بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Persian Architectural Archives is a project run by Ali-Reza and is a platform for me to curate and share my original research and documentation of the art and architecture of the Persianate world. The scope of my research includes the traditional architecture of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – all these regions with Persianate heritage in one way or another. A specific aim of this project is to write about spiritual sites which are lesser known for their historic and architectural beauty and undergoing crude modernization and destruction of heritage each day as we speak.
You can find a list of all articles on the “Articles” page, and if you are looking for something specific you can check the subpage “Search by Category” for a list which categorizes by monument, location, etc… As this page is currently under construction I will be working on posting previous research along with new research.
The Destruction of a 17th Century Safavid Dome at the Great Mosque of Kufa
Until 2026, the Great Mosque of Kufa had two proper masonry historic dual shell Persian domes. One of these was a larger gilded one over the tomb of Muslim ibn Aqeel (the slain envoy of Hussain ibn Ali) and the other a smaller dome covered in tiles of a deep green color over the tomb of Hani ibn Urwa (the 7th century companion of Imam Ali). Exact information on the mosques twin domes is difficult…
Clock Towers in Persian Architecture
Clock towers – a distinctly European form introduced during the industrial age, rose unexpectedly alongside the domes and minarets of Iran and Iraq in the late Qajar and Ottoman eras. As the old Eastern Islamic dynasties were increasingly exposed to European infrastructure and engineering, they sought to bring back some of these technologies to their own dominions. Of these were clock towers, these structures combined utilitarian function with architectural monumentality and were typically situated in…
Nawruz Muborak! | A Classical Spring Time Poem by the 17th Century Tajik Poet Saido Nasafi
Spring has arrived and with it the joyous holiday of Nawruz. نوروزتان خجسته باد! Наврузатон хуҷаста бод! May your Nowruz be blessed. Enjoy this beautiful poem by the 17th century Tajik Persian poet, Saido Nasafi for the arrival of Spring performed by the national artist of Tajikistan, Nigina Amonqoluva, and translated by me.
In Photo: Guri Amir From the Alleys of Samarqand
A striking view I caught of the imposing dome of Guri Amir (Timur’s tomb) whilst wandering through the old alleyways of Samarqand. Fall 2024
Shoddy Workmanship at Guri Amir – The Problems of Modern Restoration in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is promoting itself as an attractive tourist destination largely for its historic classical Persian-Islamic architecture, as a result numerous notable historic monuments have undergone aggressive restoration/ redecoration in recent years. In my last visit to Samarqand I observed and analyzed some of these restorations and found many to be of shoddy quality, particularly in the areas of tile work (both haft-rang and mu’araq) and not befitting of the monuments they adorn. Take for example…
Courtyards in Persian Islamic Architecture – Sahni Jomhuri Islami (Shrine of Imam Reza)
Open air courtyards are among the most notable and essential features of Persian Islamic architecture. Unfortunately in recent years there has been a pattern of covering open air courtyards at shrines in Iran and Iraq. The problem here is that unlike building new intentionally built covered spaces, roofing courtyards disturbs the balance of indoor to outdoor spaces, often reducing visibility of certain architectural features that are meant to be visible and observed in the complex’s…
Dushanbe’s Beloved Teahouse, Choikhona Rohat is Slated for Demolition…
Dushanbe’s beloved teahouse, Choikhona Rohat is slated for demolition… I recently learned that yet another of Dushanbe’s famous historic and cultural monuments is to be demolished, and once again in its place a “modern’’ building will be constructed. The building this time though, is none other than the iconic Rohat Teahouse (Чойхонаи Роҳат). Built in 1958, Choikhona Rohat may not be the oldest of Dushanbe’s monuments, but it is certainly among the most famous. The…
A Beautiful Quatrain by Baba Tahir (11th Century)
From the tyranny of the eyes and heart I cry,For, all the eyes see, the heart desires.I’ll make myself a sharp dagger of steel,I’ll stab the eyes to set the heart free. Baba Tahir
The Curious History of Sahni Atiq Tiles | Shrine of Imam Reza
These beautiful tiles adorn one of the Safavid era Iwans found in the Old Courtyard (Sahni Atiq) of the Imam Reza Shrine. Although these tiles are beautiful, there is a unfortunate bitter side to them. If you observe closely you will notice two dates on these tiles, one is 1059 Hejri Qamari (1649 AD) and the other is 1405 Hejri Qamari (1985 AD). Why are there two dates more than 300 years apart on one…
PHOTO | The Majest Qajar Color Palette at Masjidi Shah of Tehran
The majestic Qajar color palette at Masjidi Shah of Tehran. The tiles here are original and date from the year 1226 Hijri Qamari (1811 AD). The mosque was built under the order of Fath Ali Shah Qajar and was the main imperial mosque of the Qajar dynasty after the capital was moved to Tehran.