Iran World Heritage

Sites
Golestan Palace
The lavish Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era,
embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian
crafts and architecture with Western influences. The walled
Palace, one of the oldest groups of buildings in Teheran,
became the seat of government of the Qajar family, which
came into power in 1779 and made Teheran the capital of the
country. Built around a garden featuring pools as well as
planted areas, the Palace’s most characteristic features and
rich ornaments date from the 19th century. It became a
centre of Qajari arts and architecture of which it is an
outstanding example and has remained a source of
inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day. It
represents a new style incorporating traditional Persian arts
and crafts and elements of 18th century architecture and
technology.
Masjed-e Jame of Isfahan
Located in the historic centre of Isfahan, the Masjed-e
Jāmé (‘Friday mosque’) can be seen as a stunning
illustration of the evolution of mosque architecture over
twelve centuries, starting in ad 841. It is the oldest
preserved edifice of its type in Iran and a prototype for
later mosque designs throughout Central Asia. The
complex, covering more than 20,000 m2, is also the first
Islamic building that adapted the four-courtyard layout
of Sassanid palaces to Islamic religious architecture. Its
double-shelled ribbed domes represent an architectural
innovation that inspired builders throughout the region.
The site also features remarkable decorative details
representative of stylistic developments over more than a
thousand years of Islamic art.
Meidan-e Emam, Isfahan
Built by Shah Abbas I the Great at the beginning of the 17th century,
and bordered on all sides by monumental buildings linked by a series of
two-storeyed arcades, the site is known for the Royal Mosque, the
Mosque of Sheykh Lotfollah, the magnificent Portico of Qaysariyyeh
and the 15th-century Timurid palace. They are an impressive testimony
to the level of social and cultural life in Persia during the Safavid era.
The Meidan Emam is a public urban square in the centre of Esfahan, a
city located on the main north-south and east-west routes crossing
central Iran. It is one of the largest city squares in the world and an
outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture. Built by the
Safavid shah Abbas I in the early 17th century, the square is bordered
by two-storey arcades and anchored on each side by four magnificent
buildings: to the east, the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque; to the west, the
pavilion of Ali Qapu; to the north, the portico of Qeyssariyeh; and to
the south, the celebrated Royal Mosque. A homogenous urban
ensemble built according to a unique, coherent, and harmonious plan,
the Meidan Emam was the heart of the Safavid capital and
is an exceptional urban realisation.
Also known as Naghsh-e Jahan (“Image of the World”), and
formerly as Meidan-e Shah, Meidan Emam is not typical of urban
ensembles in Iran, where cities are usually tightly laid out without
sizeable open spaces. Esfahan’s public square, by contrast, is
immense: 560 m long by 160 m wide, it covers almost 9 ha. All of
the architectural elements that delineate the square, including its
arcades of shops, are aesthetically remarkable, adorned with a
profusion of enamelled ceramic tiles and paintings.
Of particular interest is the Royal Mosque (Masjed-e Shah), located
on the south side of the square and angled to face Mecca. It remains
the most celebrated example of the colourful architecture which
reached its high point in Iran under the Safavid dynasty (1501-1722;
1729-1736). The pavilion of Ali Qapu on the west side forms the
monumental entrance to the palatial zone and to the royal gardens
which extend behind it. Its apartments, high portal, and covered
terrace (tâlâr) are renowned.
The portico of Qeyssariyeh on the north side leads to the 2-km-long
Esfahan Bazaar, and the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque on the east side,
built as a private mosque for the royal court, is today considered one
of the masterpieces of Safavid architecture.
The Meidan Emam was at the heart of the Safavid capital’s culture,
economy, religion, social power, government, and politics. Its vast
sandy esplanade was used for celebrations, promenades, and public
executions, for playing polo and for assembling troops. The arcades
on all sides of the square housed hundreds of shops; above the
portico to the large Qeyssariyeh bazaar a balcony accommodated
musicians giving public concerts; the tâlâr of Ali Qapu was
connected from behind to the throne room, where the shah
occasionally received ambassadors. In short, the royal square of
Esfahan was the preeminent monument of Persian socio-cultural life
during the Safavid dynasty.
