Meidan Emam, Esfahan – World Cultural Heritage in Iran

Built by Shah Abbas I the Great in the early 17th century, and surrounded by massive buildings linked by a series of two-story domes, the site is known for the Royal Mosque. house, the Sheykh Lotfollah Mosque, the magnificent Portico of Qaysariyyeh and the 15th-century Timurid palace. They are impressive testimony to the level of social and cultural life in Persia during the Safavid era.

Accreditation year: 1979
Criteria: (i)(v)(vi)
Esfahan

Table of Contents

Outstanding global value

Meidan Emam is a public urban square in the center of Esfahan, a city located on the main north-south and east-west roads that cross central Iran. It is one of the largest city squares in the world and an outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture. Built in the early 17th century by Safavid shah Abbas I, the square is surrounded by two-story domes and anchored on each side by four magnificent buildings: to the east is the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque; to the west, Ali Qapu’s pavilion; in the north, the gate of Qeyssariyeh; and to the south, the famous Royal Mosque. A homogeneous urban complex built according to a unique, coherent and harmonious plan, Meidan Emam is the heart of the Safavid capital and a distinctive urban reality.

Also known as Naghsh-e Jahan (“Image of the World”), and formerly Meidan-e Shah, Meidan Emam is not typical of the urban population in Iran, where cities are usually located. tight and without large open spaces. In contrast, Esfahan’s public square is very large: 560 m long x 160 m wide, occupying nearly 9 hectares. All the architectural elements that make up the square, including the rows of shops, have a remarkable aesthetic, decorated with numerous glazed ceramic tiles and paintings.

Of particular interest is the Royal Mosque (Masjed-e Shah), located on the south side of the square and facing Mecca. It remains the most famous example of colorful architecture that reached its peak in Iran during the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722; 1729-1736). Ali Qapu’s pavilion to the west forms the monumental entrance to the palatial precinct and to the royal gardens extending behind it. Its apartments, tall gates, and covered terraces (tâlâr) are famous. The Qeyssariyeh Gate in the north leads to the 2 km long Esfahan Market and the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque in the east, built as a private mosque for the imperial court, is today considered one of the masterpieces of ants. Safavid architecture.

Meidan Emam is the center of culture, economy, religion, social power, government and politics of the Safavid capital. Its vast sandy promenade was used for celebrations, public walks and executions, for polo and military gatherings. The arcades on all sides of the square have hundreds of shops; above the eaves leading to the large Qeyssariyeh market, a balcony for musicians who give concerts to the public; Ali Qapu’s tâlâr was connected from the rear to the throne room, where the shah occasionally received emissaries. In short, the royal square of Esfahan is the preeminent monument of Persian social and cultural life during the Safavid dynasty.

Criterion (i): Meidan Emam forms a homogeneous urban population, built in a short period of time according to a unique, coherent and harmonious plan. All the monuments facing the square are aesthetically remarkable. Of particular interest is the Royal Mosque, which is connected to the south side of the square by a wide, deep entrance gate with inclined angles and topped by a half-dome, the interior of which is covered with paintings. inlaid with glazed porcelain. This gate, surrounded by two minarets, is extended to the south by an official gate hall (iwan) that leads at an angle to the courtyard, thus connecting the mosque, traditionally oriented towards northeast/southwest (towards Mecca), with the ensemble of the square, oriented north/south. The Esfahan Royal Mosque remains the most famous example of the colorful architecture that reached its peak in Iran during the Safavid dynasty. Ali Qapu’s pavilion forms the monumental entrance to the palatial precinct and to the royal gardens that extend behind it. Its apartments, decorated entirely with paintings and largely open to the outside, are famous. Above the square is a tall gate (48 meters) surrounded by several floors of rooms and above it is a terrace (tâlâr) shaded by a practical roof perched on 18 thin wooden columns. All architectural elements of the Meidan Imam, including the arches, are decorated with numerous glazed ceramic tiles and paintings, of which floral ornamentation is predominant – flowering plants, vases, bouquets, etc. – without prejudice to figurative works in the style of Riza-i Abbasi, who headed the painting school in Esfahan during the reign of Shah Abbas and is celebrated both inside and outside of Persia.

Criterion (v): Royal Square of Esfahan is a special urban structure in Iran, where cities are often tightly arranged and have no open space, except for the courtyards of the caravanserais. road). This is an example of an inherently vulnerable form of urban architecture.

Criterion (vi): Meidan Imam is the center of Safavid capital. Its vast sandy promenade was used for promenades, army gatherings, polo games, celebrations and public executions. The arcades on all sides have shops; above the eaves leading to the large Qeyssariyeh market, a balcony for musicians who give concerts to the public; Ali Qapu’s tâlâr was connected from the rear to the throne room, where the shah occasionally received emissaries. In short, the royal square of Esfahan is the preeminent monument of Persian social and cultural life during the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722; 1729-1736).

Integrity

Within the boundaries of the heritage are placed all the elements and components necessary to express the Outstanding Universal Value of the heritage, including, among other things, public urban squares and arches. two floors demarcate it, Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque, Ali Qapu’s pavilion, Qeyssariyeh’s archway and the Royal Mosque.

Threats to property integrity include economic development, increased pressure to allow commercial buildings and multi-storey car parks in the historic center of the buffer zone; plans to widen the road, threatening the property’s boundaries; increasing number of tourists; and fire.

Authenticity

The historic sites at Meidan Emam, Esfahan, are authentic in form and design, materials and content, location and setting and spirit. The surface of the public urban square, once covered with sand, is now paved with stone. A pond was placed in the center of the square, lawns were installed in the 1990s and two entrances were added to the northeastern and western ranges of the square. These and future renovations, undertaken by Cultural Heritage specialists, nonetheless use local knowledge and technology in a way that maintains the authenticity of the heritage site.

Management and protection requirements

Meidan Emam, Esfahan, is public property, registered in the list of national monuments of Iran in item no. 102 January 5, 1932, according to the Law on Protection of National Heritage (1930, updated 1998) and the Law on Conservation of National Monuments of Iran (1982). Also registered individually are the Royal Mosque (Masjed-e Shah) (no. 107), Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque (no. 105), Ali Qapu pavilion (no. 104) and the Qeyssariyeh gate (no. 103) . The site is recognized as a World Heritage Site, owned by the Government of Iran, and its buffer zone is managed and supervised by the Cultural Heritage, Crafts and Tourism Organization of Iran (by the Government of Iran). Managed and funded by Iran), through the agency’s Esfahan office. Urban square enclosure; The markets around the square and the shops in the area around the square are owned by the Sponsor’s Office. There is a comprehensive city plan, but no Management Plan for the property. Financial resources (recognized as insufficient) are provided through central, provincial,

Maintaining the site’s Outstanding Universal Value over time will require the development, approval and implementation of a Management Plan for the heritage, in consultation with all stakeholders, identifying strategic vision for the heritage and its buffer zone, consider infrastructure needs, and establish a process for evaluating and controlling major development projects, with the goal of ensuring that any The property is not subject to the adverse effects of the development process.