Beautiful Bridges # 5 – The Piéce de Resistance of Islamic Architecture

“the culminating monument of Persian bridge architecture and one of the most interesting bridges extant… where the whole has rhythm and dignity and combines in the happiest consistency, utility, beauty, and recreation” – Arthur Pope, Jean Chardin

Looking like the commemorative façade of an oriental monument in its grand style and execution, the Khaju located in historic Isfahan of modern-day Iran is as unorthodox in structure as it is in its uses. It is a weir and a reservoir; it is also a bridge.

This unique structure serves many purposes. It impounds the waters of the Zayanderud, the largest river of Iran. Its superstructure offers a congregation point for people to entertain and enjoy. Linking the districts of Khajoo and Hassanabad Gate with Takht-e-Folad and Shiraz Road, the Khaju stands majestically as the best known landmark of Isfahan. Kamal Ismail, a famous street in Isfahan, also originates here.

The construction of the Khaju represents the crowning glory and absolute peak of the Safavids (1501-1736), perhaps the most celebrated dynasty of Persia, whose empire coincided with the Great Moghuls of India. Constructed in 1650 under Abbas II, the seventh Safavid Shah of Persia, the Khaju was raised on the remains of an earlier bridge. It is likely Abbas II himself may have sat once upon a time, surveying and admiring the vast expanse of water and beauty, in front of a central pavilion, once the pride of the place. Today, only a bare slab of stone commemorates the deed of the great king.

Abbas II

Abbas II successfully emulated his grandfather, Abbas I, as a capable and energetic ruler. Known for his fairness, he was generous to allies and ruthless to rivals. Ascending the throne at only nine years of age, he quickly brought stability and Persia remained largely free of invasions during his reign. He was also a poet – adopting the pen name Thani, he wrote in Azerbaijani Turkish. His contemporary in India was the great Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal. But the testament to the greatness of his reign would prove to be the construction of the great Khaju Bridge.

The Bridge

The bridge is about 436 feet long and 40 feet wide. It contains 23 arches. It was originally decorated with tilework and paintings and served as a teahouse. The pass-way of the bridge is made of bricks and stones with 21 larger and 26 smaller inlet-outlet channels and is about 25 feet wide. Individual pieces of stone used in the bridge are over 6 feet long, and the distance between every channel and the ceiling base is a uniform 69 feet.

There are several sluice gates under the archways through which the water flow of the Zayanderud is regulated. When the sluice gates are closed, the water level behind the bridge is raised to facilitate irrigation of the many gardens along the river upstream of the bridge.

On the upper level of the bridge, the main central aisle was utilized by horses and carts and the vaulted paths on either side by pedestrians. Octagonal pavilions in the centre of the bridge on both the down and the upstream sides provide vantage points for remarkable views. The lower level of the bridge is also accessible by pedestrians and remains a popular place for relaxing in the shade and away from the hot Iranian sun.

Beautiful poems have been written praising the bridge’s beauty, the most notable ones by the immortal Persian poet Saeb Tabrizi.

Saib Tabrizi

Saib Tabrizi or Mīrzā Muḥammad ʿalī Ṣāʾib, born in Tabriz and educated in Isfahan, is considered one of the greatest poets of classical Arabic and Persian, famous for his rhymed couplets known throughout the world as ghazals. He wrote a long poem on the celebrations and festivities that used to take place at the Khaju, making this bridge an inseparable part of Iranian cultural and architectural tradition.

The bridge drew worldwide attention when an improvement program led to removal of the Safavid inscribed stone blocks from the bridge, sadly underlining the dominance of politics over history and aesthetics. However, the charm, beauty and attraction of this extraordinary monument remains as great as ever. It is a welcome addition to our list of the most outstanding bridges in the world.