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Architectural Analyses of Wooden Chehelsotun (40 columns) of Molla Rostam and Moezzeddin in and Their Effects on Chehelsotun Palace and Aali Qaapou in

¹NEGAR KHAIYAT KOLKARI, ²ELNAZ ASHRAFI, ³FARROKH ABDOLLAHZADEH BINA, 4MAJID YAZDANI ¹,²,4 Department of Architecture 3Department of Civil Engineering ¹Islamic Azad University-Bostan Abad Branch, ²Islamic Azad University-Khamneh Branch ³Islamic Azad University- Branch, 4Islamic Azad University- Branch ¹[email protected], ²[email protected], ³[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract: - The two mosques of Molla Rostam and Moezzeddin in Maragheh which belong to early years of have important place among wooden architectural works of Iran not only for their old age but also for traditional masonry materials used in them and for the work done on them and art used in their creation as well. Wooden Chehelsotun (Forty Columns) of these mosques with their glorious and valuable decorations are among the first and well-known wooden veranda models of Safavid times it means Chehelsotun Palace and Aali Qaapou. Chehelsotun bedchambers such as Meidan and Mehrabad Mosques are built in after them. Original architectural space of these two mosques with their structural considerations and masonry materials such as grinder, shim/shingle and lost beam beside beautiful decoration of columns and interior in wooden head columns are collection of higher wood art elements, painting on wood and tens of practical arts of and are analyzed from local, decoration, masonry systems and structural architecture technology points of view.

Key-Words: - Wooden Column, Ornament, Cultural Heritage, Islamic Architecture, Sustainability

1 Introduction After migrating to western south of Iran (Fars, Even though, construction has reached to a Khuzestan and borders Persian gulf) they have considerable perfection in Mongol time no imitation of constructed glorious buildings of Shush, and the present mosques is not seen in the constructions due Takht-e-Jamshid, which were all affected by this type of to the richness of architecture in this region. However, architecture. This style became to be known as “Persian understanding the purity, architectural spaces and their style”. Once again, by the attack of Mongols to Iran and independence of the form elements value these mosques selecting Maragheh as their capital, the Azeri style the same as the other important mosques of the city. emerged and valuable architectural phenomenon came During the civilized and cultured times of Safavid into being. In Safavid times, again, this effect continued dynasty and contemporary with the times of Tahmasb I and verandas of wooden Chehelsotun (Forty Columns) Safavid King (1499-1564 A.D.) considerable numbers of of came to be modelled after a century and it mosques with pillared and special decorations was an introduction to formation of “Isfahanid style”. were constructed in most of the cities and villages of the “After residing in Maragheh (1259 A.D.), Holako East Azerbaijan in Iran especially in Bonab and called for the artists and architects of , and Maragheh towns. At later periods especially at the times cities to the capital to construct his desired of Zandiyeh and Ghajar Dynasties, these buildings were buildings. Therefore, revived and repaired, restored, copied or reconstructed based on their after social, political and economical changes of the primary principles. time, Azeri style emerged from Maragheh through combining Raazi style with style of the southern cities of Azerbaijan. This style, under the name of Mongolia style, went is way through and Soltaniyeh and 2 An Outlook on Traditional penetrated in whole country and foreign countries while Architecture Style of Azarbaijan making progresses” says professor Pirniya [1]. According to the knowledgeable experts, Aryaie and Regarding characteristics of Azeri style, the Persian nations (one of the three branches of Aryaie researchers have some common and similar views that nation) have been resided in Azerbaijan region for a are most important and outstanding parts include: grace while and are affected by their traditional architecture. of building elements and emphasis on glory and

