Seljuk minarets of Esfahan

Seljuk minarets of Esfahan

Minarets were used as observation posts or watch towers and guided desert caravans towards the cities both in pre-Islamic weal’s the post-Islamic periods. Nowadays they stand high and proud in the towns and their outskirts. They are of great significance both architecturally, and with their brick ornamentations, aesthetically. The name minaret comes from the word Nar meaning fire and originally during the Zoroastrian time was used for keeping that everlasting and sacred fire. Later in the Islamic period, they were used as a point from which to call the faithful to prayer. Cheheldokhtaran, sareban, and Ali mosque Minarets are among those that will be briefly described as Seljuk minarets of Esfahan.

Cheheldokhtar minaret

Cheheldokhtarmeans forty Girls, however; the reason for this name remains an intriguing mystery. It is located in an ancient quarter of jubareh and reaches as high as 40 m.

This beautiful and straightforward minaret has fine brickwork embellishments and a brick inscription introducing the founder and giving the date of construction as 1107.

Sereban minaret

One of the most beautiful minarets of the Seljuk dynasty in Iran is to be found in a quarter called jubareh and is close to another Seljuk minaret, cheheldokhtaran. It is approximately 54m high. The decorations on this minaret are in seven parts, starting from the bottom, the first layer is of simple brickwork whilst the second and third layers are of magnificently decorated bricks. The fourth layer is the first crown of the minaret with fine pendentives and turquoise tile work combined with inscriptions in brickwork. Again, the fifth layer is of brick, the second crown of the minaret and the final, seventh layer is the apex. The date of minaret construction goes back to the late 11 century.

Ali minaret

Is built next to a mosque with the same name on Harun velayat Street and dates back to the late 11^th century. It is the remnant of a Seljuk Mosque. It is 52 m high and is decorated with very fine brickwork and turquoise tile inscriptions, enhancing its beauty. The adjacent current mosque belongs to the Safavid dynasty (16 century).

Rahrovan Minaret

Is located in rahrovan village, 8 km to the east of Esfahan. It seems that it was a single tower used as a lighthouse for the caravans who entered the city at night. It is like the other Seljuk minarets, decorated with magnificent brickworks and contains a turquoise tile inscription. It is dated between1179 between 1278. Sultan bokht Agha dome and the twin dardasht minarets.

In dardasht Quarter close to Bazar there are two attached historic monuments from the Muzaffar period 14^th century) one is the resting place of sultan Bokht Agha, an Injured (Al-e injury) lady who was sultan Mahmud’s Queen. Her gravestone gives the date as 1376. The dome’s height is 18m; it is decorated with bricks inside and a faience mosaic with geometrical patterns outside. The twin minarets are relics of a caravanserai in the Muzaffarid era. The only remains of which is the portal with azure and turquoise tile decorations.

Dar oz-ziafeh twin minarets

In the middle of kamal street, there is a high-rise portal with two minarets belonging to the Muzaffarid era (14 century). The exact function of these is not known but it seems most likely that these are remnants of a caravanserai from the same period. The minarets are 38 m high and are ornamented with very fine tile works on the apex.

Bagh ghushaneh minaret

Literally means the garden where falcons were housed. Hence the name for this minaret since garden where falcons were bred for hunting. The minaret is built over an octagonal base and reaches a height of 38 m. tile works and other ornamentations of this building belong to the Ilkhanate (14 century) style and are the ruins of a mosque called “Baba sukhteh”.