Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was an ancient capital in the Safavid dynasty and nowadays is known as the calligraphy capital of Iran. It is famous for its Baghlava, carpet patterns, poets, political newspaper and pahlavi (middle Persian) influence on its accent. At the 2011 census, its population was 381,598.
Located in 150 km (93 mi) northwest of Tehran, in the Qazvin province, it is at an altitude of about 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level. The climate is cold but dry, due to its position south of the rugged Alborz range called KTS Atabakiya.