Emam Mosque
Emam Mosque
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Ali Qapu Palace
Ali Qapu Palace (Music Room)
Entrance Portal of Gheisariyeh Bazaar
 Armenian
Monastic Ensembles
of Iran
The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran, in the north-west of
the country, consists of three monastic ensembles of the
Armenian Christian faith: St Thaddeus and St Stepanos and the
Chapel of Dzordzor. These edifices - the oldest of which, St
Thaddeus, dates back to the 7th century – are examples of
outstanding universal value of the Armenian architectural and
decorative traditions. They bear testimony to very important
interchanges with the other regional cultures, in particular the
Byzantine, Orthodox and Persian. Situated on the south-eastern
fringe of the main zone of the Armenian cultural space, the
monasteries constituted a major centre for the dissemination of
that culture in the region. They are the last regional remains of
this culture that are still in a satisfactory state of integrity and
authenticity. Furthermore, as places of pilgrimage, the monastic
ensembles are living witnesses of Armenian religious traditions
through the centuries.
Bam and its Cultural
Landscape
Bam is situated in a desert environment on the southern edge
of the Iranian high plateau. The origins of Bam can be traced
back to the Achaemenid period (6th to 4th centuries BC). Its
heyday was from the 7th to 11th centuries, being at the
crossroads of important trade routes and known for the
production of silk and cotton garments. The existence of life
in the oasis was based on the underground irrigation canals,
the qanāts, of which Bam has preserved some of the earliest
evidence in Iran. Arg-e Bam is the most representative
example of a fortified medieval town built in vernacular
technique using mud layers (Chineh ).
Bisotun
Bisotun is located along the ancient trade route linking the
Iranian high plateau with Mesopotamia and features remains
from the prehistoric times to the Median, Achaemenid,
Sassanian, and Ilkhanid periods. The principal monument of
this archaeological site is the bas-relief and cuneiform
inscription ordered by Darius I, The Great, when he rose to the
throne of the Persian Empire, 521 BC. The bas-relief portrays
Darius holding a bow, as a sign of sovereignty, and treading on
the chest of a figure who lies on his back before him.
According to legend, the figure represents Gaumata, the
Median Magus and pretender to the throne whose assassination
led to Darius’s rise to power. Below and around the bas-reliefs,
there are ca. 1,200 lines of inscriptions telling the story of the
battles Darius waged in 521-520 BC against the governors who
attempted to take apart the Empire founded by Cyrus. The
inscription is written in three languages.
The oldest is an Elamite text referring to legends describing
the king and the rebellions. This is followed by a
Babylonian version of similar legends. The last phase of the
inscription is particularly important, as it is here that Darius
introduced for the first time the Old Persian version of his
res gestae (things done). This is the only known
monumental text of the Achaemenids to document the re-
establishment of the Empire by Darius I. It also bears
witness to the interchange of influences in the development
of monumental art and writing in the region of the Persian
Empire. There are also remains from the Median period (8th
to 7th centuries B.C.) as well as from the Achaemenid (6th
to 4th centuries B.C.) and post-Achaemenid periods.
Cultural Landscape
of
Maymand
Maymand is a self-contained, semi-arid area at the end
of a valley at the southern extremity of Iran’s central
mountains. The villagers are semi-nomadic agro-
pastoralists. They raise their animals on mountain
pastures, living in temporary settlements in spring
and autumn. During the winter months they live lower
down the valley in cave dwellings carved out of the soft
rock (kamar), an unusual form of housing in a dry,
desert environment.  This cultural landscape is an
example of a system that appears to have been
more widespread in the past and involves the movement
of people rather than animals.
Gonbad-e Qabus
The 53 m high tomb built in ad 1006 for Qābus Ibn Voshmgir,
Ziyarid ruler and literati, near the ruins of the ancient city of
Jorjan in north-east Iran, bears testimony to the cultural exchange
between Central Asian nomads and the ancient civilization of
Iran. The tower is the only remaining evidence of Jorjan, a
former centre of arts and science that was destroyed during the
Mongols’ invasion in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is an
outstanding and technologically innovative example of Islamic
architecture that influenced sacral building in Iran, Anatolia and
Central Asia. Built of unglazed fired bricks, the monument’s
intricate geometric forms constitute a tapering cylinder with a
diameter of 17–15.5 m, topped by a conical brick roof. It
illustrates the development of mathematics and science in the
Muslim world at the turn of the first millennium AD.
Visible from great distances in the surrounding lowlands near the
ancient Ziyarid capital, Jorjan, the 53-metre high Gonbad-e Qābus
tower dominates the town laid out around its base in the early 20th
century. The tower’s hollow cylindrical shaft of unglazed fired brick
tapers up from an intricate geometric plan in the form of a ten
pointed star to a conical roof. Two encircling Kufic inscriptions
commemorate Qābus Ibn Voshmgir, Ziyarid ruler and literati as its
founder in 1006 AD.
