Shiraz  شیراز
Sulle orme di Tamerlano
22 aprile - 11 maggio 2013
Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran[ Su ] [ Khiva ] [ Samarcanda ] [ Shakhrisabz ] [ Shiraz ] [ Tashkent ] [ Teheran ] [ Yazd ]

[ Su ] [ Khiva ] [ Samarcanda ] [ Shakhrisabz ] [ Shiraz ] [ Tashkent ] [ Teheran ] [ Yazd ]

L'Aeroporto Internazionale di Shiraz (Persiano: فرودگاه بین المللی شیراز) si trova a Shiraz (Iran). È il principale aeroporto internazionale della regione del Fars.

Dopo la fase di ristrutturazione e rilancio nel 2005, l'aeroporto di Shiraz è stato identificato come il secondo aeroporto più affidabile e moderno in Iran (dopo l'Imam Khomeini International Airport di Teheran) in termini di sicurezza del volo, compreso il controllo elettronico e i sistemi di navigazione di cui è dotata la sua torre di volo.

Shiraz (Persiano: شیراز Shīrāz),  ha una popolazione di 1.324.055 ed è per dimensione la quinta del paese. Shiraz è stata la capitale della Persia durante la dinastia Zand dal 1750 al 1794, mentre durante la dinastia Qajar la capitale fu trasferita a Teheran.

Periodo preislamico

Shiraz ha probabilmente più di 4.000 anni di vita. Il nome Shiraz è ricordato dalle iscrizioni cuneiformi del III millennio a.C., rinvenute nell'area sud-occidentale della città stessa.^[1] Basandosi sulle tradizioni antico-iraniche, fu in origine eretta da Tahmuras Diveband, ma cadde più tardi in rovina.^[2] Il più antico esempio di vino del mondo, datante approssimativamente a 7.000 anni fa, è stato scoperto in giare nei dintorni di Shiraz.

In età achemenide, Shiraz si trovava lungo la via che univa Susa a Persepolis e Pasargade. Nello Shāhnāma di Ferdowsi si dice che Artabano V, l'Imperatore partico d'Iran, estese il proprio controllo su Shiraz. Ghasr-e Abu Nasr (che significa "il Palazzo di Abu Nasr"), di origine partica, è situato nella sua area. Durante l'età sasanide, Shiraz si trovava lungo la via che univa Bishapur e Gur a Istakhr.

Periodo islamico

La città divenne capitale regionale nel 693, dopo che gli invasori arabi avevano conquistato Istakhr, la vicina capitale sasanide. Quando Istakhr cominciò a declinare, Shiraz conobbe un'importante crescita sotto gli Arabi e le diverse dinastie locali.^[3] I Buwayhidi (945 – 1055) la innalzarono a loro capitale, edificando moschee, palazzi, una biblioteca e un'ampia cinta muraria. Shiraz fu anche governata dai Selgiuchidi e dal Khwarazmshah prima della conquista mongola.

La città fu risparmiata dalla distruzione mongola quando i suoi governanti offrirono tributi e un totale atto di sottomissione a Genghis Khan. Shiraz fu ancora una volta risparmiata da Tamerlano quando nel 1382 il sovrano locale del momento, Shah Shoja, si rassegnò a sottomettersi all'invasore turco-mongolo.^[3] Nel XIII secolo, Shiraz divenne un centro-guida nelle arti e nelle lettere, grazie all'incoraggiamento dei suoi governanti e alla presenza di numerosi studiosi e artisti persiani. Per questa ragione la città è ricordata dai geografici classici come la Dār al-ʿElm, la "Casa della Conoscenza".^[4] Fra i poeti, i mistici e i filosofi importanti nati a Shiraz si possono enumerare poeti come Sa'di e Hafez, il mistico Ruzbehan e il filosofo Mulla Sadra.

Ai primi dell'XI secolo, varie centinaia di migliaia di persone abitavano Shiraz.^[5] Nel XIV secolo Shiraz era calata alla comunque rispettabile cifra di 60.000 abitanti.^[6] Durante il XVI secolo aveva nuovamente circa 200.000 abitanti che tuttavia a metà del XVIII secolo erano nuovamente decresciuti alla cifra di 50.000.

