imamzadeh Abbas, Located in East of Sari urban area, [[Mazandaran]].]]
* Emamzadeh Yahya (son of Imam Moosa-ibn Jafar)
* Emamzadeh Abbas (son of Imam Moosa-ibn Jafar)
* Emamzadeh Abdollah, Koula
* Masjed-e-Jaame' Mosque (constructed before Islam by Zoroastrians, where many important kings and heroes of Persia such as [[Iraj]], [[Tur (mythology)|Tur]], [[Salm (Shahnameh)|Salm]], [[Fereydun]], [[Sohrab]] (son of [[Rostam]]) that [[Ferdowsi]] recalls them in [[shahnameh]] are buried near this place).
* Emam-Sajjad Mosque (formerly Shah-Qazi, initially was called Marqad-'Ala-Adolleh School but Rostam Shah Qazi reconstructed it in 1169 and renamed it to Shah-Qazi during the Qaznavi era)
* Haaj Mostafa Khan Mosque (Sourteci)
* Reza Khan Mosque (Hozeh Elmiyeh)
* Molla-Majd-Addin Place
* Shazdeh-Hossein Place
* Pahneh-Kalla Place.

==Notable people==
<!-- PLEASE RESPECT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER -->
* [[Ali-Akbar Davar]] (1867-1937) - politician
* [[Ehsanollah Khan Dustdar]] (1884-1939) - politician
* [[Hossein Ghods-Nakhai]] (1911-1977) - diplomat
* [[Ehsan Tabari]] (1917-1989) - politician
* Javad Sa'd (1924-1979) - politician
* [[Hassan Rahnavardi]] (b. 1927) - weightlifter and physician
* Emad Ram (1931-2003) - singer and musician
* [[Khosrow Sinai]] (b. 1940) - film director
* [[Faramarz Soleimani]] (b. 1940) - poet
* [[Yasubedin Rastegar Jooybari]] (b. 1940) - cleric
* [[Mohammad Donyavi]] (b. 1942 - musician
* [[Reza Allamehzadeh]] (b. 1943) - film director
* [[Mina Assadi]] (b. 1943) - poet
* [[Hamid Ahmadi (born 1945)|Hamid Ahmadi]] (b. 1945) - historian
* [[Elaheh Koulaei]] (b. 1956) - politician
* [[Ali Kordan]] (1958-2009) - politician
* [[Askari Mohammadian]] (b. 1963) - wrestler
* [[Farshid Moussavi]] (b. 1965) - architect
* [[Majid Torkan]] (b. 1965) - wrestler
* [[Abdolhossein Mokhtabad]] (b. 1966) - singer
* [[Ali Nazari Juybari]] (b. 1967) - football administrator
* [[Mahmoud Fekri]] (b. 1969) - football player
* [[Mohsen Emadi]] (b. 1976) - poet
* [[Ebrahim Taghipour]] (b. 1976) - football player
* [[Morad Mohammadi]] (b. 1980) - wrestler
* [[Mehdi Hajizadeh]] (b. 1981) - wrestler
* [[Sam Dastyari]] (b. 1983) - Australian politician
* [[Hossein Rajabian]] (b. 1984) - Filmmaker- Photographer- Writer
* [[Rouhollah Arab]] (b. 1984) - football player
* [[Shahab Gordan]] (b. 1984) - football player
* [[Sheys Rezaei]] (b. 1984) - football player
* [[Reza Yazdani]] (b. 1984) - wrestler
* [[Mehdi Momeni]] (b. 1985) - football player
* [[Abbas Dabbaghi]] (b. 1987) - wrestler
* [[Mohammad Reza Barari]] (b. 1988) - weightlifter
* [[Masoud Esmaeilpour]] (b. 1988) - wrestler
* [[Komeil Ghasemi]] (b. 1988) - wrestler
* [[Mehdi Rajabian]] ( b.1989) musician
* [[Taha Mortazavi]] (b. 1988) - [[futsal]] player
* [[Mohammad Abbaszadeh]] (b. 1990) - football player
* [[Omid Alishah]] (b. 1992) - football player
* [[Ezzatollah Akbari]] (b. 1992) - wrestler

==Sister cities==
* {{flagicon|Iraq}} [[Najaf]]
* {{Flagicon|Belarus}} [[Gomel]]
* {{Flagicon|Russia}} [[Astrakhan]]
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Ancona]]

==Mayor==
* Mehdi Obouri

==Notes==
{{reflist|1}}

==References==
* About Sari, Author: Dr. Hussein Eslami, Year: 1995, Special Municipal Research & Cultural Center for Sari
* Sari, My Lovely City, Author: Ali Hessami, Year: 2006, 23965 Sari Primary Library

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sari, Iran}}
* [https://www.britannica.com/place/Sari-Iran Sārī in Encyclopædia Britannica]
*{{Wikivoyage-inline|Sari}}
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Sāri|short=x}}

{{Sari County}}
{{Mazandaran Province}}




[[Category:Sari, Iran| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Mazandaran Province]]
[[Category:Iranian provincial capitals]]
[[Category:Populated places in Sari County|*]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Caspian Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Iran]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Iran]]
[[Category:Former capitals of Iran]]
[[Category:70th millennium BC]]
[[Category:Cities in Iran]]