Chartaq ( fa, چارطاق), chahartaq (), chartaqi (), or chahartaqi (), literally meaning "having four arches", is an architectural unit consisted of four barrel vaults and a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a ...

History

Chartaqi was a prominent element in

Iranian architecture Iranian architecture or Persian architecture ( Persian: معمارى ایرانی, ''Memāri e Irāni'') is the architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its history dates back to at least 5,000 BC ...

, having various functions and used in both secular and religious contexts for 1,500 years, with the first instance apparently being developed in the

Sasanian The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...

city of

Gor Gor () is the fictional setting for a series of sword and planet novels written by philosophy professor John Lange, writing as John Norman. The setting was first described in the 1966 novel ''Tarnsman of Gor''. The series is inspired by science f ...

(Firuzabad) in 210s AD by King

Ardashir I Ardashir I (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭥𐭲𐭧𐭱𐭲𐭥, Modern Persian: , '), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new ...

. The biggest instance of chahartaq is that of the so-called Palace of

Shapur I Shapur I (also spelled Shabuhr I; pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩, Šābuhr ) was the second Sasanian King of Kings of Iran. The dating of his reign is disputed, but it is generally agreed that he ruled from 240 to 270, with his father Ar ...

Bishapur Bishapur (Middle Persian: ''Bay-Šāpūr''; fa, بیشاپور}, ''Bishâpûr'') was an ancient city in Sasanid Persia (Iran) on the ancient road between Persis and Elam. The road linked the Sassanid capitals Estakhr (very close to Persepol ...

, also in Pars. Many pre-Islamic chahartaqs have survived, but they are usually just the sole surviving structure of a much bigger complex. The chahartaq structure was adopted in

Islamic architecture Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ...

.Dietrich Huff
"ČAHĀRṬĀQ"
''

Encyclopaedia Iranica An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...

'', December 15, 1990 A related concept is ''čahārqāpū'' (). File:Baze Hoor fire temple.jpg,

Baze Hoor fire temple Baze is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Gary Baze (born 1955), American jockey *Grant Baze (1943-2009), American bridge player * Michael C. Baze (born 1987), American jockey *Ralph Baze (21st century), American murderer * Russ ...

, Arsacid period File:Zahak Fortress.jpg, Chahartaqi of the Zahhak Castle, Arsacid period File:Niasar Fire Temple.jpg, Chartaqi of Neyasar at

Neyasar Neyasar ( fa, نياسر, also Romanized as Niāsar, Nīāsar, and Nīyā Sar; also known as Nezār) is a city and capital of Neyasar District, in Kashan County, Isfahan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, ...

, Kashan, Iran. Late Arsacid
or early Sassanian era. It is one of the few intact chartaqis. File:ChaharTaqi-KheirAbad Darafsh (4).jpg, Chahartaqi of Kheirabad, Sassanian period File:Old exterior view Sassanid Chahartaghi Sarab.jpg, Chahartaq in Sarab, East Azerbaijan Province. Sassanian period File:Ateshgah Fire Temple.jpg, Ateshgah of Baku. Many pre-Islamic chartaqis were part of a

fire temple A fire temple, Agiary, Atashkadeh ( fa, آتشکده), Atashgah () or Dar-e Mehr () is the place of worship for the followers of Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Iran (Persia). In the Zoroastrian religion, fire (see ''atar''), together wi ...

File:Atashkadeh (fireplace).jpg, Fire Temple of Amol File:Bahramfiretempleyo.jpg, Bahram fire temple File:Chartaghi Karchan.jpg, Chartaqi of Karchan File:Chartaqi of Konar Siyah چهارطاقی کنارسیاه - panoramio.jpg, Chahartaqi of Konarsiyah File:Harpak Fire Temple in Abyaneh (reconstruction).PNG, Chartaq on top of the Harpak fire temple in

Abyaneh Abyaneh ( fa, ابيانه, also Romanized as Ābyāneh, Ābiāneh, and Abyāneh) is a village in Barzrud Rural District, in the Central District of Natanz County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 305, in 160 familie ...

File:Mausoleum in the vicinity of Isfahan by Eugène Flandin.jpg, A chahartaq as a small mausoleum, with a grave inside, near Isfahan, 1840 drawing by

Eugène Flandin Jean-Baptiste Eugène Napoléon Flandin (15 August 1809 in Naples – 29 September 1889 in Tours), French orientalist, painter, archaeologist, and politician. Flandin's archeological drawings and some of his military paintings are valued ...

File:Samanid Mausoleum.jpg,

Samanid Mausoleum The Samanid Mausoleum is a mausoleum located in the northwestern part of Bukhara, Uzbekistan, just outside its historic center. It was built in the 10th century CE as the resting place of the powerful and influential Islamic Samanid dynasty that ...

File:Sultan Sanjar mausoleum.jpg, Tomb of Ahmed Sanjar File:Fountain Ibn Tulun Mosque.jpg, Sabil ablution fountain at

Mosque of Ibn Tulun The Mosque of Ibn Tulun ( ar, مسجد إبن طولون, Masjid Ibn Ṭūlūn) is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is one of the oldest mosques in Egypt as well as the whole of Africa surviving in its full original form, and is the largest mosque in ...

, Cairo, Egypt File:Barid Shahi tombs.jpg, Tomb of Ali Barid Ali barid Shah, Bidar, India File:Sultanhani-jries.jpg, "Kiosk-mosque" at Sultan Han caravanserai, Turkey (Seljuq period) ''(see also Tetrapylon)'' File:Yerevan, Surb Grigor Lusavorich Church6.JPG, Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Yerevan, Armenia

Contemporary architecture

The main plan of the post-modern Azadi Tower in Tehran is said to be influenced by the architecture of chartaqis. File:Shahyad.jpg, Azadi Tower File:Mausoleum of Kashefi 01.jpg, Monument of Molla Hossein Kashefi,

Sabzevar Sabzevar ( fa, سبزوار ), previously known as Beyhagh (also spelled "Beihagh"; fa, بيهق), is a city and capital of Sabzevar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, approximately west of the provincial capital Mashhad, in northeastern ...

, built in 1974.
The post-modern design has incorporated the concepts
of chahartaqi and

iwan An iwan ( fa, ایوان , ar, إيوان , also spelled ivan) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projectin ...

s. File:Persian Scholar pavilion in Viena UN (Rhazes&Khayyam).jpg, Scholars Pavilion (the Scholars Chartagi) in Vienna, a
chahartaqi with elements from the architecture of

Persepolis , native_name_lang = , alternate_name = , image = Gate of All Nations, Persepolis.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Ruins of the Gate of All Nations, Persepolis. , map = , map_type ...

File:مسجد سالن اجلاس بین المللی اصفهان.jpg, A sample of modern Islamic architecture - The mosque of international conferences center - Isfahan

References

{{Islamic architecture Domes Architecture in Iran Sasanian architecture Islamic architectural elements Arches and vaults Iranian inventions

History

Contemporary architecture

See also

References