The tower is an outstanding example of early Islamic innovative
structural design based on geometric formulae which achieved great
height in load-bearing brickwork. Its conical roofed form became a
prototype for tomb towers and other commemorative towers in the
region, representing an architectural cultural exchange between the
Central Asian nomads and ancient Iranian civilisation.
Lut Desert
The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e-Lut, is located in the south-east of the
country. Between June and October, this arid subtropical area is
swept by strong winds, which transport sediment and cause
aeolian erosion on a colossal scale. Consequently, the site
presents some of the most spectacular examples of aeolian
yardang landforms (massive corrugated ridges). It also contains
extensive stony deserts and dune fields. The property represents
an exceptional example of ongoing geological processes. 
Pasargadae
Pasargadae was the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire,
founded by Cyrus II the Great, in Pars, homeland of the Persians, in
the 6th century BC. Its palaces, gardens and the mausoleum of
Cyrus are outstanding examples of the first phase of royal
Achaemenid art and architecture and exceptional testimonies of
Persian civilization. Particularly noteworthy vestiges in the 160-ha
site include: the Mausoleum of Cyrus II; Tall-e Takht, a fortified
terrace; and a royal ensemble of gatehouse, audience hall, residential
palace and gardens. Pasargadae was the capital of the first great
multicultural empire in Western Asia. Spanning the Eastern
Mediterranean and Egypt to the Hindus River, it is considered to be
the first empire that respected the cultural diversity of its different
peoples. This was reflected in Achaemenid architecture, a synthetic
representation of different cultures.
Founded in the 6th century BC in the heartland of the Persians (today the
province of Fars in southwestern Iran), Pasargadae was the earliest capital of
the Achaemenid (First Persian) Empire. The city was created by Cyrus the
Great with contributions from the different peoples who comprised the first
great multicultural empire in Western Asia. The archaeological remains of its
palaces and garden layout as well as the tomb of Cyrus constitute an
outstanding example of the first phase of the evolution of royal Achaemenid art
and architecture, and an exceptional testimony to the Achaemenid civilisation
in Persia. The “Four Gardens” type of royal ensemble, which was created in
Pasargadae, became a prototype for Western Asian architecture and design.
The 160-ha archaeological site of Pasargadae presents some of the earliest
manifestations of Persian art and architecture. It includes, among other
monuments, the compact limestone tomb on the Morgab plain that once held
Cyrus the Great’s gilded sarcophagus; Tall-e Takht (“Solomon’s Throne”), a
great fortified platform built on a hill and later incorporated into a sprawling
citadel with substantial mud-brick defences; and the royal ensemble, which
consists of several palaces originally located within a garden layout (the so-
called “Four Gardens”).
Pasargadae became a prototype for the Persian Garden concept of four
quadrants formally divided by waterways or pathways, its architecture
characterised by refined details and slender verticality.
Pasargadae stands as an exceptional witness to the Achaemenid
civilisation. The vast Achaemenid Empire, which extended from the
eastern Mediterranean and Egypt to the Hindus River in India, is
considered the first empire to be characterised by a respect for the
cultural diversity of its peoples. This respect was reflected in the royal
Achaemenid architecture, which became a synthesized representation
of the empire’s different cultures. Pasargadae represents the first phase
of this development into a specifically Persian architecture which later
found its full expression in the city of Persepolis.
Persepolis
Founded by Darius I in 518 B.C., Persepolis was the capital of the
Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an immense half-artificial, half-
natural terrace, where the king of kings created an impressive palace
complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. The importance and
quality of the monumental ruins make it a unique archaeological sit
Persepolis, whose magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat
(Mountain of Mercy) in south-western Iran, is among the world’s
greatest archaeological sites. Renowned as the gem of Achaemenid
(Persian) ensembles in the fields of architecture, urban planning,
construction technology, and art, the royal city of Persepolis ranks
among the archaeological sites which have no equivalent and which
bear unique witness to a most ancient civilization. The city’s immense
terrace was begun about 518 BCE by Darius the Great, the Achaemenid
Empire’s king. On this terrace, successive kings erected a series of
architecturally stunning palatial buildings, among them the massive
Apadana palace and the Throne Hall (“Hundred-Column Hall”).e.
Inspired by Mesopotamian models, the Achaemenid kings Darius I
(522-486 BCE), his son Xerxes I (486-465 BCE), and his grandson
Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE) built a splendid palatial complex on an
immense half-natural, half-artificial terrace. This 13-ha ensemble of
majestic approaches, monumental stairways, throne rooms (Apadana),
reception rooms, and dependencies is classified among the world’s
greatest archaeological sites.
