TEHRAN - A ceremony was held in Isfahan on Tuesday to mark the inscription of Ayeneh-Kari, the Iranian art of architectural mirror work, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The event took place with the participation of Alireza Izadi, director general for registration and protection of tangible, intangible and natural heritage at Iran’s Cultural Heritage Ministry, along with provincial officials, artists and veteran practitioners of mirror work.

Amir Karamzadeh, director general of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts of Isfahan province, said Isfahan was the main center of Ayeneh-Kari in Iran.

“Ayeneh-Kari is one of Iran’s distinguished traditional arts, and its most visible manifestations can be seen in Isfahan,” Karamzadeh said, according to the provincial heritage office.

He said the global registration of Ayeneh-Kari could help promote, introduce and ensure the continuity of the craft.

Karamzadeh added that, given the importance of the art, steps should be taken toward establishing a professional association for mirror-work practitioners.

Ayeneh-Kari was inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in December 2025 following a decision by the Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi.

According to the nomination file, the craft involves decorating architectural surfaces such as ceilings, walls, domes and columns with small, cut pieces of mirror arranged in geometric or organic patterns to reflect light.

The practice combines skills including design, mirror cutting, plastering, painting and mosaic work, and is transmitted through family-based apprenticeships as well as universities, non-governmental organizations and training institutes.

UNESCO said the art is used in religious sites, royal palaces, private homes and contemporary spaces, and that master practitioners hold a respected social position within their communities.

The ancient city of Isfahan was once a crossroads of international trade and diplomacy in Iran and now it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reasons. It is filled with many architectural wonders, such as unmatched Islamic buildings, bazaars, museums, Persian gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. The Persian proverb “Isfahan nesf-e-jahan ast” (Isfahan is half the world) reflects the city’s cultural and historical prominence.

AM