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reflection of height and more verticality in the building. follows: a) the cold weather of Azerbaijan; where the Azeri style is one of the well-known Iranian – Islamic rather higher amount of rain and snow would make the styles and has been the base and model of “Isfahanid moisture to penetrate into building and seriously damage style”. Among its characteristics we can mention the it. b) In addition to natural prevention of the penetration followings: wooden pillar saloon, hideaway, surrounded of moisture, through using this method less cold would Shabestan, porch summer house, wooden flat roof, and enter the Shabestan during the winter due to its being thick mud or brick walls with stone plinth, cellar and built higher than the ground. c) The level of vault.” underground waters is very high in Azerbaijan area After passing the Ghafghaz Mountain, the Aryaies especially in Bonab and Maragheh towns, therefore the resided in west north of Iran (present Azerbaijan) and high amount of moisture together with other factor and approbated Azerbaijan wooden “vernada”s and took it as scarceness of water makes the building more vulnerable. a valuable present to their lands, Pars. Then, they mixed This method practically prevents from this function and it with architectural styles and other elements and the “capillarity property of water”. natural masonry and beside their wealth and social- political power created the new “Pars style”. The main 3.3 Buttresses and Brick and Adobe Walls elements of Pasargadae, Shush, Takht-e-Jamshid, The brick walls of these mosques are of fired brick with Soleyman Mosque architectural complexes and rocks of around one meter thickness in foursquare shape of Achaemenid tomb of Naghsh-e-Rostam with vaulted 17*17 centimeters dimensions. The height of these paintings of the pillar porches – include pillar saloons, buttresses is around 4.5 – 5 meters. In some mosques wooden flat roofs constructed on a jungle of pillars on such as kaboud Mosque and Meydane Bonab Mosque natural or artificial rows. one compound brick and adobe wall is used; as the outer As the Persian took the wooden veranda style of side of is of foursquare fried brick and the internal layer Azerbaijan and reconstructed it in their land, the Safavid is of adobe layers. In such as case the half-baked internal kings, after a century, took the veranda styles especially layer would be thicker than the outer layer and most of those in Maragheh and Bonab towns. They revived them the load of the flat roof of the mosque would fall on this in their capital cities (Isfahan, Ghazvin) and part. Therefore, to overcome vertical and horizontal borders and used it in the porches of their newly built drifting pressure, weight of the dead load imposed on palaces (such as: Ghazvin, Isfahan Chehelsotun (Forty this part and to compensate natural weakness of adobe Columns), Aali Qaapou and of Isfahan) masonry, the walls were made thicker and a row of brick and added considerable glory and decoration to their wall constructed beside it. In such a way, this deficiency buildings [2]. would be overcome by these additions and a good façade would be made for the building. The outer façade of these mosques are rather simple and their decoration 3 Structure is limited to light and shade of the stretcher bond and Regarding anatomy and studying the constructions, horizontal bricks together with Spars, vaults, arches and artistic decorations on woods and the elements of a zigzag lancets inside the Naghoul, rectangular building or buildings in general, the factors to lead us to frameworks in simple masonry bond texture and in some recognize the similarity and symmetry of these buildings cases clinkers or azure tiles are used in these mosques. to each other are as follows: The internal parts of the Shabestan walls plaster of clay and straw are used and white plasterwork is used to 3.1 Foundation cover them, besides a layer of plastic paint is added to The foundation of these mosques are placed 1.5 meters all these covers. In fact from the outer side to inner side down the street level, their thickness being 1.5 – 1.7 the layers of the walls consists of the followings: red meters. The building masonry used in them consists of: brick, molded adobe or layer adobe, clay and straw, spalls, cobblestone, mortar, lime mortar, sand and white plaster and a modern layer of plastic paint. probably cement grout. 3.4 Wood Elements as the Main Construction 3.2 Stone Footing Course in Architecture and Decoration of Pillared The structure of these mosques is built on a stone Mosques of Azerbaijan footing course or a pace formation 1.5 m higher than the Main elements of construction in this field include: foundation and at the same level of ground or the street foundation, plinth, brick buttresses or adobe, pillars, floor of the surrounding alleys. The thickness of this plane and built up wood roofs. structure is 1.5 meters. Different technical and In such a construction, the foundation and skeleton of environmental reasons to create such a building are as the building are constructed with masonry and durable