The terrace is a grandiose architectural creation, with its double flight
of access stairs, walls covered by sculpted friezes at various levels,
contingent Assyrianesque propylaea (monumental gateway), gigantic
sculpted winged bulls, and remains of large halls. By carefully
engineering lighter roofs and using wooden lintels, the Achaemenid
architects were able to use a minimal number of astonishingly slender
columns to support open area roofs. Columns were topped with
elaborate capitals; typical was the double-bull capital where, resting on
double volutes, the forequarters of two kneeling bulls, placed back-to-
back, extend their coupled necks and their twin heads directly under the
intersections of the beams of the ceiling.
Persepolis was the seat of government of the Achaemenid Empire,
though it was designed primarily to be a showplace and spectacular
centre for the receptions and festivals of the kings and their empire.
The terrace of Persepolis continues to be, as its founder Darius
would have wished, the image of the Achaemenid monarchy itself,
the summit where likenesses of the king reappear unceasingly, here
as the conqueror of a monster, there carried on his throne by the
downtrodden enemy, and where lengthy cohorts of sculpted warriors
and guards, dignitaries, and tribute bearers parade endlessly.
Shahr-e Sokhte
Shahr-i Sokhta, meaning ‘Burnt City’, is located at the junction of
Bronze Age trade routes crossing the Iranian plateau. The remains of
the mudbrick city represent the emergence of the first complex
societies in eastern Iran. Founded around 3200 BC, it was populated
during four main periods up to 1800 BC, during which time there
developed several distinct areas within the city: those where
monuments were built, and separate quarters for housing, burial and
manufacture. Diversions in water courses and climate change led to
the eventual abandonment of the city in the early second
millennium. The structures, burial grounds and large number of
significant artefacts unearthed there, and their well-preserved state
due to the dry desert climate, make this site a rich source of
information regarding the emergence of complex societies and
contacts between them in the third millennium BC.
Located at the junction of Bronze Age trade routes crossing the
Iranian plateau, the remains of the mud brick city of Shahr-i Sokhta
bear witness to the emergence of the first complex societies in
eastern Iran. Founded around 3200 BCE, the city was populated
during four main periods up to 1800 BCE, during which time there
developed several distinct areas within the city. These include a
monumental area, residential areas, industrial zones and a
graveyard.
Changes in water courses and climate change led to the eventual
abandonment of the city in the early second millennium. The
structures, burial grounds and large number of significant artefacts
unearthed there and their well-preserved state due to the dry desert
climate make this site a rich source of information regarding the
emergence of complex societies and contacts between them in the
third millennium BCE.
Sheikh Safi Al-din
Khaneghah
and
Shrine Ensemble in
Ardebil
Built between the beginning of the 16th century and the end of the
18th century, this place of spiritual retreat in the Sufi tradition uses
Iranian traditional architectural forms to maximize use of available
space to accommodate a variety of functions (including a library, a
mosque, a school, mausoleum, a cistern, a hospital, kitchens, a
bakery, and some offices). It incorporates a route to reach the shrine
of the Sheikh divided into seven segments, which mirror the seven
stages of Sufi mysticism, separated by eight gates, which represent
the eight attitudes of Sufism. The ensemble includes well-preserved
and richly ornamented facades and interiors, with a remarkable
collection of antique artefacts. It constitutes a rare ensemble of
elements of medieval Islamic architecture.
Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble was built as a
small microcosmic city with bazaars, public baths, squares, religious
buildings, houses, and offices. It was the largest and most complete
khānegāh and the most prominent Sufi shrine since it also hosts the
tomb of the founder of the Safavid Dynasty.
For these reasons, it has evolved into a display of sacred works of
art and architecture from the 14th to the 18th century and a centre of
Sufi religious pilgrimage.
The Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil is
of Outstanding Universal Value as an artistic and architectural
masterpiece and an outstanding representation of the fundamental
principles of Sufism. Ilkhanid and Timurid architectural languages,
influenced by Sufi philosophy, have created new spatial forms and
decorative patterns. The layout of the ensemble became a prototype
for innovative architectural expressions and a reference for other
khānegāhs. As the shrine of a prominent Sufi master, who also was
the founder of the Safavid Dynasty, the property has remained
sacred in Iran up to the present day.
