Analysis of Urban Land Use in Mohtasham Quarter

Urban districts are regarded as the smallest physical, social, cultural and ethnic units of the Islamic-Iranian traditional urban development system. Districts of Islamic cities once used to be the place where social and economic prosperity were manifested in urban life, and nowadays, they have undergone considerable damage due to lack of modernization of the current fabric and activities of the cities. Mohtasham district is one of the seven historical districts of Kashan which will be reviewed and introduced in this paper as well as urban land use features in sub-districts of Papak, Pamenar, Posht emarat, Chehel dokhtaran, Darb yelan, Sar peleh, Sarsang, Sighan (Sighand), Kalhor, Mohtasham and Mirneshaneh. The present study aims to identify and compare various use of lands in Mohtasham sub-districts as well as the quality of the fabric of the buildings in these sub-districts. Moreover, it will identify the centers of the sub-districts of Mohtasham district, landmarks, the reason for their appellation and the type of current use of these centers. Prior to new street constructions for transportation of vehicles, this district had a specific fabric, social, economic and cultural coherent system. Religious uses such as mosque, shrine of Imams’ descendants and water reservoir exist in most of the sub-districts and have formed the center of the districts. Analysis of urban land use indicated that sub-districts of Mohtasham, Pamenar and Mirneshaneh consist the major portion of ruined places.