Whenever the name of Hiran comes, the name of Nazanin village comes along. There are different speculations and interpretations when it comes to the name of Hiran, but the most common one according to historical sources would be the following:
There was a bishop named Mar Yaqub, lived in Aquban area who had two daughters with the names of Hilal and Nazli. The area also had two big gardens owned by the bishop who later gave the gardens to his daughters. With the passing time, the name got changed to Hiran and Nazanin.
The history of Hiran is very old, it could go back to the times before Christ.
Hiran town is located in Shaqlawa’s Erbil governorate. With the efforts of martyr and author Shakir Fatah, Wahid Bag Hirani and Agha Wahid Bag Hirani, the village of Hiran was turned into a sub-district in 1954, which was then called Khoshnaw where hospital and Saray was built. The town has 15 government administrative buildings and consists of 18 villages such as Spigra, Chneran, Aqubani, Puniga, Garota, Baraka, Kawartiyan, Aspindara, Friz, Lasa, Trgala, Ziyarat, Sulawki, Nawdarok, Mander, Awder, and Birokan)
Hiran town located in eastern side of Safeen mountain and nearly 23 kilometers east of Shaqlawa district.
The Hiran town gave birth to a number of well-known people such as Kurdish poet Safi Hirani (1873-1942) whom had poems written in Kurdosh, Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages. He had given himself a surname which he was known for (Safi) which means purity of heart and soul. Following his death, his son, Ali (1900-1977) continues his father’s legacy.
Tourism:
- R. Hey Erbil’s political ruler during the British occupation (1918-1920) in his memo under the title “Two Years in Kurdistan” seems amazed by the beauty of Hiran area, saying: passing through Jali water then passing from the eastern side of Safeen mountain then go through Nazanin until we reach Hiran. The smell of natural plants in the area is all over the air. The natural beauty of the area, the springs and gardens has attracted thousands of visitors each summer from the Kurdistan Region and other areas of Iraq. While during the winter season, the snowfall also attracts many tourists.
The antiquities:
Grd Bapir or Bapir Grd is an old archeological site that dates back to the Sasani era in the years between 226-632 BA. It’s a high site between villages of Friz and Mander. On top of the hill, the trail of the citadel and the old houses is clearly visible. The fallen walls, and the remains of the fallen houses can also be seen including the cemetery on the eastern side of the site.
Grdbanishkan: this archeological site was found on November 28, 1949 by two famous archeologists Taha Baqr and Fuad Safar which is a historical evidence of the Kurdish and Babylonian presence which also goes back to the Assyrian empire between the years of 612 to 911. It is also located on high hill south of Dore village and north of Hiran town. The trail of the fallen walls and fallen houses are still visible in the area.
By Sartip Agha Wahid Beg