- History
- Architecture
- Names
- Si-o-Se the number
History
Si O Se Pol bridge of Isfahan is one of several historic attractions in this city which has been built in Safavid era. Some tourists know Isfahan city with this bridge, and this is kind of a symbol for this town. This place is one of several masterpieces of architects made in that era. Actually, this era is an emergence of new architectural method and revolution of construction because many palaces, mosques, buildings and bridges were built in magnificent way. They started to build it in 1008 AH or 978 SH and took the architects three years to complete the bridge. The governor during the building process used to be Shah Abbas or Abbas the Great age.
Architecture
Si O Se Pol bridge of Isfahan has been constructed across Zayandehrood river. In addition to Si O Se Pol bridge, architects in Safavid era built some other bridges like Khaju or Khajoo bridge across this river, but Si o Se pol is the longest one. There are 33 arcade-like holes below the bridge through which water of Zayandehrood river passes, of course nowadays water of Zayandehrooz has been dried.
This bridge is more than 295 meters long and 14 meters wide. The foundation of this bridge is built with Sarooj, plaster, brick and stone in a way that humidity and water keep it resistant. The architect was Hussein the Architect the Master. Whose son was the architect of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque of Isfahan. Sound of water when it flows below the bridge made a poetic ambience because of that some poets gathered there and made the most of the atmosphere.
On the upper floor, the width of bridge has been divided to three parts: a wide aisle in the middle and two narrow aisles on both sides of the mountain. Two narrow aisles overlook the river. The middle and the wide one is the main aisle. There are 99 arcade-like shelves on the walls on both sidewalks on which there are paintings, and they are not existed now.
Names
In addition to Si O Se Pol, this bridge is also called by some other names like Shah Abbasi bridge, Allahverdi Khan bridge, Jolfa Bridge. The building process was done under the surveillance of Allahverdi Khan, and he also supported and paid for all expenses to build that. This is why its other name is Allahverdi Khan bridge.
Si O Se
Si o Se is a Persian number which means thirty-three in English. This number stands for 33 arcade-like holes through which water of the river flows. Some researchers say that this number stand for 33 Georgian alphabets, but it has been refused because the number of these arcade used to be 40 at first.