Chartaq (), chahartaq (), chartaqi (), or chahartaqi (), literally meaning "having four arches", is an architectural unit consisted of four

barrel vault A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...

s 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 m ...

History

Chartaqi was a prominent element in

Iranian architecture Iranian architecture or Persian architecture (, ''Me'māri 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 with characteristic examples distr ...

, 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 Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

city of Gor (Firuzabad) in 210s AD by King

Ardashir I Ardashir I (), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire, the last empire of ancient Iran. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new empire. After defeating the last Par ...

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

Shapur I Shapur I (also spelled Shabuhr I; ) was the second Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings of Iran. The precise dating of his reign is disputed, but it is generally agreed that he ruled from 240 to 270, with his father Ardashir I as co-regent u ...

Bishapur Bishapur (Middle Persian: ''Bay-Šāpūr''; , ''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 Persepolis) and Ctesiphon. It ...

, 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 Secularity, secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Muslim world, Islamic world encompasse ...

.Dietrich Huff
"ČAHĀRṬĀQ"
''

Encyclopaedia Iranica An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles or entries that are arranged alphabetically by artic ...

'', December 15, 1990 A related concept is ''čahārqāpū'' (). File:Baze Hoor fire temple.jpg, Baze Hoor fire temple, Arsacid period File:Zahak Fortress.jpg, Chahartaqi of the

Zahhak Castle Zahhak Castle (or citadel; ) is a castle in Hashtrud, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is named after Zahhak, a figure in Arabian and Persian mythology. According to various experts, it was inhabited from the second millennium BC until the Ti ...

, Arsacid period File:Niasar Fire Temple.jpg, Chartaqi of Neyasar at

Neyasar Neyasar () is a city in, and the capital of, Neyasar District of Kashan County, Isfahan province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to t ...

, Kashan, Iran. Late

Arsacid The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power centered in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe ...

or early Sassanian era. It is one of the few intact chartaqis. File:ChaharTaqi-KheirAbad Darafsh (4).jpg,

Chahartaqi of Kheirabad Chartaq (), chahartaq (), chartaqi (), or chahartaqi (), literally meaning "having four arches", is an architectural unit consisted of four barrel vaults and a dome. History Chartaqi was a prominent element in Iranian architecture, having various ...

, 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 (; ) is a place of worship for Zoroastrians. In Zoroastrian doctrine, ''atar'' and '' aban'' (fire and water) are agents of ritual purity. Clean, white "ash for the purification ceremonies sregarded as the basis of ritual lif ...

File:Atashkadeh (fireplace).jpg,

Fire Temple of Amol The Fire Temple of Amol, also known as Atashkadeh Amol or Amol Atash Kadeh or Shams Tabarsi Amuli, is a fire temple in Amol, Mazandaran province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a co ...

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

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

, 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 mor ...

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 () is a historic mosque in Cairo, Egypt. Built between 876 and 879 by its namesake, Ahmad ibn Tulun, it is the oldest well-preserved mosque in Egypt. Its design was inspired by the 9th-century mosques of Samarra in Iraq, th ...

, 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 A tetrapylon (plural tetrapyla; ; , also used in English) is a rectangular form of monument with arched passages in two directions, at right angles, generally built on a Crossroads (culture), crossroads. They appear in ancient Roman architecture ...

)'' File:Yerevan, Yerevan Cathedral, Chahartaq, Armenia.jpg, Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Yerevan, Armenia

Contemporary architecture

The main plan of the post-modern

Azadi Tower The Azadi Tower (, ; "Freedom Tower"), formerly known as the Shahyad Tower (, ; "Shah's Memorial Tower"), is a monument on Azadi Square in Tehran, Iran. It is one of the landmarks of Tehran, marking the west entrance to the city, and is part of ...

in Tehran is said to be influenced by the architecture of chartaqis. File:Azadi Square & Azadi Tower, aerial view 1971.jpg, Azadi Tower File:Mausoleum of Kashefi 01.jpg, Monument of Molla Hossein Kashefi,

Sabzevar Sabzevar (; ) is a city in northeastern Iran. It is located in the Central District (Sabzevar County), Central District of Sabzevar County, Razavi Khorasan province, Razavi Khorasan province, serving as the capital of both the county and the ...

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

iwan An iwan (, , also as ''ivan'' or ''ivān''/''īvān'', , ) 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 projecting ...

s. File:Persian Scholar pavilion in Viena UN (Rhazes&Khayyam).jpg,

Scholars Pavilion Scholars Pavilion or Scholars Chartagi is a monument donated by the nation of Iran to the United Nations Office at Vienna. The monument architecture is Persian Achaemenid architecture, with Persian columns and other features from Persepolis and ot ...

(the Scholars Chartagi) in Vienna, a
chahartaqi with elements from the architecture of

Persepolis Persepolis (; ; ) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (). It is situated in the plains of Marvdasht, encircled by the southern Zagros mountains, Fars province of Iran. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites and ...

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 Iranian architectural elements Sasanian architecture Islamic architectural elements Arches and vaults Iranian inventions

History

Contemporary architecture

See also

References