Shushtar Historical
Hydraulic System
Shushtar, Historical Hydraulic System, inscribed as a masterpiece of
creative genius, can be traced back to Darius the Great in the 5th
century B.C. It involved the creation of two main diversion canals on
the river Kârun one of which, Gargar canal, is still in use providing
water to the city of Shushtar via a series of tunnels that supply water to
mills. It forms a spectacular cliff from which water cascades into a
downstream basin. It then enters the plain situated south of the city
where it has enabled the planting of orchards and farming over an area
of 40,000 ha. known as Mianâb (Paradise). The property has an
ensemble of remarkable sites including the Salâsel Castel, the operation
centre of the entire hydraulic system, the tower where the water level is
measured, damns, bridges, basins and mills. It bears witness to the
know-how of the Elamites and Mesopotamians as well as more recent
Nabatean expertise and Roman building influence.
The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System demonstrates outstanding
universal value as in its present form, it dates from the 3rd century CE,
probably on older bases from the 5th century BCE.
It is complete, with numerous functions, and large-scale, making it
exceptional. The Shushtar system is a homogeneous hydraulic system,
designed globally and completed in the 3rd century CE. It is as rich in
its diversity of civil engineering structures and its constructions as in
the diversity of its uses (urban water supply, mills, irrigation, river
transport, and defensive system). The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic
System testifies to the heritage and the synthesis of earlier Elamite and
Mesopotamian knowhow; it was probably influenced by the Petra dam
and tunnel and by Roman civil engineering. The Shushtar hydraulic
system, in its ensemble and most particularly the Shâdorvân Grand
Weir (bridge-dam), has been considered a Wonder of the World not
only by the Persians but also by the Arab-Muslims at the peak of their
civilisation. The Gargar canal is a veritable artificial watercourse which
made possible the construction of a new town and the irrigation of a
vast plain, at the time semi-desert. The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic
System sits in an urban and rural landscape specific to the expression of
its value.
Soltaniyeh
The mausoleum of Oljaytu was constructed in 1302–12 in the city of
Soltaniyeh, the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty, which was founded by
the Mongols. Situated in the province of Zanjan, Soltaniyeh is one of
the outstanding examples of the achievements of Persian architecture
and a key monument in the development of its Islamic architecture. The
octagonal building is crowned with a 50 m tall dome covered in
turquoise-blue faience and surrounded by eight slender minarets. It is
the earliest existing example of the double-shelled dome in Iran. The
mausoleum’s interior decoration is also outstanding and scholars such
as A.U. Pope have described the building as ‘anticipating the Taj
Mahal’.
In north-western Iran’s city of Soltaniyeh, which was briefly the capital
of Persia’s Ilkhanid dynasty (a branch of the Mongol dynasty) during
the 14th century, stands the Mausoleum of Oljaytu, its stunning dome
covered with turquoise-blue faience tiles.
Constructed in 1302-12, the tomb of the eighth Ilkhanid ruler is the
main feature remaining from the ancient city; today, it dominates a
rural settlement surrounded by the fertile pasture of Soltaniyeh. The
Mausoleum of Oljaytu is recognized as the architectural masterpiece of
its period and an outstanding achievement in the development of
Persian architecture, particularly in its innovative double-shelled dome
and interior decoration.
The Mausoleum of Oljaytu is an essential link and key monument in
the development of Islamic architecture in central and western Asia.
Here, the Ilkhanids further developed ideas that had been advanced
during the classical Seljuk phase (11th to early 13th centuries), during
which the arts of Iran gained distinction in the Islamic world, thereby
setting the stage for the Timurid period (late 14th to 15th centuries),
one of the most brilliant periods in Islamic art.
Particularly relevant are the mausoleum dome’s double-shell
structure (an inside shell and an outside shell), and the materials and
themes used in its interior decoration.
The very large 50-m-high dome is the earliest extant example of its
type, and became an important reference for the later development of
the Islamic dome. Similarly, the extremely rich interior of the
mausoleum, which includes glazed tiles, brickwork, marquetry or
designs in inlaid materials, stucco, and frescoes, illustrates an important
movement towards more elaborate materials and themes. The
Mausoleum of Oljaytu thus speaks eloquently to the Ilkhanid period,
which was characterised by innovations in structural engineering,
spatial proportions, architectural forms, and decorative patterns and
techniques.
Excavations carried out in the 790-ha Mausoleum of Oljaytu property
have revealed additional vestiges of the old city, and a large part of this
property has retained its archaeological character. As the ancient capital
of the Ilkhanid dynasty, Soltaniyeh represents an exceptional testimony
to the history of the 13th and 14th centuries in Iran.
