Sarakhs

This article is about the city in Iran. For the twin town across the border in Turkmenistan, see Sarahs. For the administrative subdivisions of Iran, see Sarakhs County and Sarakhs Rural District.

Sarakhs سرخس
City
Sarakhs
Coordinates: 36°32′42″N 61°09′28″E
Country	Iran
Province	Razavi Khorasan
County	Sarakhs
Bakhsh	Central
Population  (2016 Census)
• Total	42,179
Time zone	UTC+3:30 (IRST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4:30 (IRDT)
Sarakhs at GEOnet Names Server

Sarakhs (Persian: سرخس, romanized: Saraxs, also Romanized as Serakhs) is a city in Sarakhs County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Sarakhs was once a stopping point along the Silk Road, and in its 11th century heyday had many libraries. Much of the original city site is now just across the border at Serakhs in Turkmenistan. According to the most recent national census, in 2006, the city's population was 33,571 in 8,066 families.

History

Main article: Battle of Sarakhs

Loghman Baba mausoleum, Sarakhs, built in 1356 and recently partially restored.

Several battles were fought in this area. According to Ferdowsi's Shahnameh the town has existed since the Afrasiab period and was named for its builder, Sarakhs, son of Godarz, by Keykavus. Turkmen historians consider the city to have been founded over 2500 years ago. The Mongols plundered and destroyed Sarakhs in 1221 AD. It was rebuilt in the mid-19th century by the order of Nasser-al-Din Shah of the Qajar dynasty. The city was also attacked by the Turkmens.

Geography

Sarakhs weather is cold in winter, warm and dry in summer thanks to the influence of the Karakum Desert. On July 7, 2021, the record high temperature of 48.7 °C (119.7 °F) was registered.

Sarakhs city, with an area of more than 5,000 square kilometers, is located in the northeast of Khorasan Razavi province, next to the border between Iran and the Republic of Turkmenistan, 180 kilometers east of Mashhad. It is located approximately between the meridians 30 to 60 and 15 to 61 degrees east and between the two orbits 36 and 36 to 40 degrees north. The natural boundary of the region to the south is determined by the Kashfarud River, the eastern boundary by the Tajan River (from the confluence of the Harirud River and the Kashfar River), and the natural western and southwestern boundaries by the last extensions of the Kopeh Dagh heights. It is bounded on the north and east by the Republic of Turkmenistan, on the west by the city of Mashhad, and on the south by the city of Torbat-e Jam.

Landmarks

The main historical site of Sarakhs is the partly restored Loghman Baba mausoleum in a field just north of the town. It was built in 1356AD (757AH).

In Sarakhs district within 80 km of Sarakhs town are:

• Bazangan lake
• Mazdavand cave and reservoir
• Iran–Turkmenistan Friendship Dam
• Ribat Sharaf Caravanserai
• Khatun Bridge (five-arched stone bridge between Iran and Turkmenistan)
• Tomb of Baba Loghman
• Sarakhs Special Economic Zone

Transport

More than a century after the early proposals of a cross-border railway at this location, the railways of Iran and Turkmenistan were finally linked here in 1996. A bogie exchange is needed to overcome a break of gauge. This will be supplemented with a quicker SUW 2000 variable gauge axles track gauge changing facility (TSR).