naqsh-e jahan square

Our main goal in this article is to explore the phenomenological understanding of space and identify the essence and beauty of the artistic structures in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. We aim to enhance the sense of human identity and quality-oriented approach in contrast to the modern era's feelings of loss, alienation, and quantification. Due to its geographical and historical significance, Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan serves as a crucial cultural, social, and historical hub that attracts a large number of tourists, both domestic and international. By examining the principles of Gestalt in its design, we analyze how these principles are implemented in the square. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is renowned for its grandeur and architectural significance. Despite extensive research on the square, there is a gap in explaining the principles of Gestalt in its physical interpretation. Addressing this gap is an essential aspect of future research. Gestalt is one of the most important principles in architecture, especially in the design of public and urban spaces. These principles emphasize the proper distribution of spaces and their interconnectedness, leading to the creation of a beautiful and efficient urban environment. The theory of Gestalt perception is based on the idea of seeking order, structure, and patterns in designs and objects. This article focuses on the application of Gestalt principles in the design of the square, with an emphasis on the thematic analysis of its physical structure and aesthetics. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the architecture of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, rooted in our past, predominantly emphasizes the importance of humans and is based on the presence of humans, richness of beauty, and meaning in the place's formation. Additionally, in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, this theory can provide valuable insights into visual perception. Factors such as strong symmetry and repetition in architecture, use of patterns, and design coherence can influence visual perception. These factors establish a consistent and predictable order and structure that provide visitors with a tangible understanding of the environment and relationships between elements in the square. These architectural and design principles in Naqsh-e Jahan Square enhance the sense of order and harmony, improving visual perception.

The announcement of time has played a crucial role in shaping the rhythm of daily life in Islamic cities, much like public clocks in European urban centers demonstrated technological prowess and controlled urban life. Islamic urban architecture, particularly during the Safavid era, emphasized the integration of time-keeping structures into public spaces such as mosques and squares. This research investigates the architectural and cultural significance of time-announcing mechanisms in Iranian Islamic cities, focusing on Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, which housed diverse time-keeping structures like the "Shah Clock."

Theoretical Framework:

The study explores the historical role of public clocks and time-keeping mechanisms in Islamic urban planning, emphasizing their integration into architectural elements and their role in public and religious life. Drawing on historical texts and the interpretative-historical method, the research connects the development of these structures with advancements in Islamic mechanical engineering and urban design.

This qualitative research employs interpretative-historical and descriptive-analytical methods. Primary historical texts and documents were analyzed to trace and identify urban clocks and their functions. The study categorizes these mechanisms based on their technology, cultural significance, and spatial organization in urban environments. Specific examples, such as the Shah Clock of Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the time-keeping structures of Kashan and Yazd, were examined in detail to reconstruct their role in shaping public life and urban identity.

Findings indicate that time-keeping structures, such as the Shah Clock, played a multifaceted role in Islamic cities. These mechanisms combined advanced engineering, artistic craftsmanship, and architectural design. They served religious, social, and political purposes, including the announcement of prayer times, structuring urban life, and symbolizing the authority and technological sophistication of ruling powers.The study highlights the integration of Islamic, Persian, and European time-keeping methods, as evident in the Shah Clock and the Portuguese mechanical clock in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. The presence of artistic elements, such as moving figurines and musical features, added an educational and entertaining dimension, enhancing their public appeal. Moreover, the spatial arrangement of these structures in key urban areas underlined their cultural and social significance.

The study concludes that time-keeping mechanisms in Islamic cities were more than functional devices; they were integral to urban identity, cultural heritage, and public life. The Shah Clock and other similar structures in Isfahan, Yazd, and Kashan exemplify the intersection of technology, art, and religion in Islamic architecture. The absence of many of these structures today underscores the need for further research and preservation efforts to uncover their historical and cultural importance.This analysis provides valuable insights for contemporary urban planning by emphasizing the cultural and architectural integration of functional and aesthetic elements. Reintroducing such culturally significant structures in modern cities could foster a renewed appreciation of historical identity and urban harmony.