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structures, but the pillars and the cover of flat roofs are One should see the head pillars and moldings of this of wood in different shapes, and types. In fact, wood mosque.” plays the role of main element. This material has been used as the main and key element in the buildings of 3.6 An Outlook to the Even (Flat) Covers and humankind during the history, and in the buildings such their Characteristics as Takht-e-Jamshid, Aali Ghapou, Safavid Chelsoutun In spite of the restrictions of wood resources in Iran, and such is used considerably and attracted the attention. construction of wooden structures existed in Iran The timbers or wooden beams in the architecture of abundantly long time ago and it has been, to a great Azerbaijan mosques are of the trunks of plane, popular extent, significant. In this constructs and the relevant and Tabrizi trees[3]. These trees are high, straight and architectural methods two different architectural systems have plane trunks and they grow in all parts of the have been implemented depending on the kind of Azerbaijan and are easily available. These timbers are building materials used to make coating: a) a system used to roof the roofs of the traditional buildings, to bear whose skeleton is based on beam scaffolding and b) a the weight and strengthen the flat roofs and for other system whose skeleton is based on straight barrel vault. secondary uses of wooden buildings such as: preparing Among these constructions the traditional architecture slices, sheet, lath, door and window and are used for of Azerbaijan, jungle regions of the north and the west other industrial and packaging purposes To use the of country, the kingdom palaces of Takht Jamshid, wooden beams for pillars and cover of flat roof, they are Chehelsotun, Aali Ghapou and wooden verandas studied divided into three groups with different diameters and in this article are classified in group a, while most of the are cut in specified sizes. Then, chaffs and run offs of other glorious Iranian-Islamic buildings in Iran Plateau wooden beams are removed and their body is lathed. are classified in group b. The seating place and both sides of the beams are trimmed to make them strong on the secondary walls and body of summer trees. The three groups of the 4 Molla Rostam Mosque woods, which are used in mentioned buildings include: One of the most interesting pillar containing mosques in a) wooden secondary beams of the roofs with around 20 Maragheh, East Azerbaijan province and perhaps the cm diameter to be used as beams and cover of the flat whole land of Iran is this mosque and it is considered roofs, b) secondary beams of pillars with around 30 cm one of the architectural phenomena and an important and diameter to bear the vertical weight and middle load of famous religious-historical works in Iran. the flat roof and c) summer trees with around 30 to 49 centimeters diameter to net the porter load to beam the 4.1 Technical and Architectural Characteristics roof [4]. The outer façade of Molla Rostam Mosque is somehow

simple and in spite of having simple brick walls, it has a 3.5 Wooden Flat Roofs of beautiful Shabestan which is formed of a collection of Depending on the geographical requirements and natural elevated wooden artistic components, painting on wood data, the coating type of this mosque is either of even or and dozens of several operational, combinational and flat roof. These roofs have been built with special supplementary arts of Islamic architecture. And its materials and constructs with the methods and primary monument traces back to the beginning years of procedures experienced during the centuries. The Safavid dynasty (early kingdom of Shah Tahmasb thickness of the coating layers of the even roof is about Safavi). The decorations on the wood and the 30 centimeters in these mosques. In these mosques, the architectural style and also the construction period of even roof has a vault in the middle and an inclined Molla Rostam mosque are exactly comparable with surface is created to tilt the snow and rain down to the Moezzeddin Mosque in Maragheh and Mehrabad chutes. However, this inclined surface is very smooth Mosque in Bonab. It could be said for sure that this and can easily remove whatever that comes down from mosque is more outstanding than the above-mentioned sky. “It is wonderful to see that the row of the pillars mosques with regard to appropriate architectural have been exactly located in alter stretcher in Molla method, elegance and maturity of designs, decoration Rostam mosque (where it should be placed next to the and accuracy of the artists who built it. The main plan of alter and at the mouth of the alley)” says professor Molla Rostam Mosque is formed of three dependant Pirniya – father of traditional architecture in Iran. “But, units: the main Shabestan, small winter Shabestan and taking a good look at this it is found out that the artistic charity house or feeding area. architect of the mosque wanted to make the roof in an inclined saddle backed style. Therefore, he has chosen the middle pillar higher and as we get closer to the secondary walls the height of the pillars are decreased.

