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Countries: Asia, Middle East
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Chahar Baq
School
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City of Isfahan: Monuments
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Chahar Baq School, also named "Sultani",
"Madar-Shah" and "Shah Sultan Hussein School",
is one of the five schools built in the reign of Shah Sultan Hussein
(1694-1723), last king of Safavid era.
Although the date of establishment of this building corresponds the
fall of political power of Safavid, it would be considered as a
masterpiece specimen of the architecture of that period and the
result of more than one century of experience gained during
architecture period of the reign of Safavid.
With regard to the policy of Safavid, many schools were built in
their era in Iran, to the extend that sometimes the statistics
regarding the number of such schools, recorded in historic and
travel books, seem incredible.
Shah Sultan Hussein was very much cared for theological sciences and
himself was among the seekers of such science. During his kingdom,
the process of theological school building augmented and led to the
establishment of the most magnificent specimen.
Establishment expenses of this largest school of Safavid era, with
12,000 Sq. m area and 121 rooms, was paid by king's mother. The
revenue of two important complexes "Bazarcheh-Boland"
(today: Art Bazaar) , situated in the North of the school, and
"Madar-Shah Caravansary" (today: Shah Abbas Hotel) in
North, was dedicated to it.
The school was equipped with such facilities as kitchen and library.
Contrary to the most of the ancient schools, which were built in
bazaar, it was built along-side the complex of royal gardens and
palaces, in Chahar Baq Avenue, the most important avenue of the
city. In order to design and plan this school, foremost artists of
the period of different specialties were employed.
The set of such factors caused revolution in design of schools, as
such it affected the architecture of most of the schools, which were
built in following periods. Worship room of the school was changed
to a mosque, with dome and minarets. With "Farshadi
Stream" (Madi), passing through its yard, and bordering little
gardens with plenty of trees, the court of the school resembled a
garden. Being situated alongside the main avenue of the city, its
exterior facade was given important and magnificent aspect in a way
that its dome and minarets were considered as indicative sign of the
city.
Preciousness of the architecture of the school is not limited to its
design and over-all constitution. Its decoration are extraction of
experiences of the artists of Safavid era. Maybe, this building
would be considered as a treasure of the most precious tile works,
calligraphy, sculpture, mosaic works, gold works, silver works and
painting.
Among the beautiful parts of the school, one would mention the
entrance vestibule (levee) and the appropriated room of Shah Sultan
Hussein, the first room of Northern front from West, in which he was
imprisoned and killed by Afghans.
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Monuments
of Isfahan
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