ISFAHAN HALF OF THE WORLD
Cultural Heritage News
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June 12 2009
Isfahan flourished under the Safavid Dynasty and is renowned for its
outstanding Islamic and Iranian architecture. In those times, it had
a population of one million and boasted of many parks, libraries,
public baths, shops and mosques that amazed domestic and foreign
visitors alike, CHTN reported.
One of the great works of Shah Abbas in that period was Naqsh-e
Jahan ("Pattern of the world") Square which is a jewel in Isfahan’s
crown. This majestic complex comprises commercial, worship and
aristocratic buildings designed with a view to aesthetics and visual
harmony.
Tourist Spots
To the west of Imam Square, a beautiful tree-lined boulevard offers
delightful hours of walking under its cool green shades. Chahar Bagh
is the main street of Isfahan and traverses Zayandeh Rud. Some of
the world’s most picturesque bridges have been built on this river.
Another place worth spending hours is the city’s four-mile labyrinthine
bazaar, with its majestic Qeysarieh Portal in Imam Square.
Andre Malraux, the famous French author and adventurer, says, "Who can
claim to have seen the most beautiful city of the world without having
seen Isfahan?" Therefore, do not hesitate to visit the Florence of
Iran whose well-proportioned mosques and their turquoise blue domes
and minarets rival the color of the sky.
Ali-Qapu Palace
The name Aali-Qapu, meaning "Magnificent Gate", was given to this
place as it was right at the entrance of the Safavid palaces that
stretched from Naqsh-e Jahan Square to Chahar Bagh Boulevard. Built
at the end of 16th century, the royal palace was used to entertain
visitors and foreign ambassadors.
Aali-Qapu is 48 meters high and has five floors, with a wide terrace
whose ceiling is inlaid and supported by wooden columns. It offers
a wonderful panoramic view of the square and the best view of Imam
Mosque. The interior of the building is decorated with paintings by
Reza Abbasi, the renowned Persian miniaturist. On the upper floor,
the music room is also decorated with plasterwork representing pots
and vessels.
Imam Mosque
Imam Mosque, formerly called Shah Mosque, is one of the greatest
architectural achievements of Shah Abbas I who built it to complete
the magnificent central square of Isfahan. Work started on its
outstanding entrance in 1611 and it was not until 1629, the last year
of Shah Abbas’s reign when the mosque was completed, although minor
decorations were added during the reign of his descendants.
The height of the entrance’s minarets is 48 meters, southern minarets
42 meters and central dome 52 meters. Due to double-layering the
interior, its ceiling is 36.3 meters high, and the hollow space in
between is responsible for the loud echoes heard when you stamp your
foot below the dome.
The entrance faces the square as a counterpoint to the Qeysarieh
portal, but the mosque is designed to point in the direction of
Mecca. A short corridor leads into the inner courtyard, which has a
pool and is surrounded by four corridors, each of which leads into a
vaulted sanctuary. There are also two theological schools, a marble
prayer niche and a pulpit at the head of stairs on which the speaker
sits, which are beautifully crafted.
The mosque is completely covered, both inside and outside, with
dazzling tiles. An estimated 18 million bricks and 472,500 tiles have
been used in the building. The richness of its blue-tiled mosaic
designs, the unity of the overall structure and its perfectly
proportioned Safavid-era architecture form a visually stunning
monument.
Chehel Sotoun
This building, now a veritable museum of Persian painting and
ceramics, was a pleasure pavilion used for the king’s entertainments
and receptions. It stands inside a vast royal park, but near the
enclosure, and was built by Shah Abbas II around an earlier building
erected by Shah Abbas I.
An inscription states that the decoration and frescoes were completed
in 1647. Only two large historical frescoes date from the later period
of the Zand dynasty. Unfortunately, the Chehel Sotoun has been badly
damaged since then, especially when the Afghans occupied the town
and covered the paintings with a thick coat of whitewash. It is now
being extensively restored under the aegis of the Institute Italiano
Per il Medio Orient.
The pavilion opens onto the gardens through an elegant terrace, only
a few steps high and supported by slender, delicate wooden pillars. In
reality, there were never more than 20 columns, but their reflections
can be seen in the park’s pool and, hence, Iranians call the building
"pavilion with forty columns" (besides, the number 40 has a symbolic
meaning in Persia and expresses respect and admiration).
Two rows of water-spouts and fountains in the shape of stone lions
at the four corners carried water to the huge, elegant rectangular
basin. The terrace is a marvel of elegance. The slender pillars
support a light wooden ceiling with wide fretwork louvers. This clearly
shows the influence of East Asian architecture. Part of the sumptuous
decoration has disappeared.
Picture the back wall covered with mirrors, doors made of rare
carved wood and the pillars, each cut from a single plane tree,
with their fine veneer, their brightly colored paintings and studs of
colored glass. The remarkable ceiling is till intact with its beams,
its covering, its painted wood louvers and its carefully designed
rosettes, suns, stars, stylized fruit and foliage.