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4.2 The Plan and Location of the Mosque Wooden pillars of the mosque have been made of the The linear expansion of the mosque is in east-west logs of poplar trees lathered in octagonal shape and direction. Its dimensions include: south side mounted on polygonal stone bases made of black stone “28.1”meters, east side “30.3”meters, west side “21.35” and carved simply with the design of upside down vases. meters and the north side of the mosque is In addition, at the top of them, there are some beautiful “33.55”meters. The big (main) Shabestan of the mosque capitals in three etched rows including the bowl or deep has the length and the width of 19.40 and 25.60 meters bowl, semi circle and beams whose number and volume respectively, and it also has 35 pillars and a flat roof. are increased from bottom to top. On top of the third row These pillars have the height of 5 meters and are located of the etched line, there is a cube wooden box, inside in 5 rows each of which has 7 pillars and their distance which the foot block of the main capital is mounted. from each other is 3.10 meters. One of the pillars of the This construct has been able to level the narrow and first row is the main Shabestan (in front of alter) has stretched body of the pillars in the spot connected to been carved of white marble stone. The base of this surrounding summer tree wooden boxes and make them stone pillar is made of white stone carved and designed complete. On top of the pillars and decorated capitals in an upside down vase like other pillars. However, its and along their length the summer trees are mounted. capital like other wooden pillars has volumetric wooden The heavy load of the flat roof of the mosque’s capital etched and its stem is also carved in acicular Shabestan is equally divided and transmitted into five shape. rows of summer trees, side buttresses and middle pillars. There are four big wooden pieces of wooden doors In order to prevent the bending of summer tree and bear on the northern wall of the main Shabestan in the middle the improved weight of the roof and considering the of which some windows have been placed in a dimensions and distances between the pillars the main rectangular shape. In addition to their role in letting the beams have been located in pairs beside each other on air, light and humans inside the place, these doors and the foot block of the capitals. The circumference of main windows also play the role of a shelter, or as it is said beams has been covered with wooden boxes in the shape today they are like partitions in the southern side of the of cube rectangular with approximate dimension of winter Shabestan of the mosque. A considerable note in 40*60 centimeters which is made of integrate, thick and this Shabestan is existence of designs and beautiful long wooden pieces with a thickness of 5 centimeters. decorations of the pillars, capitals and the part beneath The distances of these parallel summer tree main beams the wooden roof of the mosque (see figure 1). have been filled with small poplar or Tabrizi average logs, and then their surface is also covered with small sticks called “lath” with dimensions of 5*35 centimeters. On the surface of all of these and the box of summer tree main beams and on the capitals some rich decorations have been performed including: Eslimi, Khataei, Shah Abbasi, Toranj, Sar Toranj, rich calligraphy, colorful painting. These painting s have been performed in various forms and at the same time suitable and adaptable with the others and other paintings with due attention. Regarding value of these two works, it should be noted that their wooden Chehelsotuns (forty columns) having a valuable and magnificent decorations are considered the first wooden verandas, which were famous during Safavid dynasty in Isfahan, i.e. “Chehelsotun and Aali Ghapou”. It means that Chehelsotun Shabestan like the Chehelsotuns present in Bonab are some of the works, which were established following the magnificent Chehelsotuns of famous mosques in Maragheh like Molla Moazedding and Molla Rostam Mosque [5]. Small Shabestan or in another word the female balcony of the mosque is in a shape of a rectangular hall Fig.1: Place of springs and north, south direction with the length and width 7.40 and 26.40 meters respectively. One of the middle pillars of these Shabestans is completely carved of white marvel stone

