Isfahan’s Bridges: Manifestation Of Safavid Architecture

Isfahan’s Bridges: Manifestation Of Safavid Architecture

(۳rd-7th century Sassanid era) and has been repaired during the Seljuk reign.
The bridges are as follows:
Marnan Bridge
Pol-e-Joui or Choobi (Joui bridge) – ۱۶۶۵
Pol-e Khaju (Khaju Bridge) – ۱۶۵۰
Pol-e Shahrestan (The Shahrestan bridge)
Si-o-Seh Pol(The Bridge of 33 Arches) – ۱۶۰۲
Khaju Bridge
Khaju Bridge (Pol-e Khaju) is arguably the finest bridge in the province of Isfahan. It was built by the Safavid king, Shah Abbas II, around 1650, on the foundations of an older bridge, CHN wrote.
Serving as both a bridge and a dam, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter across the Zayandeh River.
The bridge also served a primary function as a building and a place for public meetings. This structure originally was designed with artistic Tileworks and paintings serving as a teahouse.
In the center of the structure is a pavilion where Shah Abbas would have once sat, admiring the views.
Today, remnants of a stone seat are all that remains of the king’s chair. The bridge highlights one of the finest examples of Persian architecture at the height of Safavid cultural influence.
In the words of Upham Pope (an American archeologist and historian of Persian art) and Jean Chardin (a famous French traveler), Khaju Bridge is “the culminating monument of Persian bridge architecture and one of the most interesting bridges extant… Where the whole has rhythm and dignity, and combines in the happiest consistency, utility, beauty, and recreation.”Khaju Bridge has 23 arches and is 105 meters long and 14 meters wide. The passway of the bridge is 7.5 meters wide, made of bricks and stones with 21 larger and 26 smaller inlet and outlet channels.The stone used in this bridge is over 2 meters long and the distance between every channel and the ceiling base is 21 meters. The existing inscriptions suggest that the bridge was repaired in 1873.Khaju is one of the bridges that regulate the water flow in the river because there are sluice gates under the archways. When the sluice gates are closed, the water level behind the bridge is raised to facilitate the irrigation of many gardens along the river upstream of this bridge.
On the upper level of the bridge, the main central aisle was utilized by horses and carts, and the vaulted paths on either side of pedestrians.
Octagonal pavilions in the center of the bridge on both the down and the upstream sides provide vantage points for the remarkable views. The lower level of the bridge may be accessed by pedestrians and remains a popular shady place for relaxing.
Iranian urban architects, however, note their dismay with the recent and modern renovations that have taken place at Khaju Bridge.

Si-o-Se Pol
Si-o-Se Pol (Bridge With 33 Arches), also called the Allahverdi Khan Bridge, is one of the most famous landmarks of Isfahan. It is ranked as one of the best examples of Safavid bridge design.
Commissioned in 1602 by Shah Abbas I from his chancellor Allahverdi Khan, an Iranian ethnic Georgian, it consists of two rows of 33 arches. There is a larger base plank at the start of the bridge where the Zayandeh River flows under it, supporting a teahouse.

Chubi Bridge
Chubi Bridge (Wooden Bridge) is one of Isfahan’s oldest bridges. It was built in 1665 during the Safavid era.
The bridge is located between Khaju and Ferdowsi bridges. It is 147 meters long and 4 meters wide, with 21 arches.It was built during the reign of Shah Abbas II to irrigate and link the gardens on both sides of the river.
The bridge and the two parlors were exclusively used by the shah and his courtiers. At present, the parlors are being used as teahouses.

Marnan Bridge
Marnan Bridge is a historical bridge in Isfahan, Iran. The current structure of the bridge dates back to the Safavid era, but its foundations are older and possibly as old as the Shahrestan bridgeIn accordance with the available documents the Marnan Bridge was replanned and constructed by the order of Khajeh Sarfaraz who was an Armenian administrator of the Armenian district in Isfahan.

Shahrestan bridge
This bridge is located in the neighborhood of a village called by the same name. It is a pre-Islamic architecture. Archeologists believe that it was built during Sassanid and Achaemenid dynasty. A part of brick arches are from Seljuk dynasty.           At the north part of the bridge there is a building from 18th century and was used as a toll house. The bridge has 13 arches, about 140 meters long and 4.5 meters wide.