TEHRAN – An Iranian court has ruled that the construction of a multi-story building should be stopped opposite the 17th-century Khaju Bridge in Isfahan.

The construction work of a building, which is deemed to alter the visual landscape of Pol-e Khaju, has been stopped by a judicial order, IRNA quoted provincial tourism chief Freydoun Allahyari as saying on Thursday.

The height of the multi-story buildings, which are located inside the defined boundaries of the historical sites across [Isfahan] province shouldn’t be more than 12 meters, however, it seems this new building frame has broken the law, Iranian architect and scholar Ramin Madani said last week. 

The existing rules and guidelines are not good enough and efficient to preserve and protect cultural heritage, while they need to be followed by whoever is responsible for permitting such construction works, he added.

Measuring 133 meters long and 12 meters wide, Pol-e Khaju is equipped with several sluice gates under its lower archways that doubles it as a dam. The monument was completed around 1650 under the patronage of Shah Abbas II, the seventh Safavid king who ruled the country from 1642 to 1666.

In its heyday, the central passageway on the upper level of the bridge was utilized by horse-riders and carts while the vaulted paths on either side were dedicated to pedestrians. It used to be a temporary hangout for the king and the royal family of the time and later turned into a place for public meetings where locals, domestic and foreign travelers come to revel in a cozy atmosphere and take the air.

Narratives say that the bridge was replaced by the ruins of an older one, which dated to the time of Tamerlane, the Turco-Mongol conqueror who reigned from 1370 to 1405. Abundant Persian gardens, gorgeous Islamic buildings, historic bazaars, and picturesque bridges along with ubiquitous tree-lined boulevards give the city a significant visual appeal.

AFM/