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like the main Shabestan. The base of this pillar like other Bonab and other pillar mosques constructed in Safavid pillars is carved of black stone and with design of upside time especially at the time of Shah Tahmasb kingdom. down vase; therefore, its capital in the two rows has an The created vaults on the surface of simple, stretcher and etched style and its stem is also carved in a circular horizontal masonry bond together with limited numbers shape and then fined. Therefore, this capital is thicker of turquoise tiles and glazed bricks are some of the than the wooden pillars of the mosque’s Shabestans. The decorations of the façade of this mosque. The both wooden capitals of this Shabestan have also been made Shabestans of the mosque are aligned linearly, both in an etched line of four floors. The design on the floors having flat and wooden roof, and wooden pillar and includes the lines or semi bowls with their surroundings capital. penetrated at the side of the beams and placed over the case and the cube space around the capitals. Some 5.2 The big Shabestan of Molla Moezzeddin decorations and designs of decorated Toranj, Flowers Mosque and Eslimi plants have been carved over all four sides of The big Shabestan of the mosque is a rectangular saloon the cube. The method of construction and decoration of with 34*16 meters dimensions and has 36 wooden the small Shabestan are similar to that of the big pillars in four rows; each containing 9 pillars. The height Shabestan. of these pillars is 5 meter and their stem are lathed in The only different aspect of the special style, the octagonal shape and placed on lithographed polygonal monotony and artistic-architectural model of Molla stone bases. On top of each of these pillars there are Rostam Mosque with the other similar mosques is the beautiful volumetric capitals in some etched lines whose presence of two stone pillars in the small Shabestan volume increases from down to top. These pillars have (which is circular and therefore a little thicker than beautiful wooden capitals with etched and painted wooden pillars) and in the big Shabestan (it is white designs. Regarding volumetric designs and paints on the marble stone and thus the wooden capital circular wood, the diversity of the decoration of the capitals is stem).It seems that these constructs date back to some more in this mosque and unique decorations are created monuments older than this mosque, that is Ilakhanian on each of them. But, the capitals of the Shabestan of period. this mosque have less complexity and volume compared to Molla Rostam Mosque and has taller pillars instead. In this mosque the capitals are made of on type wood as 5 Molla Moezzeddin Mosque their outer layer is thicker and the inner ones are thinner The entrance door of Sheikh Moezzeddin with the big and have no connection except the connection of outer summer Shabestan in west and the entrance door of layer with the body of capital; in fact they are made smaller mosque with winter Shabestan are located in piece by piece. The stem of the pillars have usually been eastern side of upper vestibule. Each of the Shabestans selected of medium Tabrizi or poplar trees, which were of this mosque have a flat roof filled with beams and available in the region and have been placed on stone delicate together with wooden pillars and beautifully bases and their height reaches to under the summer tree. etched capitals. All of these elements and the woods, The upper end of the pillar’s stem have been cut in a which cover the ceiling, are painted with traditional special way and prepared it to be locked into “capital Safavid time art and architecture designs, block foot”. – as Toranj and Eslimi flowers and Khataei style. This It is important to note that in these constructions the architectural and artistic style is so outstanding that was capital block foot and the stem of the pillar are used in Isfahan hundered years after and was the base of connected in “male and female” style and as pin and constructing and finishing element of glorious palaces as fittings that can be stretched to whole summer trees and Aali Ghapou, Chehel Soutoun and Hasht Behesht, the are slotted to each other. It should be mentioned that this capital city of the time [5]. part is not by any means riveted into the block foot of the capital rather it is free and flowing like automobile 5.1 Architectural and Technical Characteristics tuber. Therefore, the stem of the pillar can dynamically of the Building flow inside the block foot of the capital and this The first construction of the mosque dates back to characteristic can bear the movements caused by around 14th and 15th century. Both of the Shabestans earthquakes and the contraction and expansion and the (winter and summer) are located in east and west line vertical and horizontal pressures and get close to and the light catching windows are facing south. “frangibility point” and destruction. Therefore, if a Regarding the architectural style and date of pillar move from its place or it is bended, in addition to construction, this mosque can be compared with Molla the transfer of its load onto other adjacent pillars, it can Rostam Mosque in Maragheh, Mehr Abad Mosque in be replaced with a new pillar and a long-term balance

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would be achieved. This is one of the most important other wooden elements as well is different from its advantages of the wooden constructions and existing symmetrical saloon (the big Shabestan) and it can be pillars in these verandas. These wooden pillar stems are said that the winter Shabestan has been built later than lithographed on stone bases of black stone with around the other constituents of Moezzeddin Mosque. The flat 20 centimeters height. This structure is mainly like roof of this Shabestan, which filled with beams, has upside down vase and is installed on a firm foundation. been placed on six pillars in one row and its floor is also On top of the capital etches (Moqarnas), some cubic one meter higher than the yard and the big Shabestan square wooden boxes are used to cover the main capital grounds. The pillars of the Shabestan are of poplar tree, foot block and it is decorated with plant paintings and lathed in octagonal shape and are decorated with etched remarkable calligraphy of religious words and prayers. (Moqarnas) and painted capitals. Most of the secondary beams, capitals and woods (lath) which cover the mosque roof are painted with Toranj, Seranj styles and flowers. The medium woods (15*35 6 The Garden–Palaces of Safavid Time centimeters)in between the latitudinal distances of the By the formal replacing of Iran’s capital city, Ghazvin secondary beams of the roof on the top and parallel to with Isfahan, at the time of Shah Abbas Safavid (1586 wooden boxes of the summer trees are decorated with A.D.) and changing the Isfahan arrangement into a some verses of holy Quran (see figure 2). capital city suitable for the big Safavid empires, different memorable architectural palaces were constructed. Among them we can name the garden- palace of Chehelsotun and Aali Qaapou, some part of whose construction have been of wood and marvelous wooden corbellings in the shape of pillars, cantilever and valuable decorations works of painted flat roofs, their idea originating from wooden veranda of East Azerbaijan. During Safavid times wood has been used in tie beam decorations, netted works, carpenter ties on the doors and windows of the most buildings and very beautiful and inlaid doors in the shape of flower and plants and Solth and Koufi writing styles are used among which netted windows of Chehelsotun can be mentioned [6].

