Chehel Dokhtaran minaret of Isfahan is an ancient brick tower which dates back to the sixth century AH, Siljuks era. This monument is located in Jouybareh neighborhood one of the districts of Isfahan city where the Jewish people used to live there. This tower is also famous as Garland.
- History
- Architecture
- Art and decoration
- Garland
- Utilization
History
This minaret was built in 501 Hijri when Soltan Mohammad Ben Malekshah of Siljuk was governing.
Architecture
Chehel Dokhtaran Minaret is divided into two parts, The base and the round part. These two parts are 21 meters high altogether and made with adobe. Top of this minaret is destroyed. A big rectangle-shaped window with wooden frame is seen on the second one third of the tower facing south.
Art and decorations
There are three inscriptions on the body of the circular part of the tower:
- On the upper of circular part, there is a brick bulged inscription which is adorned with the five sentences of Koranic Taha verse in Kufic Islamic calligraphy.
- On one side of the base of the Chehel Dokhtaram minaret, there is another bulged adobe inscription of Arabic religious phrases in five separate numbers in Sols calligraphy.
- On the other side of the base, there is also another inscription in Kufic calligraphy with bumped brick on which the name of the builder and the year of ending process has been mentioned.
Garland
As we said, this ancient landmark is also called Garland. J.L.Garland was a Protestant Christain person who lived in the 20th century AD in this town and promoted his religion to Jewish people and invited many of them to Christain beliefs. He spoke Persian well and after his death he was buried in Armenian cemetery of Isfahan.
Utilization
There are so many anecdotes about the utilization of this tower. Some researchers believe that girls came to this place and pray for their fortune. They broke walnut and raisin and handout them to other people as charity work to be married soon.