The Arg of Karim Khan ( fa, ارگ کریم خان, ''Arg-e Karim Khān'') or Karim Khan Citadel, is a

citadel A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. I ...

located in downtown

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. It was built as part of a complex during the

Zand dynasty The Zand dynasty ( fa, سلسله زندیه, ') was an Iranian dynasty, founded by Karim Khan Zand (1751–1779) that initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later quickly came to expand to include much of the rest o ...

. It is named after

Karim Khan Mohammad Karim Khan Zand ( fa, محمدکریم خان زند, Mohammad Karīm Khân-e Zand; ) was the founder of the Zand Dynasty, ruling from 1751 to 1779. He ruled all of Iran (Persia) except for Khorasan. He also ruled over some of the Cau ...

, and served as his living quarters. It is rectangular in shape and resembles a medieval fortress. In the past, the citadel was sometimes used as a prison. Today, it is a museum operated by

Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization ( fa, وزارت میراث فرهنگی، گردشگری و صنایع دستی ایران, ''Vâzart-e Miras-e Ferhengi-ye, Gârdâshigâri-ye vâ Sânai'-ye Dâsti-ye Iran'') is ...

. A public park surrounds it.

History

Karim Khan citadel is located at the beginning of Karim Khan Zand (Shiraz) street on the corner of the Municipality Square (Shahrdari). Karim Khan was influenced by the Safavid architecture when his government was established in Shiraz. So that after visiting Isfahan Naghshe Jahan Square, he decided to build a large square in the northern Shiraz. This field was known as Artillery Square. To the north of the square, located Divan Karim Khan Square and to its east, Vakil Bazaar and several inns. To the south of the square, were located Hammam Vakil and Vakil Mosque. On the southwest, there was a garden, and to the west, the Arg citadel. After the conquest of Shiraz by Mohammad Khan, he decided to demolish the buildings of Karim Khan in a hostility to Karim Khan. Following this decision, a number of Zandiyah era buildings were demolished, including the border fence built around Shiraz by Karim Khan. Fortunately, the Arg citadel was protected from demolition and was used as an emirate court appointed by the central government to Amiri and the Fars governorate. The Arg of Karim Khan was built in 1180 AH (1766-7).

invited the best architects and artists of the time and bought the best materials from other cities and abroad for the construction of the castle of

, which was quickly constructed. During the Zand dynasty it was used by the king as living quarters. During the Qajar period it was used as the governor's seat. Prince Abdolhosein Mirza Farmanfarma, governor of Fars Province, ordered the miniatures in the castle to be renovated. After the fall of the Qajar dynasty it was converted into a prison and the paintings were plastered over. In 1971 it was given to

. The renovation of the castle started in 1977.

Description

Karim Khan Castle is located at Shahrdari Square. It has a land area of 4,000 m² and is in the center of a 12,800 m² compound.retrieved 11 Feb 2008
The Citadel of Karim Khan consists of four high walls connected by four 14 m round brick towers at a 90-degree angle. Each 12 m wall is 3 meters thick at the base and 2.8 meters at the top. The design of the citadel combines military and residential architecture, for it was the home of

and the military center of the dynasty.

James Edward Alexander General Sir James Edward Alexander (16 October 1803 – 2 April 1885) was a Scottish traveller, author and soldier in the British Army. Alexander was the driving force behind the placement of Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames Embankment. Bac ...

in 1827 described the citadel as being surrounded by a "deep wet ditch".James Edward Alexander, Travels from India to England: Comprehending a Visit to the Burman Empire, Parbury, Allen (1827) p.125 Tile works depicting legendary tales were added at the entrance gate of the citadel during the

Qajar Era Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...

Gallery

Arg of Karim Khan - outside view.jpg, Exterior Arg of Karim Khan, Shiraz 02.jpg, Entrance Arg of Karim Khan ارگ کریم خان زند در شیراز 03.jpg, Interior Arg of Karim Khan (45).jpg, Interior Arg e karim khan (2).jpg, Windows

References

External links

MIT's Archnet entry for "Arg-e KarimiMap of Arg of Karim Khan
{{Castles in Iran Infrastructure completed in 1767 Architecture in Iran Castles in Iran Buildings and structures in Shiraz Museums in Iran Palaces in Iran Tourist attractions in Shiraz 1767 establishments in Iran National works of Iran

History

Description

Gallery

See also

References

External links