Tag Archive | Ali Qapu

Pir Bakran’s Shrine

Apr23

After an interesting visit to the old Jewish Synagogue and Cemetery we made our way to the shrine of Pir Bakran, a Sufi saint and mystic who died in 1303 and after which this small town is named. On arrival the gates were locked, but the phone number of the guardian was posted on the inside gates. We called the number and within 5 minutes the guardian arrived on his motorbike.

The shrine is noted for the stucco work which is particularly ornate and it’s amazing to think how long ago these carvings were done. The mihrab and entrance doors are fine examples of the famous stucco and I hate to think how long it took for the craftsmen to complete them. The shrine is also famous for the surviving Kufic script which, when written in blocks as it is here, looks very much like a maze.

As Pir Bakran’s fame spread, so the building in which he preached was extended to accommodate the increasing number of followers who came to listen to him and several rooms were added. From the outside the shrine looks like it is a 4-story building but in fact it is only 2 storys high which is reminiscent of the Ali Qapu Palace in Esfahan which appears to be 7 storys high but is only 4. This is no coincidence as the architect and project manager of the Ali Qapu Palace was inspired by Pir Bakran’s shrine design and carvings 200 years later and some of the designs are reproduced in the royal Palace.

One of the rooms has a circular area carved out of the floor where apparently Pir Bakran used to sit and meditate for up to 40 days at a time eating and drinking nothing and surviving only by touching sacred stones which provided him with the sustenance he needed to see him through these lonely periods.

In an adjacent room Pir Bakran’s tomb, together with that of the shrine’s architect Mohammad Naghash rest side by side covered in green cloth. 

The guardian was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable and again, this site is well worth a visit if history, Persian culture, architecture and design are what interest you. Unless you speak Farsi however, it is advisable to travel with a Farsi speaker who is able to ring the guardian and ensure that you get the most out of your visit. You won’t be disappointed.

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Ali Qapu Palace Music Room

Feb19

If you love and appreciate the rhythm, melody and physics of music then the Music Chamber at Ali Qapu Palace will both surprise and amaze you.

Traditional Persian music can sound discordant to Western listeners and I personally don’t find it pleasing to the ear at all but I am assured that it’s an acquired taste and I will enjoy it much more once I get used to the quarter notes.

Music and poetry have always been important to the Persians and you could call the acoustic technology created in the Music Chamber by elaborate stuccowork one of the earliest Dolby stereo systems. At 400 years old it is truly impressive.

The Palace itself is occupies six stories with the Music Chamber added as an annexe on the upper floor. The musician’s quarters however are on the ground floor and the Shah sat on a platform in the Music Chamber listening to the music whilst watching parades and celebrations in the square.

So how was this achieved without blaring out music at uncomfortable decibels?  The design of the building meant that the music travelled from the ground floor up to the Shah’s Music Chamber by way of hollow columns and was then transmitted around the room by the hollow acoustic carvings in the plaster. See the photos below.

Clever.

Beautiful, beautiful Esfahan

Feb5

Esfahan is Feri’s home-city and I have heard so much about this place that I felt that I could make my way round blindfold. That was of course before I encountered Iranian driving. I have read books about Esfahan, looked it up on the internet, watched videos and listened avidly to Feri’s stories and descriptions about the wonderful sites, culture and the history of Esfahan from way back when.

I had been looking forward to my first visit for quite a while, but nothing prepared me for the sight which greeted me as we entered the world-famous Maydan Imam, the main square. There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to describe my first experience of this view. Suffice to say I was blown-away by its sheer size, beauty and proud impact. For once in my life I was speechless.

These huge gardens are 500m by 160m and are now landscaped with trees, bushes, flower beds, and magnificent fountains. Coupled with the wonderful back-drops of the fascinating Ali Qapu Palace, the highly decorated blue mosaic Imam and Sheikh Lotfollah mosques, and the“bazaar”, it is a sight that everyone should see for themselves.

There are so many attractions in Esfahan that we will need 5-6 mornings to cover the main ones. On my first visit we only managed a visit to the Ali Qapu Palace, parts of the “Bazaar, the last remaining traditional tea house in the square and to finish off, a ride round the square in a pony and trap (Doroshkeh) which cost us the grand total of £2.80.

Ali Qapu

The palace of Ali Qapu was constructed around 1600 and, when you consider that this was 400 years ago, the technology and art-work must have been far ahead of its time. My favourite points of interest, of which there were many, were the Music Room and the original tile staircases.

Tiles-I cannot believe that with the number of visitors treading up and down these steps every day that no effort has yet been made to protect the beautiful ceramic tiles which are being gradually worn down and would, without intervention, erode completely.  I understand however, that there is an Act currently being discussed in Parliament to provide some protective covering for the tiles so that this important artistic history is retained for generations to come. I vote “yes please and soon”.

Music Room-You could call this technology one of the earliest Dolby stereo systems but at 400 years old, that may be hard to believe unless you see it for yourself. The Palace itself is four stories high and the musician’s quarters were on the ground floor. The Shah however, sat on a platform on the higher floor listening to the music whilst watching parades and celebrations in the square. So how was this achieved without blaring out music at uncomfortable decibels?  The music travelled from the ground floor up to the Shah’s music room by way of hollow columns which was then transmitted around the room by the hollow acoustic carvings in the plaster. Truly an amazing achievement and many more to come…..

Persia

Nov2

Mystical land
Minarets, mosaics, domes
Mountains, plains, fire-temples. Lush.
Arid.

Nomads
Dervishes whirl
Zorastranian creed
Aazan. Compelling call to prayer
Mecca

Blue mosques
Chehel sotun
Koh-Arteshgah;ruins
Ali Qapu Palace, Sufis
Maydan

Bridges
Zayandeh flows
By thirty-three arches
Lovers meander as dusk falls
Entwined 

Harem
Sheikh Lutfullah
Out of kilter peruse
Minaret-free, hidden quarters
Ramzi 

 Saffron
Honey yellow
Golden strands, fragrant, rich
Seven-spice, pistachios, dates.
Sabzi

Sublime
Evocative
Cobalt shimmering pools
Lofty ceilings, bright mirrored halls,
God’s light 

Unique
In its beauty
Majestic masjids
See! Isfahan nesfe jahan
Heaven