What is Natanz?
{{Infobox settlement |official_name = Natanz |native_name = نطنز |settlement_type = city |image_skyline = Tomb_of_Sheikh_Abdolsamad,_Natanz.jpg |imagesize = 260px |image_caption = Tomb of [[Abdas-Samad Esfahani|Abd al_Samad]], built in 1304. |pushpin_map = Iran |mapsize = 150px |subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]] |subdivision_name = {{flag|Iran}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Iran|Province]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Isfahan Province|Isfahan]] |subdivision_type2 = [[Counties of Iran|County]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Natanz County|Natanz]] |subdivision_type3 = [[Bakhsh]] |subdivision_name3 = [[Central District (Natanz County)|Central]] |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title = |established_date = |area_total_km2 = |area_footnotes = |population_as_of = 2006 |population_total = 12060 |population_density_km2 = auto |timezone = [[Iran Standard Time|IRST]] |utc_offset = +3:30 |timezone_DST = [[Iran Daylight Time|IRDT]] |utc_offset_DST = +4:30 |elevation_m = |website = |area_code = |footnotes = }} '''Natanz''' is a city in the [[arid]] center of [[Iran]]. The city lies in an [[oasis]] in the [[desert]]. The city is located about {{convert|40|km|mi}} southeast of [[Kashan]]. About 12,000 people live in the city. The city is well known for the [[pear]]s grown there. There are [[shrine]]s in the area, for example that of [[Abdas-Samad Esfahani]]. He was a [[Sufism|Sufi]] who died in Natanz in 1299 CE. King [[Darius III]] was killed in the mountains near the city, about 330 BC. The village [[Abyaneh]], near Natanz is a well-known holiday resort today. Before [[Ismail I]] made [[Twelvers|Twelver]] [[Islam]] the [[state religion]], it was a center of [[Zoroastrianism]]. Zoroastrianism originated in Iran, around 1000