Nel 1504 Shiraz fu conquistata dalle forze di Isma'il I, il fondatore della dinastia Safavide.Nel corso del periodo safavide (1501 – 1722) Shiraz rimase capitale provinciale e Emam Qoli Khan, il governatore del Fars sotto Shah Abbas I, costruì numerosi palazzi e abbellì edifici con lo stesso stile usato per costruire consimili edifici a Isfahan, la capitale dell'Impero safavide.^[3] Dopo la caduta dei Safavidi, Shiraz soffrì un periodo di declino, reso anche peggiore dalle incursioni degli Afghani e dalla ribellione del suo governatore a Nader Shah. Quest'ultimo inviò truppe per sopprimere la rivolta. La città fu assediata per molti mesi e infine saccheggiata. Al tempo dell'assassinio di Nader Shah nel 1747 molti degli storici edifici della città furono danneggiati o distrutti, e la popolazione decrebbe fino a 50.000 abitanti, un quarto di quella del XVI secolo.^[3]

Shiraz ritornò presto alla sua prosperità sotto l'illuminato governo di Karim Khan Zand che la rese sua capitale nel1762. Impiegando più di 12.000 operai, egli fece costruire un distretto reale con una fortezza, numerose costruzioni amministrative, una moschea e uno dei più eleganti bazar coperti dell'Iran.^[3] Fu scavato un fossato attorno alla città, fu costruito un sistema d'irrigazione e di drenaggio e furono restaurate le mura urbane.^[3] Tuttavia gli eredi di Karim Khan non riuscirono a conservare quelle realizzazioni. Quando Agha Mohammad Khan, il fondatore della Dinastia Qajar, giunse alla fine al potere, si prese la sua vendetta su Shiraz, distruggendo le fortificazioni della città e trasferendo la capitale nazionale a Tehran.^[3] Sebbene avvilita al rango di capitale provinciale, Shiraz conservò un livello di prosperità come risultato della sua costante rilevanza commerciale lungo la via per il Golfo Persico e il governarla rimase una prerogativa reale durante il periodo cagiaro.^[3] I suoi famosi giardini, gli edifici e le abitazioni residenziali, approntati e costruiti nel XIX secolo, contribuiscono all'attuale splendida immagine della città.

Shiraz è il posto in cui nacque il co-fondatore della fede Bahá'í, il Bāb Sayyid ʿAli-Muhammad (1819–1850). Per questo motivo Shiraz è considerata una città santa e luogo di pellegrinaggio dai seguaci di questo credo religioso, nato dall'Islam ma da esso strutturalmente differenziatosi profondamente, tanto da in durre in Iran alla sua violenta persecuzione. Nel 1910 un pogrom del quartiere ebraico ebbe luogo a seguito delle false e assurde voci riguardanti secondo i quali gli ebrei avrebbero ritualmente assassinato una giovinetta musulmana. Nel corso del pogrom, 12 ebrei furono uccisi e circa 50 furono feriti,^[7] mentre 6.000 ebrei di Shiraz furono derubati di tutti i loro averi.^[8] ruolo della città nel commercio è grandemente scemato con l'apertura delle ferrovie trans-iraniane negli anni trenta del XX secolo, mentre comunque i traffici si spostavano verso i porti del Khuzistan. Gran parte del retaggio architettonico di Shiraz, specialmente nel distretto reale degli Zand, è stato colpevolmente trascurato o distrutto come risultato dell'irresponsabile pianificazione urbanistica sotto la dinastia Pahlavi. Persa ogni rilevanza industriale, religiosa o strategica, Shiraz è diventata un centro solamente amministrativo, malgrado la sua popolazione sia notevolmente aumentata dalla Rivoluzione Islamica del 1979.^[9]

1. ^ ^{a b} Andrew Burke, Mark Elliott, Iran, Lonely Planet, 2008. ISBN 1741042933, 9781741042931, p. 269

2. ^ Josiah Conder, Persia and China, Printed for J. Duncan, 1827., p. 339

3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} History of Shiraz. URL consultato in data 31 gennaio 2008.

4. ^ (pdf file)

5. ^ "Shiraz, Iran". Solo per fare un paragone, la città più popolosa dell'Europa era la musulmana Cordova, con mezzo milione di persone, seguita a distanza dalla cristiana Parigi, con circa 100.000 abitanti.

