Iran

Meidan Emam, Esfahan

WHS Score 3.8
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Votes 48 Average 4.16
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Votes for Meidan Emam, Esfahan

2.5

  • Zoë Sheng

3.0

  • Alexander Barabanov
  • Alexander Lehmann
  • Dorejd
  • Jon Opol
  • Szucs Tamas
  • Xiquinho Silva
  • Zizmondka

3.5

  • Adrian Turtschi
  • Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero
  • Chalamphol Therakul
  • GerhardM
  • Palimpsesto

4.0

  • Carlo Sarion
  • Dimitrios Polychronopoulos
  • janis
  • Jean Lecaillon
  • Martina Rúčková
  • Michael anak Kenyalang
  • Philipp Leu
  • Richardleesa
  • Rodinia
  • Ssong.x
  • Tony H.
  • Wieland

4.5

  • Ammon Watkins
  • George Gdanski
  • Hanming
  • Joyce van Soest
  • Kevin247
  • Krijn
  • Naim Y
  • Solivagant
  • Wojciech Fedoruk

5.0

  • Alexander Parsons
  • alexandrcfif
  • Aspasia
  • BH
  • ferhatdonmez
  • Fmaiolo@yahoo.com
  • Ivan Rucek
  • Javier
  • Juha Sjoeblom
  • Juropa
  • merveil
  • MoPython
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Tarquinio_Superbo

Meidan Emam, Esfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world.

It was used in Persian socio-cultural life (for parades, celebrations and public executions) during the Safavid era. The square is surrounded by a homogenous ensemble of important historical buildings that were built over a short time span, such as the Shah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque and the Isfahan Grand Bazaar.

Community Perspective: “The darling of the Iranian tourism industry”. The best views of the square overall are to be had from the balcony of the Ali Qapu Palace, while the Emam or Shah Mosque is the square’s most striking component and the Sheik Lotfallah Mosque has a beautiful interior.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Meidan Emam, Esfahan (ID: 115)
Country
Iran
Status
Inscribed 1979 Site history
History of Meidan Emam, Esfahan
1979: Inscribed
Inscribed
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • i
  • v
  • vi
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources
News Article
  • July 19, 2022 bbc.com — Isfahan's Shah Mosque: iconic Iranian site damaged in restoration
  • Sept. 29, 2009 tehrantimes.com — Restorations are gradually resulting in a historic destruction at Isfahan
  • Sept. 23, 2006 mehrnews.ir — Modification of Jahan-Nama Tower falls short of UNESCO regulations

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Religious structure: Islamic
Travel Information
Red Zone Travel Advisory
Red Zone Travel Advisory
Iran fully off-limits
Isfahan Hotspot
Isfahan Hotspot
In Isfahan city center
Recent Connections
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Connections of Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Individual People
Trivia
History
Architecture
Damaged
  • 'Threatened' by Tunnels
    "State of conservation report raised concerns about the Metro now well under construction parts due to open in 2012) whc.unesco.org/en/soc/252 The 2012 WHC decided as follows "... requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to the property to consider the impact of the current metro constructions on the property and its wider setting;"
  • Damaged in War since WWII
    "hit by a rocket during the recent attacks on Iranian cities" (1988 SOC report) - Iran-Iraq War
World Heritage Process
Religion and Belief
  • Notable mosques
    Shah mosque - 17th century - Shia
  • Shia Islam
    The Safavids were responsible for converting Iran to Shiism. The mosques, built as part of the transfer of the Safavid capital to Isfahan by Shah Abbas I, emphasise their "Shia" nature in their Calligraphy. In the Masjed-e Imam "the iwan pointing to east ....... contains an inscription by calligrapher Muhammad Riza Imami praising the Fourteen Immaculate Ones (i.e., Muhammad, Fatimah and the Twelve Imams)" (Wiki). In the Sheikh Lotf Allah mosque "The inscriptions of the Mosque reflect matters that were preoccupying the shah around the time it was built; namely the need to define Twelver Shiism in contrast to Sunni Islam, and the Persian resistance to Ottoman invasion" (Wiki)
Human Activity
Constructions
WHS on Other Lists
  • World Craft Cities
    "a center of multiple crafts being practiced for generations, such as miniature arts, metal engraving, marquetry, wood engraving, enamel, brocade weaving, etc."