Susa
Located in the south-west of Iran, in the lower Zagros Mountains,
the property encompasses a group of archaeological mounds rising
on the eastern side of the Shavur River, as well as Ardeshir’s palace,
on the opposite bank of the river. The excavated architectural
monuments include administrative, residential and palatial
structures. Susa contains several layers of superimposed urban
settlements in a continuous succession from the late 5 th millennium
BCE until the 13thcentury CE. The site bears exceptional testimony
to the Elamite, Persian and Parthian cultural traditions, which have
largely disappeared.
Located in the lower Zagros Mountains, in the Susiana plains
between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers, Susa comprises a group of
artificial archaeological mounds rising on the eastern side of the
Shavur River, encompassing large excavated areas, as well as the
remains of Artaxerxes' palace on the other side of the Shavur River.
Susa developed as early as the late 5th millennium BCE as an
important centre, presumably with religious importance, to soon
become a commercial, administrative and political hub that enjoyed
different cultural influences thanks to its strategic position along
ancient trade routes. Archaeological research can trace in Susa the
most complete series of data on the passage of the region from
prehistory to history. Susa appears as the converging point of two
great civilisations which reciprocally influenced each other: the
Mesopotamian and the Iranian plateau civilisations.
Susa’s long-lasting and prominent role in the region, either as the
capital of the Elamites, or of the Achaemenid Empire, or as a
strategic centre sought by neighbouring powers (e.g., Assyrian,
Macedonian, Parthian, Sassanid) is witnessed by the abundant finds,
of disparate provenance and of exceptional artistic or scientific
interest, and by the administrative, religious, residential and palatial,
as well as functional structures and traces of urban layout (e.g., the
remains of the Haute Terrasse in the Acropolis, the Palace of Darius
in the Apadana, the residential or production quarters, the Ardeshir
Palace) that more than 150 years of archaeological investigations
have revealed.
Objects found in archaeological excavations
Objects found in archaeological excavations
Objects found
in
archaeological
excavations
Objects found
in
archaeological
excavations
Tabriz Historical Bazaar
Complex
Tabriz has been a place of cultural exchange since antiquity and its
historic bazaar complex is one of the most important commercial
centres on the Silk Road. Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex consists
of a series of interconnected, covered, brick structures, buildings,
and enclosed spaces for different functions. Tabriz and its Bazaar
were already prosperous and famous in the 13th century, when the
town, in the province of Eastern Azerbaijan, became the capital city
of the Safavid kingdom. The city lost its status as capital in the 16th
century, but remained important as a commercial hub until the end
of the 18th century, with the expansion of Ottoman power. It is one
of the most complete examples of the traditional commercial and
cultural system of Iran. Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex, located
along one of the most frequented east-west trade routes, consists of
a series of interconnected, covered brick structures, buildings, and
enclosed spaces for a variety of functions - commercial and
trade-related activities, social gatherings, and educational and
religious practices.
Closely interwoven with the architectural fabric is the social and
professional organization of the Bazaar, which has allowed it to
function over the centuries and has made it into a single integrated
entity.
Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex has been one of the most important
international places for commercial and cultural interchange, thanks
to the centuries-old east-west trading connections and routes and to
a wise policy of endowments and tax exemptions.
Tabriz Historic Bazaar bears witness to one of the most complete
socio-cultural and commercial complexes among bazaars.
It has developed over the centuries into an exceptional physical,
economic, social, political, and religious complex, in which
specialized architectural structures, functions, professions, and
people from different cultures are integrated in a unique living
environment. The lasting role of the Tabriz Bazaar is reflected in the
layout of its fabric and in the highly diversified and reciprocally
integrated architectural buildings and spaces, which have been a
prototype for Persian urban planning.
Takht-e Soleyman
The archaeological site of Takht-e Soleyman, in north-western Iran, is
situated in a valley set in a volcanic mountain region. The site includes
the principal Zoroastrian sanctuary partly rebuilt in the Ilkhanid
(Mongol) period (13th century) as well as a temple of the Sasanian
period (6th and 7th centuries) dedicated to Anahita. The site has
important symbolic significance. The designs of the fire temple, the
palace and the general layout have strongly influenced the development
of Islamic architecture. The archaeological ensemble called Takht-e
Soleyman (“Throne of Solomon”) is situated on a remote plain
surrounded by mountains in northwestern Iran’s West Azerbaijan
province. The site has strong symbolic and spiritual significance related
to fire and water – the principal reason for its occupation from ancient
times – and stands as an exceptional testimony of the continuation of a
cult related to fire and water over a period of some 2,500 years.