The great wooden ceilings–a rare luxury in a country so lacking in
treesÃ’are guarded by four lions that support the central columns.
Shahrestan Bridge
It is one of the oldest bridges of Isfahan on Zayandeh Rud.
Most of the 11-arched stone and brick structure is believed to
date from Sassanid period prior to Islam and have been repaired and
completed under the Dailamites and the Seljukids. The name Shahrestan
comes from the village located to the east of Isfahan, which is now
a part of the city.
Vank Cathedral
Vank Cathedral, built between 1606 and 1655 with the encouragement
of Shah Abbas, is the historical focal point of Armenian Church in
Iran. It is located in Jolfa, the Armenian quarter south of Si-o-Seh
Pol. The church’s interior unlike its exterior is richly decorated
with beautiful paintings and miniatures that represent biblical
traditions and images of angels and apostles.
It shows the curious mixture of styles, Islamic tiles and designs
alongside Christian imagery. The attached Vank Cathedral’s museum
displays historical records and relics, and the edicts of Iranian
kings dating back to the time of Shah Abbas I. It also contains an
interesting collection of artworks.
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar of Isfahan, the heritage of the Seljuk and Safavid
eras is one of the oldest and largest bazaars of the Middle East. It
stretches from Imam Square to Jame’ Mosque several kilometers away.
The bazaar can be entered at dozens of points along its winding route,
but the main entrance is via the Qeysarieh Portal at the northern end
of Imam Square. The high gateway is decorated with tiles and, higher
up, frescoes by Reza Abbasi depicting Shah Abbas’s war with the Uzbeks.
Like most Iranian bazaars, Grand Bazaar is loosely divided into
several interconnected corridors, each specializing in a particular
trade or product, with carpet dealers, goldsmiths, samovar-makers,
shoemakers and dyers, all having their own quarters.
You can also find several mosques, tea shops, bathhouses and even
gardens. Small apertures in the vaulted roof let in sufficient light
yet kept out the intense heat of summer and retained warmth in winter.
Hasht Behesht Palace
Hasht Behesht, a two-story palace, is located in the middle of
Bagh-e Bolbol.
Built about 1669 by Shah Sulieman’s commission, it was once surrounded
by a vast garden and similar buildings, of which nothing remains except
this interesting and beautiful palace. It consists of an octagonal
base on which four corridors and four smaller sets of chambers are
raised, while the center is surmounted by a spectacular ceiling.
The domed ceiling of the main reception room is painted in purple on
a glittering gold base. Painted tile designs of birds, animals and
hunting scenes, found on the spandrels of the outer blind arches,
enliven the facades of Hasht Behesht. The palace owes its fame, apart
from its architectural and decorative merits, to the lavish use of
marble slabs, vault decorations and excellent tilework dotted with
scenes of animals (birds, beasts of prey and reptiles) covering the
building on the outside.
Si-o-se Pol
Allahverdi Khan Bridge, built on a section of Zayandeh Rud, is a
continuation of Chahar Bagh, the principal street in Isfahan.
Built at the beginning of 17th century on the order of Shah Abbas,
it is named after a famous general. It is also called Si-o-Se Pol
(Bridge of 33 Arches). It is said that the bridge originally comprised
40 arches, but this number gradually reduced to 33. It is the longest
bridge in the city and is 45 feet wide and 175 yards long. Although it
looks impressive, it does not have the same archeological or aesthetic
interest as the two other bridges farther downstream.
Hammam-e Sheikh Bahai
The bath of Sheikh Bahai is located in a small street named after him
in the southern section of the old bazaar close to Masjed-e-Jam’e. It
derives its fame mainly from the story that it was warmed by a single
candle placed in a closed space, which never needed a replacement.
The candle was larger than the ones normally placed on tables and
the clay pipes, which supplied the water, became unusable many years
ago. According to his own instructions, the candle would not work once
it is dismantled. Unfortunately, this happened during the repair of
the building and no one could make the system work again.
Monar Jonban (Shaking Minaret)
It is a mausoleum built over the grave of Abu Abdollah and dates back
to Safavid period. Minarets on both sides of the mausoleum and its
porch are the main attractions of this place. Because of the ratio
between the height and width of the minarets, any movement produced in
one of the minarets is automatically replicated by the other minaret.
The corridor of the mausoleum has been decorated with polygonal azure
tiles, and the inscription on the tombstone reads as follows:
"This is the tomb of the virtuous, god-fearing Sheikh Abu Abdullah
ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud Saqla, my God bless his soul. Dated (17th
Zil-Hijja, 716 AH)."
As Iran’s artistic and historical center, Isfahan offers a wide
range of charming choices to tourists keen on visiting monuments and
picturesque landscapes. They can also purchase Isfahan’s fine carpets,
handicrafts, souvenirs and sweets.