Isfahan is a major city in the Central District of the Isfahan Province of Iran. It is located 440 kilometres (270 miles) south of Tehran and is the capital of Isfahan Province. The city has a population of approximately 2,220,000, making it the second -largest city in Iran, after Tehran and the second-largest metropolitan area. The city retains much of its history. It is famous for its Perso–Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian proverb Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast (Isfahan is half (of) the world). Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world, and UNESCO has designated it a World Heritage Site.
