Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Authors
1
Post-doctoral researcher in urban design, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Rajaee Tarbiat University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Msc of Architecture student, Roshdieh Non-Profit Institute, Tabriz, Iran.
3
Msc student in Architecture, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz., Iran.
Abstract
Iran, as one of the richest civilizational bases in the East, has always found a specific form and meaning in interaction with religion, politics, and social structure. The main goal of this research is to comparative study the elements forming the culture and structure of Iranian cities in the two historical periods before and after the arrival of Islam; focusing on the way cultural components evolved, continued, and recreated in urban structure. The research method was descriptive-analytical and based on library and documentary studies. The data were analyzed with a comparative historical approach, based on written sources, architectural evidence, and analysis of theories of historical sociology and cultural anthropology. The findings show that before Islam, Iranian cities mainly had monarchy-oriented structures, focused on Zoroastrian religious power, and heavy and magnificent government architecture. But with the arrival of Islam, the city became a dynamic context for public life, worship, science, and social interaction. Spaces such as the Grand Mosque, the bazaar, the school, and the khanqah replaced the previous structures, and at the same time, many Iranian cultural elements such as Nowruz, the Iranian garden order, and the Persian language were continued in the new structure. The conclusion of this research shows that Iranian culture has not only been able to maintain its historical identity in the midst of political and religious developments, but also, by continuously reinterpreting its components, has created a unified and unique identity in the context of the Islamic city.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)