TEHRAN-- A festival devoted to making snowmen was kept in the city of Tuyserkan, west-central province of Hamedan on Monday, a regional tourism official has said.The event was held as a part of a winter season celebration, which is currently underway throughout Hamedan, Eshaq Torkashvand described on Tuesday.

This event intended to promote nature tourist as well as increase social vigor in the region, the main added.Earlier in January, Hamedans deputy tourist chief Ali Khaksar revealed that Hamedan is arranging a huge winter festival, scheduled to be held from February 13 to March 8.

We intend to hold a different event filled with social joy and cheerfulness, the main said.There will be both snow-related and non-snow-related programs, in addition to craft, memento, and culinary exhibits, a pumpkin celebration, health and appeal activities, a coffee and chocolate exhibition, and a snowman-making competitors, he explained.Winter video games, making snow sculptures, storytelling sessions, ski trips, puppet programs, and gastronomy occasions are other programs prepared for the festival.Known in classical times as Ecbatana, Hamedan was one of the ancient worlds greatest cities.

Pitifully little remains from antiquity, but substantial parts of the city center are provided over to excavations.

Ecbatana was the capital of Media and consequently a summer season home of the Achaemenian kings who ruled Persia from 553 to 330 BC.Hamadan has had numerous names: it was perhaps the Bit Daiukki of the Assyrians, Hangmatana, or Agbatana, to the Medes, and Ecbatana to the Greeks.

Among the Median capitals, under Cyrus II (the Great; passed away 529 BC) and later on Achaemenian rulers, it was the site of a royal summer palace.

About 1220 Hamedan was damaged by the Mongols.

In 1386 it was sacked by Timur (Tamerlane), a Turkic conqueror, and the residents massacred.

It was partially brought back in the 17th century and consequently changed hands typically between Iranian ruling homes and the Ottomans.

Sitting on a high plain, Hamedan is enthusiastically cool in August however snow vulnerable and freezing from December to March.

In summer season the air is often hazy.Ali Sadr cave, Ganjnameh engravings, Avicenna Mausoleum, Hegmataneh hill, Alaviyan dome, Jameh mosque, and St.

Stephanos Gregorian Church are amongst Hamedans destinations to name a few.ABU/