Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
translucent tiling. Arcaded cloisters around inner courtyards, open galleries, and arches
within arches were notable developments.
The Safavids
Under a succession of enlightened and cultiv-
ated rulers, most notably Shah Abbas I, came
the final refinement of styles that marked the
culmination of the Persian Islamic school of
architecture. Its greatest expression was Ab-
bas' royal capital of Esfahan, a supreme ex-
ample of town planning with one of the most
magnificent collections of buildings from one
period anywhere in the world - the vast and
unforgettable Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Sq (
Click here
).
Other fine examples of Safavid architecture are at Qazvin (
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)
, while the Holy
Shrine (
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)
of Imam Reza at Mashhad gained much of its present magnificence in
Safavid times.
During the Safavid period Shah Abbas the Great
ordered 999 caravanserais to be built. Of them, only
two were circular, one near Esfahan and the other at
Zein-o-din, south of Yazd. The latter has been re-
stored and turned into a wonderful hotel (see Cara-
vanserai Zein-o-din,
Click here
).
The Qajars
The Qajar period (1795-1925) marks the rather unhappy transition between the golden
age of Persian Safavid architecture and the creeping introduction of Western-inspired uni-
formity from the mid-19th century. Now widely regarded as tasteless, flimsy and unin-
spired, the often colourful Qajar style did produce some fine buildings, including the Go-
lestan Palace (
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)
in Tehran and the stately mansions in Kashan (
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)
.