6.1 Architectural and Technical Characteristics of the Building This building was first constructed at the time of Shah Aaabad I with a U plan and included a saloon, throne room and bed rooms in the north and south of the west side of the saloon. Later, at the time of Shah Abbas II in 1637 A.D. some constructions were gradually added to the building inside the garden, which were reminders of the Sassanid time architecture, such as Mirror salon and pillar porch (most important element of the building and Chehelsotun). At present, the dimension of its square like plan is around 225*275 m whose longitude side is in Fig.2: Molla Moezzeddin Mosque, Maragheh city east-west direction. Chehelsotun has been built as a (Plan and Moqarnas on Columns) palace to receive guests and give service to them in the

middle of a garden with around 6 hector space and on its 5.3 The small Shabestan of Molla Moezzeddin east side there is a vast pool which is filled with around Mosque 3000 cubic meter water. The main entrance of the The small or winter Shabestan of the mosque , which is garden is from the eastern side, beside the middle axis located align with the big Shabestan and in the middle of and through porch corridors, which lead to Aali Qaapou the construction occupies 22*8 meters, the length and palace and Dolatkhaneh gate from Naghsh-e-Jahan width wise and has six wooden pillars in one row in the square. eastern vestibule. The architectural style and internal decorations and the method of preparing the capitals and

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The building of the Chehelsotun with 57.5 meters procedure (see figures 3, 4). A procedure, which has length and 37 meters width, occupies a space around started before the time form Achaemenid and 2125 square meters. Its wooden pillar porch with 37 Sassanid times and continued until Qaajar time and its meters length and 19.2 meters width covers around one base was to make the building more light and remove third of the construction site of the palace, whose 20 tall the vital difference between the natural world and virtual pillars are made of a plane tree with 70 centimetres construction [8]. The creation of the Chehelsotun Iwaan diameter and 12.8 meters height. Regarding the and its combination with architectural fountain and its construction, this palace has been repaired and mirror ceiling with its spatial creativity has been a jump strengthened at different times by Iranian and foreign forward for architecture in all periods. exerts and like Aali Qaapou there are steel pillars in its present façade and on the roof instead of its old wooden 6.2 Aali Qaapou Palace of Isfahan trusses different pieces of steel are used to strengthen it. This palace (1580-1586 A.D.) is located in western side For its being double layer, there are 5 small netted of Naghsh Jahan square, Isfahan and is one of the four and square shape windows all over the outer façade of important constructions of this square. In the upper floor the pillar saloon for the ventilation of the double layer. of the palace there is a pillar saloon with 29 meters Like Aali Qaapou, there the roof panels at the inside of length and 16.5 meters width and occupies around 480 the porch are designed higher to create some kind of square meters space. This saloon consists of 18 one mind balance in the viewer; however, this design has no piece pillars each of which is made of a stem of a plane practical function [7]. tree with around 60 centimetres diameter and 10.3 Some points, especially their standing place, are meters height (together with capital) (see figure 5). One considered in the arrangement of the pillars. And it is of the remarkable points about this saloon is the delicacy such that the least visual spatial unconformity is seen in of the selected distances between the pillars. Visually, its them and their location is the best place regarding the view creates the least limit and the pillars are placed in constructional points as a support for beams of the three rows of 6. The distance of the rows, which are trusses of the upper levels. In addition, the pillars have parallel to the length (northern-southern) from east side the most possible “thinness” regarding their axial power is 4.9, 5.7 and 5.15 meters respectively but the row of and height, which is worthy of appreciation. The six pillars, which are parallel to the width (western- distance between the pillars is “eastern-western” axes eastern) from southern side is 3.2,6.55.8.15.6.55 and 3.3 from eastern south corner is 6.2, 6.6 and 6.3 meters meters respectively [9]. respectively and their distance in “southern-Northern” axis from the same beginning point is 6.4, 7.8,7.8,7.8 and 6.3 meters respectively.

