伊斯法罕为伊朗第三大城市，是伊斯法罕省的省会。据2006年统计，有人口1,583,609人。

伊斯法罕早在玛代王国时已存在。在公元前六世纪中叶时成为居鲁士二世的阿契美尼德帝国治下的一个大城市。在前330年的马其顿王国军队入侵时遭受破坏，后被修复，并在塞琉古帝国、阿尔沙克王朝及萨珊王朝时期为一重要城镇。公元640年阿拉伯帝国占据伊斯法罕时也遭受毁坏，后被修复；穆斯林式的建筑亦随之出现，并开始了伊斯兰时代的繁荣和辉煌。伊斯法罕曾在1051年至1118年为塞尔柱帝国的都城。在1387年时被当时的帖木儿攻占及蹂躏，一共屠杀了7万人。其后在1453年，伊斯法罕重新被创建，其光辉在17世纪的萨非王朝达至高峰，人口最高达到60万人，更第二次成为伊朗的国都。现今的伊斯法罕为伊朗一文化古都，城内的伊玛目广场亦被列入世界遗产之内。

Isfahan (Persian:اصفهان‎‎,  pronunciation ), also Romanized as Esfahān historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan, Esfahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 kilometres (211 miles) south of Tehran. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 1,756,126 and its built-up (or metro) area was home to 2,391,738 inhabitants including Khomeynishahr, Shahinshahr, Khvorasgan, Dorcheh Piaz, Falavarjan, Kelishad Va Sudarjan, Abrisham, Kushk and Kharizsang cities. The Greater Isfahan Region had a population of 3,793,104 in the 2011 Census, the third most populous metropolitan area in Iran after Tehran and Mashhad. The counties of Isfahan, Borkhar, Najafabad, Khomeynishahr, Shahinshahr, Mobarakeh, Falavarjan, Tiran o Karvan and Lenjan all constitute the metropolitan city of Isfahan.