6. ^ (Google book search)

7. ^ Littman (1979), p. 14

8. ^ Littman (1979), p. 12

9. ^ Shiraz History - Shiraz Travel Guide - Lonely Planet

10. ^ Nezameddin Faghih

11. ^ Nezameddin Faghih Books

English

The city’s ancient trading district is home to several bazaars dating from diff erent periods. The finest and most famous of these is the Bazar-e Vakil (Vakil Bazaar; h8am-dusk Sat-Thu), a cruciform structure commissioned by Karim Khan as part of his plan to make Shiraz into a great trading centre. The wide vaulted brick avenues are masterpieces of Zand architecture, with the design ensuring the interior remains cool in summer and warm in winter. Today the bazaar is home to almost 200 stores selling carpets, handicrafts, spices and clothes and is best explored by wandering without concern for time or direction, soaking up the atmosphere in the maze of lanes leading off the main thoroughfares.

Chances are you’ll stumble across the Seray-e Moshir just off the main drag,

Rouhollah Bazaar.

This tastefully restored two-storey caravanserai is a pleasant place to gather your breath and do a bit of souvenir shopping. The nearby Seray-e Mehr Teahouse (p 195 ) is a great choice for lunch or a tea. Also worth checking out is the Shamshirgarha Bazaar, an arcade where you’ll find tribal handicrafts. It leads to the forecourt of the Masjed-e Vakil (Vakil Mosque). On the other side of Zand Blvd are the Bazar-e Vakil (North) and the Bazar-e Nou (New Bazaar), both built during the Qajar era.

Arg-e Karim Khan ارگ کريمخان

(Citadel of Karim Khan; Shohada Sq; admission h8am-7.30pm) Dominating the city centre, this burly fortress was built in the early Zand period and formed part of the royal court that Karim Khan had hoped would develop to rival Esfahan. The high walls feature ornamental brickwork and are punctuated by four attractive 14m-high

 ircular towers. The southeastern tower has a noticeable lean, having subsided onto the underground cistern that served as the Arg’s bathhouse. Inside the Arg is a large, open courtyard fi lled with citrus trees and a pool. A dusty museum of the Zand period, with wax figures in traditional dress, occupies rooms off the northwest iwan.

Bagh-e Nazar & Pars Museum باغ نظر و موزه پارس

(Eye- catching Garden; Zand Blvd; museum admission  h8am-noon & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sun) This formal garden and a delightfully decorated octagonal pavilion at its centre (now the Pars Museum) are other notable Zandera additions. Karim Khan once received foreign dignitaries in the pavilion, which has a stunning interior; its muqarnas ceiling is a particular highlight. Exhibits include Karim Khan Zand’s sword. Photography is not allowed.

Masjed-e Vakil مسجد وکيل

(Regent’s Mosque; admission ; h8am-8pm) Begun in Karim Khan’s time, this mosque next to the Bazar-e Vakil has an impressive tiled portal, a recessed entrance decorated with tiles and muqarnas, two vast iwans, a magnifi cent inner courtyard surrounded by beautifully tiled alcoves and porches, and a pleasingly proportioned 75mby-36m vaulted prayer hall supported by 48 carved columns. Inside the prayer hall are an impressive mihrab and 14-step marble minbar, carved from a monolith carried all the way from Azerbaijan. Much of the tiling, with its predominantly floral motifs and arabesques, was added in the early Qajar era. You’ll find it near the exit from the Shamshirgarha

Hammam-e Vakil حمام وکيل H

(Regent’s Bath; off Talequani St; admission US$0.50; h7.30am-5.30pm Sat-Thu) The vaulted and beautifully decorated central chamber of this Zand-era bathhouse now houses an interesting exhibition of Persian carpets. Once, Shirazis would have relaxed by its fountain after taking a bath in the handsome heat room, which has a vaulted ceiling, pillars and a small (empty) pool. Local artisans now work in a chamber between the two and off er their wares for sale.

AROUND AHMADI SQUARE

Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh آرامگاه شاهچراغ SHRINE (Mausoleum of King of the Light; Ahmadi Sq; hvariable, often 24hr) Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Reza’s 17 brothers, was hunted down and killed by the caliphate on this site in AD 835 and his remains are housed in this glittering shrine. A mausoleum was fi rst erected over the grave during the 12th century but most of what you see dates from the late-Qajar period and the Islamic Republic. The expansive courtyard is a great place to sit and take in the bulbous blue-tiled dome and dazzling gold-topped minarets while discreetly observing the pious at what is one of the holiest Shiite sites in Iran. In the shrine itself, countless minute mirror tiles refl ect the passion within. In theory, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the shrine. Enforcement seems to be mixed, but if you are polite and in a small group you may be lucky. Women must enter through a dedicated entrance and wear a chador; these can be hired from one of the old women hanging around the entrance –US$0.50 is a fair fee. Cameras are forbidden.