Fig.4: Wooden roof of Chehelsotun Palace, Isfahan City

The Chehelsotun palace have 18 pillars in the saloon and two pillars in the eastern side of the mirror saloon (to strengthen supporting beam) and their reflection on the pool surface creates the number 40, which is appellation of palace and in Iranian Persian culture it is the feature of perfection and maturity. The garden Fig.5: Aali Qaapou Palace and its wooden columns, building of the Chehelsotun is one of the important Isfahan city changing points in the progressive architectural

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On the floor the distance between the pillars are filled References: with wooden beams as horizontal foundation and are [1] Pirniya, M., Introduction to the Islamic Architecture effective in the sudden movement loading caused by of Iran, Iranian University of Science & Technology earthquake; the more the construction elements are in Publications, 1996. harmony, the more effective they would be. Due to the [2] Pirniya, M., Style of Iranian Architecture, Iranian existence of big mouth of 8.15 meters, it is not possible University of Science & Technology Publications, to use normal wooden beams with less dropping rate at 1991. the mouth (especially in the middle), therefore, instead [3] Kheiri, S., The Architecture & Decorations of of normal beams, wooden trusses are used which are Wooden Sotavands in Safavid Era in Azerbaijan, effective in both less consumption of the wood and more Mahd-e-Azadi Publication, 2007. stability together with negligible drop of the building. [4] Zomorshidi, H., Iran Architecture-Understanding of Iranian Masonry Construction Materials, Azadeh Publications, 2006. 7 Conclusion [5] Omrani, B., Historical Mosques of East Azarbaijan Pillar architecture has root in using wood and its Province, I.C.H.O. Publication, 2008. appearance can be later seen in the architectural art of [6] Shayesteh, M., Isfahan: a Small Paradise, Naqsh-e- Achaemenid and the glory of Takht Jamshid. The Khorshidi Publications, 2005. civilization of west north of Iran is the base of powerful [7] Reihanpour, A., Research in Iranian Gardens, architectural collections whose sign can be seen from the Yasavoli Publications, 2006. sixth century BC and the samples of pillar buildings of [8] Naeima, Gh., Iranian Gardens, Payam Publication, that time can be found in Bonab and Maragheh towns 2006. and mosques such as Molla Rostam, Molla Moezzeddin [9] Saba, M., Iranian Gardens and Garden Palaces, and Ismaeel Beigh. These buildings have longer history Scientific and Cultural Publication, 2006. compared to the architecture of Safavid time, which became apparent in Isfahan and a building like Aali Qapou. The important features of pillar architecture are the way to establish the roof, key the pillar, use of beams, wings, isolation of wooden flat roof and whatever that is the credit of west north and west of Iran’s architecture. Some positive characteristics of this style, which originated from the experiences of the Azerbaijan artists and the existing buildings in there, include: paying attention to the grace of the building, diverse and colourful decorations, using wooden pillars and wooden veranda, pivoting the building, calculating the distance of pillars from each other and from buttresses, durability of summer trees of the roof, blown pillars and insulation of flat roofs. Even though most of the mentioned buildings, without regarding their place and date of construction, have a little difference in structure and decoration, they are mostly constructed with a similar and specified style and method. Beyond any doubt, if the building, its artistic decorations on the wood and other elements of the building would be studied, we can conclude that the beauty, delicacy, style and construction method of these buildings are absolutely reflections of the stable wooden veranda systems of Azerbaijan. And Azerbaijan had been the paradigm of glorious Chehelsotun and Aali Qapou palaces of Isfahan in Safavid times, regarding structure and architectural style.

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