Analysis of the Urban Spaces around the Holy Places on the Needs and Behavioral Patterns of Pilgrims; Case Study: Imam Reza (PBUH) Street, Mashhad City

The urban spaces around the holy and religious places and analyzing them based on the needs of the pilgrims and their behavioral patterns that occur in urban spaces is a subject that has been less addressed in the scientific research. The main research question is the adaptability of the urban spaces around the holy places to the needs and behavioral patterns of the pilgrims. Therefore, the theoretical foundations of the subject were first studied. Then, in the conceptual model of the research, the qualities that the urban street space should have regarding the adaptability to the needs of pilgrims were codified in six criteria. These criteria include access facility, safety and security, vitality and presence, environmental comfort and convenience, visual beauty and warning and authentication, and 20 sub-criteria. The research method is a survey study using statistical analysis. The case study is a part of Imam Reza (PBUH) Street in Mashhad City that is one of the main paths leading to the holy shrine. The behavioral patterns of the pilgrims were classified into five main behavioral patterns in the field studies. In the meantime, 12 inappropriate and dangerous were identified among the pilgrims, and 384 questionnaires were distributed among the pilgrims. In the first section, the satisfaction of the pilgrims using the mean concentration index showed that in more than half of the environmental criteria, the mean of the satisfaction level of pilgrims is at the improper level. Also, the correlation analysis (Chi-Square) shows that there is a significant and direct relationship between the low level of the urban space qualities and inappropriate and dangerous behaviors of the pilgrims. In the end, the paper presents the recommendations, suggestions, and requirements for the planning and design in the urban spaces around the holy places.