Darb-e Imam

Imamzadeh Darb-e Imam
Religion
Affiliation	Twelver Shi'a
District	Dardasht
Province	Isfahan Province
Year consecrated	1453
Location
Location	Isfahan, Iran
Shown within Iran
Geographic coordinates	32.6688461°N 51.6771894°E / 32.6688461; 51.6771894
Architecture
Type	mausoleum, mosque and cemetery
Style	Persian architectural style
General contractor	Jalal al-Din Safarshah
Specifications
Dome(s)	2
Materials	brick, stone, clay

Imamzadeh Darb-e Imam (Persian: امامزاده درب امام) is a funerary complex located in the Dardasht quarter of Isfahan, Iran. It comprises two shrines, a mosque, and a mausoleum with royal cemetery. It is registered as number 217 on the list of Iran's national heritage monuments.

History

The first building in the complex was built during the rule of the Qara Qoyunlu in 1453, as an Imamzadeh shrine dedicated to two saints, "Ibrahim al-Batha" and "Zayn al-Abidin" who were believed to have been descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib through Ja'far al-Sadiq.^[1][2] The construction of the Imamzadeh was ordered by the son of Jahan Shah, the ruler of Qara Qoyunlu at the time.^[1][2] After the Imamzadeh's construction was completed, many princes belonging to the Safavid dynasty were buried next to the place, along with princes of Mongol descent.^[1][2] A khanqah was also added to the complex during the reign of Aq Qoyunlu ruler, Ya'qub Beg.^[1][3] Later during the Safavid period, some repairs were made to the shrines.^[4][5] In the years between 1995 until 1996, extensive renovations were conducted to the Imamzadeh Darb-e Imam complex.^[5][3]

Architectural features

Girih tiles

Example of the girih tiles, found in a corner of the building.

Further information: Girih

There are girih tiles present in the mausoleum as well as other geometric patterns in the tilework. According to Peter Lu and Paul Steinhardt, the girih tiles in the mausoleum strongly resemble Penrose tilings.^[6]

Burials

The site is believed to be the burial place of the saints Ibrahim al-Batha and Zayn al-Abidin, two descendants of Ja'far al-Sadiq. Local tradition relates that twelve other descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib are buried in the complex but the locations of their graves are not known. Historically, the site includes the mausoleum of the wife of Qara Yusuf, who is also Jahan Shah's mother. A prince of Mongol descent, Mahmoud al-Afghani, is also buried in the funerary complex alongside other princes.^[4]

Gallery

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See also

• List of historical structures in Isfahan for a more comprehensive list on the historical sites in Isfahan, Iran
• List of mausoleums in Iran for a complete list of mausoleums in Iran

References

1. "امامزاده درب امام در اصفهان | عکس + آدرس + تلفن + موقعیت جغرافیایی". irantourismonline.com. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
2. "Details". rch.ac.ir.
3. "یلدامدتور | امامزاده درب امام". یلدامدتور (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-01-06.
4. "امامزاده درب امام اصفهان". سیدمحمدصدرا متولی امامی | پولطلا (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-01-06.
5. "خبرگزاری فارس | گنبد‌های فیروزه‌ای امامزاده درب امام، در حال تخریب/ میراث فرهنگی اصفهان: درب امام در اختیار ما نیست". www.farsnews.ir. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
6. Lu, P. J.; Steinhardt, P. J. (2007). "Decagonal and Quasi-crystalline Tilings in Medieval Islamic Architecture". Science. 315 (5815): 1106–1110. Bibcode:2007Sci...315.1106L. doi:10.1126/science.1135491 PMID 17322056. S2CID 10374218. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-04.

Sources

• Lu, P. J.; Steinhardt, P. J. (2007). "Decagonal and Quasi-crystalline Tilings in Medieval Islamic Architecture". Science. 315 (5815): 1106–1110. Bibcode:2007Sci...315.1106L. doi:10.1126/science.1135491. PMID 17322056. S2CID 10374218. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-04.