Located here, in a harmonious composition inspired by its natural
setting, are the remains of an exceptional ensemble of royal architecture
of Persia’s Sasanian dynasty (3rd to 7th centuries).
Integrated with the palatial architecture is an outstanding example of
Zoroastrian sanctuary; this composition at Takht-e Soleyman can be
considered an important prototype.
An artesian lake and a volcano are essential elements of Takht-e
Soleyman. At the site’s heart is a fortified oval platform rising about 60
metres above the surrounding plain and measuring about 350 m by
550 m. On this platform are an artesian lake, a Zoroastrian fire temple,
a temple dedicated to Anahita (the divinity of the waters), and a
Sasanian royal sanctuary. This site was destroyed at the end of the
Sasanian era, but was revived and partly rebuilt in the 13th century.
About three kilometres west is an ancient volcano, Zendan-e Soleyman,
which rises about 100 m above its surroundings. At its summit are the
remains of shrines and temples dating from the first millennium BC.
Takht-e Soleyman was the principal sanctuary and foremost site of
Zoroastrianism, the Sasanian state religion.
This early monotheistic faith has had an important influence on Islam
and Christianity; likewise, the designs of the fire temple and the royal
palace, and the site’s general layout, had a strong influence on the
development of religious architecture in the Islamic period, and became
a major architectural reference for other cultures in both the East and
the West. The site also has many important symbolic relationships,
being associated with beliefs much older than Zoroastrianism as well as
with significant biblical figures and legends.
The 10-ha property also includes Tepe Majid, an archaeological mound
culturally related to Zendan-e Soleyman; the mountain to the east of
Takht-e Soleyman that served as quarry for the site; and Belqeis
Mountain 7.5 km to the northeast, on which are the remains of a
Sasanian-era citadel. The archaeological heritage of the Takht-e
Soleyman ensemble is further enriched by the Sasanian town (which
has not yet been excavated) located in the 7,438-ha landscape buffer
zones.
Tchoghazanbil
The ruins of the holy city of the Kingdom of Elam, surrounded by
three huge concentric walls, are found at Tchogha Zanbil. Founded
c. 1250 B.C., the city remained unfinished after it was invaded by
Ashurbanipal, as shown by the thousands of unused bricks left at the
site.
Located in ancient Elam (today Khuzestan province in southwest
Iran), Tchogha Zanbil (Dur-Untash, or City of Untash, in Elamite)
was founded by the Elamite king Untash-Napirisha (1275-1240
BCE) as the religious centre of Elam. The principal element of this
complex is an enormous ziggurat dedicated to the Elamite divinities
Inshushinak and Napirisha. It is the largest ziggurat outside of
Mesopotamia and the best preserved of this type of stepped
pyramidal monument. The archaeological site of Tchogha Zanbil is
an exceptional expression of the culture, beliefs, and ritual traditions
of one of the oldest indigenous peoples of Iran.
Our knowledge of the architectural development of the middle
Elamite period (1400-1100 BCE) comes from the ruins of Tchogha
Zanbil and of the capital city of Susa 38 km to the north-west of the
temple).
 The archaeological site of Tchogha Zanbil covers a vast, arid
plateau overlooking the rich valley of the river Ab-e Diz and its
forests. A “sacred city” for the king’s residence, it was never
completed and only a few priests lived there until it was destroyed
by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal about 640 BCE. The complex
was protected by three concentric enclosure walls: an outer wall
about 4 km in circumference enclosing a vast complex of residences
and the royal quarter, where three monumental palaces have been
unearthed (one is considered a tomb-palace that covers the remains
of underground baked-brick structures containing the burials of the
royal family); a second wall protecting the temples (Temenus);  
and the innermost wall enclosing the focal point of the ensemble,
the ziggurat.
The ziggurat originally measured 105.2 m on each side and about
53 m in height, in five levels, and was crowned with a temple. Mud
brick was the basic material of the whole ensemble. The ziggurat
was given a facing of baked bricks, a number of which have
cuneiform characters giving the names of deities in the Elamite and
Akkadian languages. Though the ziggurat now stands only 24.75 m
high, less than half its estimated original height, its state of
preservation is unsurpassed. Studies of the ziggurat and the rest of
the archaeological site of Tchogha Zanbil containing other temples,
residences, tomb-palaces, and water reservoirs have made an
important contribution to our knowledge about the architecture of
this period of the Elamites, whose ancient culture persisted into the
emerging Achaemenid (First Persian) Empire, which changed the
face of the civilised world at that time.
