Ancient minarets of Isfahan in need of more attention
The ancient city of Isfahan, the capital of the central province of Isfahan, hosts numerous historical monuments, writing about which creates a sweet feeling.
Chehel Dokhtaran and Sareban minarets, located in the Juybareh district, are beautiful brick towers dating back to the Seljuk era.
Unfortunately, a large number of people, even those living in Isfahan, have no knowledge of these ancient towers.
Mehdi Najjar-Arabi, an Isfahanologist, said that minarets are among the main Persian architectural structures which have been used for various purposes throughout history.
“They sometimes served as a beacon helping caravans find their way, or as a place for delivering news, calling to prayer or guarding the city”.
This valuable heritage, which has lost its previous function, can turn into tourism attractions.
Najjar-Arabi said, unfortunately, adequate attention has not been paid to these structures, some of which even lack a sign board.
He added that Chehel Dokhtaran minaret, built in 1112 CE, is among the few which belong to the Seljuk era. The tower, which remains abandoned, is in such poor condition that many people don’t even know its name.
The expert said that exquisite, unique, and distinctive brickwork decorations can be seen on each part of the minaret.
It is the fifth oldest minaret in Iran, on which there is a big window facing the qiblah (the direction of the holy Kaaba, the sacred cube at Mecca, toward which Muslims turn in prayer).
This feature does not exist in other minarets of Isfahan. There is a spiral staircase in the minaret, which leads to the top of it. This minaret, which is 21 meters high, can be seen from a far distance, but it is difficult to reach it through the maze of winding alleys and narrow streets.
Najjar-Arabi added that cars and motorcycles pass a few steps from this minaret, and they may run into it at any moment.
He continued that Sareban minaret, with exquisite inscriptions, is a 900-year-old structure decorated with amazing brick and tile works.
Sareban literally means “cameleer,” indicating that this minaret was built to serve as a beacon for caravans heading toward Isfahan. It is one of the tallest and most beautiful minarets in Iran.
Unfortunately, however, the alleys leading to this minaret are not blocked, thus, cars and motorcycles pass it at a short distance.
Managing Director of Renovation Organization of Isfahan Mohammad Ali Izadkhasti said that thanks to their function, the minarets were more important to the people in the past; however, a large number of them have been left unattended, and have not been used even as tourist attractions.
He noted that a plan to preserve the minarets has been placed on the organization’s agenda.
Izadkhasti added that the area surrounding the minaret will be transformed into an urban space and vehicles will be prohibited from passing through it.
He believes that local people can preserve the historical monuments in the best possible manner, because this not only would help introduce the minarets as tourist attractions, but also generate revenues for those living in the area.