Malāyer

Malayer lies in the high plains south of Hamadan, between the valleys leading towards Nahavand and Borujerd. Nearby Tepe Nush-i Jan preserves a Median complex of ancient halls, a fort and sanctuaries where fire was tended. The columned hall and the distinctive temple are among the oldest surviving examples of monumental architecture in this part of the Zagros.

The town of Malayer was founded in 1809 under the Qajar ruler Fath Ali Shah, through his son Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatshah. Another prince, Sheikh Ali Mirza, governed Malayer and Tuyserkan from 1809 until 1835. Its foundation gave the surrounding district a new seat of authority. The new centre took shape among older villages and agricultural lands, in a district whose settlement history reached back long before the Qajar foundation.