People of Armenian , Kurdish , Turkish and Persian origin live side by side as did once the Urartians , the Medes and the Assyrians. A Church with a tall , square belfry , dedicated to the Virgin Mary , has for its neighbor for the Shiite Friday Mosque , its exquisitely sculptured Mihrab is a splendid specimen of Seljuk art (12th and 13th centuries).

Apparently in olden times , when the water of the upper reaches of the lake were a good deal sweeter , the region had been even more fertile. There are traces of ancient civilizations all over the place. Nomad tribes frequented that "Riviera" as early as eight thousands years B.C. legend has it that Zoroaster was born there and we are assured that the Three Wise Men from the East crossed the region on their way to Bethlehem. At Hasanlu , near Hyderabad (80 km South of Uromiyeh) , around the south-western corner of the lake , the remnants of tombs have yielded glazed pottery as well as gold and silver objects. Modern Uromiyeh is characterized by the joint activities and coexistence of Iranians of diverse racial groups and religions.

Lake Orumieh with an area of approximately expanding to 6100 square kilometers is the largest lake in Iran. It is a salt lake that is believed to have therapeutic benefits especially for rheumatisms. The lake area is undeveloped with a few ports , hotels and spa resorts. On the second largest island in the lake called Kabudi , there is a small village. On Kabudi , you will find many different birds including flamingo and pelican. Because it is a conservation area , foreigners need a special permit to visit the island