The Stone Lion of Hamedan sits in the middle of a park today in Hamedan.

The stone lion of Hamedan (Shir -e Sangi) is a historical monument in Hamedan, Iran. This page is about city of Hamedan. ... This page is about city of Hamedan. ...

The stone lion sits on a hill where a Parthian era cemetery is said to have been located at. Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ...

When first built, this statue had a twin counterpart for which they both constituted the old gate of the city. During the Islamic conquest of Persia, the victorious Arabs referred to the gate as "bab ul-asad" (the lion gates). The neutrality of this article is disputed. ...

The gates were demolished in 931CE as the Deylamids took over the city.

Mardāvij unsuccessfully tried transporting one of the lions to Ray. Angered by the failure to move them, he ordered them to be demolished. One lion was completely destroyed, while the other had its arm broken and pulled to the ground. The half demolished lion lay on its side on the ground until 1949, when it was raised again, using a supplemental arm that was built into it. Mardavij or MAJ (also spelled as Mardaviz, Mardavich, Mardavige, and Mardavaz), was the founder of Ziyarids who successfully defeated the Abbasids army firstly in Hamadan (in the mid west of Iran), and finally in Kashan and Isfahan (the central cities of the country). ... Ray, is one of the oldest cities of Iran. ...

Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization reports that the lions were first thought to have been built by the orders of Alexander the Great to commemorate the death of his lover Hephaestion. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization (سازمان میراث فرهنگی) is an educational and research institution overseeing numerous associated museum complexes throughout Iran. ... Alexander the Great (in Greek , transliterated Megas Alexandros) (July 356 BC – June 11, 323 BC), King of Macedon (336–323 BC), is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient Greeks before his death. ... Hephaestion (born ca. ...

Reference

• Simaye Miras-i Farhangi-i Hamedan, Iran Cultural Heritage Organization, ISBN 9647483686, 2003