Changes brought about by contemporary developments have not only led to transformation of many historical cities but also loss of plenty of scientific and pseudoscientific experiences of different historical periods. Today, these experiences in the world heritage can be assessed as a part of cultural wealth and intangible heritage. It is known that along with other sciences, astronomy was one of the fundamental aspects in the formation of past architectural productions in some ancient cities. This astronomical aspect in architectural products is rooted in a view beyond structure and place and is considered a part of the knowledge and habits of the time. This has also given a high status and position to important structures and cities. Accordingly, reexploring and recognizing the astronomical aspects of historical places and sites can promote knowledge of their hidden layers and guide the visitors to wider aspects of such an understanding. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, is among the most important urban architectural works in Iran and the symbol of the capital of the Safavid dynasty in Isfahan. Many studies have examined Naqsh-e Jahan from different views. It has been tried within this study to examine the alignment of Naqsh-e Jahan Square with the state of constellations in the sky at the time, recognizing and rereading astronomical considerations adopted in its construction. Two probable periods of time for laying the foundations of the Qeysarriyeh Bazaar (known as the Grand Bazaar) and Naqsh-e Jahan Square were extracted from the Safavid chronicles through descriptive-historical research. Next, the relationship between astrological beliefs and the architecture of this urban site was examined based on the astronomical principles using sky simulation software. The findings indicated a new inference on the accurate time of the planning of the square and the influence on its axis from its celestial view and perspective.

As one of the most popular areas of research in contemporary comparative studies in works of art and literature, imagology aims to explore the image of one's own culture as presented in the literature of another and vis-e versa. Such study posits that exoticism forms the foundation for portraying other nations' image which is rooted in the clichés and stereotypes written on the destination society.Since antiquity, Iran has always attracted the attention of oriental and occidental travelers. Concurrently with the developments in world and regional interactions, Iran-EU connections entered a new era and obtained a new form. Numerous travelers from different backgrounds and with different intentions, made their journey to Iran from the European countries and each of them left his own set of reports, notes and travel literatures on his experiences of the journey made. The narration of these travel literatures could be considered as a way of expressing one’s ideas and thoughts wherein the distinction between eastern and western identity, nature and understanding had been portrayed. These travel literatures hold a very important position because they not only portray the characteristics of the destination society but also contribute to better understanding of the formation of the society of origin. Therefore, the way modern societies have been established and the characteristics of western societies, such as economic booms, the powerful, orderly political system and other features could be related to cultural and economic interactions with other countries.Safavids’ reign was the golden era of the promotion of arts and culture in Iran. On the other hand, their rule marks the beginning of a new chapter in Iran-EU relations and so, many well-known European travelers made their journey to Iran, whether as officials or ambassadors of the European countries, to become acquainted with the country and its rich arts and cultural traditions. They used to spend most of their time in the court in Esfahan which was the royal capital of the Safavids’ Kings and record their personal reflections. That is the reason why most of the travel literatures on Iran have been written during this period and such records are brimming with accounts of Esfahan city as well as the manifestations of arts and culture therein. Such manifestations, which have always been the center of attention of travelers of Safavid era, include the Nashq-e Jahan Square with its four main architectural landmarks which are Ali Qapu Palace, Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Qeysariey Bazaar.Hence, travel literatures of the era, considered as literary texts, represent the western viewpoint regarding the Iranian lifestyle, arts and culture and thus, they constitute a proper platform for studying the prevailing stereotype views towards Iranian arts and culture.Employing a historical-analytical approach with the data collected through desk study of library sources, this research article intends to conduct an imagology study of Esfahan's art from the perspective of travel memoirists such as Tavernier, Chardin, Kaempfer who have mainly focused on the art traditions manifested in Naqsh-e Jahan’s architectural landmarks.Since authors are not single, independent creatures but are part of the history of the society that has formed their identity; re-studying the images created by the western travel memoirist of Esfahan's art could contribute to recognizing their colonialist backgrounds as well as the chronology of the culture of orient vs. occident.The imagology studies take this assumption that although the understandings and experiences the travel memoirists have been obtained through their direct contacts with the destination culture, yet their accounts are profoundly affected by images and texts already portrayed and written on the oriental culture by the westerns. In fact, although in most travelogues, the nature of the narrator’s relation with ‘others’ is direct conversation he has made during his real trip, still his accounts are overshadowed by the stereotype, cliché and hegemonic perspectives which are the characteristics of the western literature.Through the study of the travel literature written during the Safavids’ rule by those western travelers who had journeyed to Iran for whether trade purposes or just for the sake of travel, we find out that in their travel records, even where they are admiring the Iranian arts and culture, they are comparing them with their western examples as if the west has been the cradle of art and creativity. On the other hand, the prevailing stereotype views regarding the residents of the orient, including jealousy, hatred and etc. is considered the origin of the Iranian art.