Arak is a large town in north-central Iran, located on the eastern fringe of the Zagros Mountains. It was founded in the early nineteenth/thirteenth century AH, and originally called Sultanabad. Arak did not become an important town until the end of the nineteenth century/beginning of the fourteenth century AH, when the local industry of carpet weaving grew to accommodate demand from abroad. At this time, the population substantially expanded. Among the historic monuments of Arak is its bazaar, which includes a well-preserved street grid as well as several buildings dating to the Qajar period.
Sources:
Bosworth, C.E., and X. de Planol. "Arāk." Encyclopaedia Iranica. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/arak (accessed July 11, 2018).