The Persian Garden
The property includes nine gardens in as many provinces. They
exemplify the diversity of Persian garden designs that evolved and
adapted to different climate conditions while retaining principles
that have their roots in the times of Cyrus the Great, 6th century BC.
Always divided into four sectors, with water playing an important
role for both irrigation and ornamentation, the Persian garden was
conceived to symbolize Eden and the four Zoroastrian elements of
sky, earth, water and plants. These gardens, dating back to different
periods since the 6th century BC, also feature buildings, pavilions
and walls, as well as sophisticated irrigation systems. They have
influenced the art of garden design as far as India and Spain.
The Persian Garden consists of a collection of nine gardens, selected
from various regions of Iran, which tangibly represent the diverse
forms that this type of designed garden has assumed over the
centuries and in different climatic conditions.
They reflect the flexibility of the Chahar Bagh, or originating
principle, of the Persian Garden, which has persisted unchanged
over more than two millennia since its first mature expression was
found in the garden of Cyrus the Great's Palatial complex, in
Pasargadae.  Natural elements combine with manmade components
in the Persian Garden to create a unique artistic achievement that
reflects the ideals of art, philosophical, symbolic and religious
concepts. The Persian Garden materialises the concept of Eden or
Paradise on Earth.
The perfect design of the Persian Garden, along with its ability to
respond to extreme climatic conditions, is the original result of an
inspired and intelligent application of different fields of knowledge,
i.e. technology, water management and engineering, architecture,
botany and agriculture.  The notion of the Persian Garden permeates
Iranian life and its artistic expressions:
references to the garden may be found in literature, poetry, music,
calligraphy and carpet design. These, in turn, have inspired also the
arrangement of the gardens.  The attributes that carry Outstanding
Universal Value are the layout of the garden expressed by the
specific adaptation of the Chahar Bagh within each component and
articulated in the kharts or plant/flower beds; the water supply,
management and circulation systems from the source to the garden,
including all technological and decorative elements that permit the
use of water for functional and aesthetic exigencies; the arrangement
of trees and plants within the garden that contribute to its
characterisation and specific micro-climate; the architectural
components, including the buildings but not limited to these, that
integrate the use of the terrain and vegetation to create unique
manmade environments; the association with other forms of art that,
in a mutual interchange, have been influenced by the Persian Garden
and have, in turn, contributed to certain visual features and sound
effects in the gardens.
The nine inscribed gardens in Unesco are as follows:
Pasargad Garden (Shiraz), Shahzadeh Garden (Kerman), Eram
Garden (Shiraz), Fin Garden (Kashan), Chehel Sotun Garden
(Esfahan), Dowlat Abad Garden (Yazd), Abbas Abad Garden
(Behshahr), Pahlevanpour Garden (Yazd), Akbariyeh Garden
(Khorasan)
Pasargad Garden (Shiraz)
Shahzadeh Garden (Kerman)
Eram Garden (Shiraz)
Fin Garden (Kashan)
Chehel Sotun Garden (Esfahan)
Dowlat Abad Garden (Yazd)
Abbas Abad Garden (Behshahr)
Pahlevanpour Garden (Yazd)
Akbariyeh Garden (Khorasan)
The Persian Qanat
Throughout the arid regions of Iran, agricultural and permanent
settlements are supported by the ancient qanat system of tapping
alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along
underground tunnels by gravity, often over many kilometres. The eleven
qanats representing this system include rest areas for workers, water
reservoirs and watermills. The traditional communal management
system still in place allows equitable and sustainable water sharing and
distribution. The qanats provide exceptional testimony to cultural
traditions and civilizations in desert areas with an arid climate.
The eleven inscribed qanats in Unesco are as follows:
Ghasabeh in Gonabad (Khorasan), Baladeh in Ferdows (Korasan),
Hasan Abad in Mehriz (Yazd), Zarch in Yazd, Ebrahim Abad in Arak,
Mozd Abad in Meymeh (Esfahan), Vazvan in Meymeh, two-story qanat
of Ardestan (Esfahan), and three qanats of Akbar Abad, Ghasem Abad
and Jupar in Baravat (Kerman)
Qanats of Bam
Qanats of Bam
Qanats of Jupar (Kerman)
Jupar, Bagh-e Shahzadeh (Mahan)
Qanat of Moon (Ardestan)
Mozd Abad Qanat (Esfahan)
Ghasem Abad Qanat
Mozd Abad Qanat (Esfahan)