Book on Isfahan monuments unveiled

Books and films on the historical sites of the city of Isfahan entitled “Incredible Isfahan” was unveiled at Tehran’s Iranology Foundation during a ceremony on Wednesday.

At the ceremony, the book’s author and film producer Farzin Rezaian spoke about his aims and the writing process.

The book features historical sites of Isfahan that have been partially or totally ruined, and also provides a preface written by the renowned scholar Seyyed Hussein Nasr.

“Items which are used in the book and video are documented from other books and travelogues on Isfahan,” Rezaian mentioned at the ceremony

Wisdom and soul are manifest in Persian art in Isfahan and the city’s abundance of art is not limited to the Safavid era, he said.

Isfahan’s Jameh Mosque was constructed in Sassanid era about 800 years ago but the historical monuments that remain from the reign of Savafid king Shah Abbas attracts global attention to the city, he asserted.

Shah Abbas distinguished himself from prior and succeeding rulers by his ideas and foresight, Rezaian added.

He went on to say that Isfahan is a harmonious city in which one feels that a symphony is being performed.

He also explained about Chahar Bagh which is the main boulevard of Isfahan. It was built as part of a larger urban project undertaken between 1596 and 1597 by the Safavid Shah Abbas.

Its name, literally translated as “four gardens”, refers to a popular garden typology consisting of four plots divided by waterways or paths forming a cruciform plan.

“The Chahar Bagh was named the ‘present paradise’ by Safavid authors and the concept of paradise is depicted in ceramics and paintings of that era,” he said.

Several artists from different parts of the world including Asia, Africa and Europe resided in this city and their artworks are manifested in Chehel Sotun, he said.