16 - 22 May 2002
Issue No.586
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 16 - 22 May 2002 Issue No.586 |
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Half the world
Isfahan may not be a prime tourist destination these days, but this did not stop photographer Khaled El-Fiqi from taking a trip to the one-time Persian capital
"If you have visited Isfahan you have seen half the world" says an Iranian proverb. So when we made plans to go to Iran on an assignment for Al-Ahram Weekly I knew it was something not to be missed. I found myself perusing maps and working out itineraries long before our work in Tehran, Khorasan, Qom and Sawa ended. I tried to persuade my colleagues to join me on a trip, and at first they were keen. But as we travelled through the province of Isfahan in the central Iranian plateau, I watched them slowly losing interest. My enthusiasm had not wavered, so I settled on going alone accompanied by a guide-cum-translator.
The historical city of Isfahan is four and a half hours by car from Tehran -- 430kms to be exact -- and an exciting journey all the way. As we travelled through the province of the same name we passed vast snow-covered mountains rising like giant Egyptian cotton bushes on the rocky terrain. Then, as we entered one of the driest parts of Iran, I found myself again drawing parallels between Iran and Egypt. Both countries have a similarly duplicated north-south geography. Both have a north coast (on the Caspian and the Mediterranean respectively). Both have a major capital far larger than any other city in the country (Tehran and Cairo). Both have a southern historic and cultural city renowned for its splendid monuments (Isfahan and Luxor) and, still further south, both have a city remarkable for its beauty and poetry (Shiraz and Aswan).
The climate cannot be compared so easily (Iran has hotter summers and colder winters, and suffers torrential rains in the north). But both are swept by heavy winds which cause severe sandstorms at certain times of the year. And while Egypt has only one great river, Iran has several small ones, with its main river being the 270km-long Zayandeh Rood -- which runs through Isfahan. And while our Nile has enough water left at the end of its long journey through Africa to pour into the Mediterranean, the Zayandeh Rood literally fizzles out, slowly evaporating until, with no strength to push on any further, it stagnates into a swamp, the Gavkhooni. This area provides an excellent habitat for various types of aquatic creatures and large numbers of migrating birds.
When we arrived in Isfahan I was immediately struck by its rich aura of history. Here was no ordinary city. It was bustling with atmosphere and with a mixture of peoples and languages -- Farsi, Armenian, Azari and the languages of the tourists, to which I added the questions addressed to my companion in Arabic.
Isfahan is famous for its craft production. I was already familiar with the beautiful Persian wares sold by merchants in Cairo's Khan Al-Khalili, who stock carpets from Isfahan, woven brocade silks and silver, copper and enamel worked in the Persian style. Back in Egypt's pre-revolutionary days, royal palaces and the mansions of the élite in Egypt were adorned with the finest of Persian textiles and metalwork, much of which was sold off at auction and can still be found in antique shops and Khan Al-Khalili.
The Isfahan Bazaar is one of the largest in the world and a major centre of production and export. I saw the carpet weavers and silver and copper craftsmen at work, surrounded by crowds of Arabs, French and German visitors. The bazaar is mostly roofed and arcaded, and we visited several major historical monuments within it, among them the Gheisariyeh portal and the Jarchi Mosque.
"Have you ever tasted Balouza?" my companion asked. This is the local ice-cream, which, he assured me was "famous all over the world, and more delicious than the ice-cream in Paris or Syria." Indeed, it is delicious, and having once sampled it I am inclined to agree it was worthy of its reputation.
Naghshe Jihan Square is second in size only to the Concorde in Paris, and was once the playing field of the erstwhile Persia's national sport, polo. Here we took time off so I could peruse some of the brochures we had acquired from the General Office of Isfahan Cultural Heritage. From these I learned that Isfahan was captured by the Muslim army in about 640AD, the same year that 'Amr Ibn Al-'As and his victorious army moved towards Egypt. It was chosen as the capital and thrived for centuries until it was devastated and its people massacred by Mongol hordes in 1241. Later it suffered further aggression by the army of Tamerlane.
Only in the late 16th century, in 1591 under Shah Abbas I to be exact, did the capital recapture some of its past glory and develop into the most important city in Iran. Splendid palaces were built in what became known as the Golden Age of Isfahan -- grand mosques, caravanserais and bridges.
We visited the Chehel Sotoun Palace, set in a beautiful garden with its chambers decorated with exquisite marble, gilding, frescoes and statues. We made our way to the mosque of Jame Abbas I with its 52-metre-high dome, lofty minarets and beautiful tile work. We went to the Allah Verdi Khan bridge, 300 metres long and 14 wide, a grand structure: beautiful, stable and the largest bridge over the Zayandeh Rood. We also saw the 16th-century Pole Khajo bridge built by Shah Abbas II, one of the most important historic monuments in Isfahan. In its central turret Shah Abbas and his descendants maintained a kiosk where they could watch the traditional fire festival of Now Rooz (New Year) and other celebrations.
A few days are not enough to visit this great city, but it was all I had. Our time in Iran was running out. The sun was setting as I left, and as I took one last look at the great bridge spanning the river I was moved by its majesty. There were lovers on the bridge, and others in small boats on the river: this is, indeed, one of the most romantic of all cities. If only the other half of the world were so wonderful.
Clockwise from top : Polykhago Bridge; a view of the Zayandeh Rood River from Sesipul Bridge; walking across the Sesipul Bridge; a vendor showing tapestries to a client; Iranian girls following their Qur'an class at the Lutfallah Mosque.
photos: Khaled El-Fiqi
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