    See www.wccinternational.org

Timeline
  • Built in the 17th century
    Square was constructed between 1598 and 1629, its main buildings Portia of Qeyssariyeh (1602-19), the Royal Mosque (1612-30), the Mosque of Sheyx Loffollah (1602-18)
WHS Hotspots
Visiting conditions
WHS Names
  • Untranslated Toponyms
    "Meidan" means a town square or a public gathering place in Persian, Urdu, Arabic, Turkish, Bangla et al. It is often used as a part of the name of places that have historical or cultural significance.
  • Name changes
    Inscribed in October 1979 as "Meidan e-Shah". All references to the Shah were removed in Iran soon after the Shah departed in Jan 1979.
News
bbc.com 07/19/2022
Isfahan's Shah Mosque: iconic Iran…
tehrantimes.com 09/29/2009
Restorations are gradually resulti…
mehrnews.ir 09/23/2006
Modification of Jahan-Nama Tower f…
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Community Reviews

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First published: 21/01/20.

Carlo Sarion

Meidan Emam, Esfahan

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (Inscribed)

Meidan Emam, Esfahan by Carlo Sarion

I thought of reviewing an Iranian UNESCO World Heritage Site in light of Trump’s recent threat to the country’s cultural sites. Sheer insanity I thought, but thankfully, the Pentagon just completely ignored him as blasting cultural heritage sites constitutes a war crime. Date of Visit: December 2016.

Esfahan was the second city I visited during my backpacking trip to the country 3 years ago, and I truly enjoyed it. My first day in this city was spent in this square and the adjacent grand bazaar, taking heaps of photos and observing locals and tourists stroll, eat, shop, play and socialise. Meidan Emam is bounded in all sides by a 2-storey arcade, interrupted in the four cardinal directions by the following beautiful monuments and the Qeysarie gate of Esfahan’s grand bazaar:

  • Ali Qapu Palace – as mentioned by Alexander, the view of the square from its balcony is stunning. From a casual traveler, I appreciate its beautiful ornamentation, design and architecture.
  • Masjed-e Shah – the site’s UNESCO page mentions that it “remains the most celebrated example of the colorful architecture, which reached its high point in Iran under the Safavid dynasty”. At the time of my visit, scaffolding could be seen surrounding one side of the mosque’s dome. For some reason I could not recollect, it deterred me from going inside the mosque. Stupid me, I should’ve at least tried.
  • Sheik Lotfallah Mosque - in terms of its interior, it is THE most beautiful mosque I …
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First published: 10/04/16.

Alexander Parsons

Meidan Emam, Esfahan

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (Inscribed)

Meidan Emam, Esfahan by Alexander Parsons

The fact that the Meidan Emam was inscribed so early in the life of World Heritage is hardly a surprise; this square is the darling of the Iranian tourism industry, and rightly so. An interesting point to consider is this timing of the submission and acceptance of this site to the World Heritage List; the 1979 World Heritage Convention occurred in May, only a few months after the Islamic Revolution. The reference in the ICOMOS evaluation of 1979, and the other 1979 documents available on the UNESCO website, makes reference to the ‘Meidan-e Shah’, and the ‘Shah Mosque’, without any mention of the renaming of these components by the new regime. I guess the new Islamic Republic valued the prestige of the nomination enough to still accept it, though evidently with a name change, as the 1988 report makes no mention of the deposed shah. I am unsure of the precise nature of this process of naming; probably an unreported element of the 1979 convention?

The square, apart from the open space itself, has three main components. The obvious first stop is the Ali Qapu Palace, renowned more for its view of the square than for its own sake. This is unsurprising; while the palace has some nice ornamentation, especially on the top floor, the view is the real star here.

The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque , directly opposite the palace, is unusual in that it has no courtyard or minaret, and comprises simply of a corridor and prayer room beneath …

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