A recently opened museum (admission US$0.30; hvariable) is housed in a new building off the northwestern corner of the courtyard (next to the shrine itself) and houses an interesting collection of shrine-related objects, including some highly prized old Qurans upstairs and an absolutely exquisite door decorated with silver, gold and lapis lazuli downstairs. In the southeastern corner is the Bogh’eye Sayyed Mir Mohammad (Mausoleum of Sayyed Mir Mohammad; hvariable, often 24hr), which houses the tombs of two brothers of Mir Ahmad. The shrine has the typical Shirazi bulbous dome, intricate mirror work and four slender wooden pillars, leading some to describe it as more beautiful than Shah-e Cheragh.

Madraseh-ye Khan مدرسه خان

(Dastqeib St; hknock on the door) In 1615, Imam Gholi Khan, governor of Fars, founded this serene theological college for about 100 students. The original building has been extensively damaged by earthquakes and only the impressive portal at its entrance has survived; look for the unusual muqarnas inside the outer arch and some intricate mosaic tiling with much use of red. The college (still in use) has a fi ne stone-walled inner courtyard and garden. The building can be reached via a lane off Lotf Ali Khan Blvd. The doors are usually closed but if you are lucky the caretaker will open it; a tip is appreciated. If you get in, ask to be shown to the roof for panoramic views over the bazaar.

Masjed-e Nasir-al-Molk مسجد نصيرالملک

(Nasir-al-Molk Mosque; off Lotf Ali Khan Blvd; admission US$1.80; h8am-2pm & 3.30-7pm) Down the road from the Madraseh-ye Khan is one of the most elegant and photographed mosques in southern Iran. Built at the end of the 19th century, its coloured tiling (an unusually deep shade of blue) is exquisite. There are some particularly fi ne muqarnas in the smallish outer portal and in the northern iwan, but the stained glass, carved pillars and polychrome faience of the winter prayer hall are the most eye-catching features. Photographers should come as early as possible in the morning for shots of the hall lit up through the glass (you might have to tip the caretaker to open the curtains). A museum in the opposite prayer hall opens into the Gav Cha (Cow Well), in which cows walked downhill to raise the water. The structure has survived numerous earthquakes, due in part to its construction using fl exible wood as struts within the walls – look for the wooden bricks in the iwan columns. Don’t rely on the mosque’s offi cial opening hours. Basically, it’s open whenever the elderly caretakers are on-site. Mornings are best.

Naranjestan & Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk باغ نارنجستان خانه زينت الملک

A huge courtyard planted with rows of palm and orange trees, the Bagh-e Naranjestan (Citrus Garden; Lotf Ali Khan Blvd; admission h8am-6.30pm) is the setting for the opulently decorated Naranjastan-e Qavam pavilion, built for the wealthy and powerful Mohammad Ali Khan Qavam al-Molk between 1879 and 1886 as the buruni (public reception area) of his family home. The Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk housed the family’s andaruni (private quarters) and an underground passage (not open to the public) connected the two.

The pavilion’s mirrored entrance hall opens onto rooms with painted walls and ceilings. The ceilings in the upstairs rooms are particularly interesting, with the beams painted with European-style motifs, including Alpine churches and busty German fräuleins. The downstairs museum houses an archaeological collection put together by Arthur Upham Pope, an American scholar who taught at the Asia Institute in Shiraz between 1969 and 1979. Down a small street beside the garden is the Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk (Zinat-ol Molk Museum; admission US$0.80; h8am-6pm), originally the Qavam ol-Molk family’s gorgeous andaruni. Twenty rooms are embellished with paintings, stucco decoration and mirrors, and the mosaic fl oors were designed to resemble ornate Persian rugs. In the basement,

the Fars Museum showcases wax fi gures of famous Shirazis. The museum is signposted from Lotf Ali Khan Blvd.

NORTH OF THE RIVER

Aramgah-e Hafez آرامگاه حافظ (Tomb of Hafez; Golestan Blvd; admission h8am-9.30pm) Iranians have a saying that every home must have two things: fi rst the Quran, then a collection of the works of Hafez (see p 314 ). And in reality, many would reverse that order. Hafez the poet is an Iranian folk hero – loved, revered and as popular as many a modern pop star. Almost every Iranian can quote his work, bending it to whichever social or political persuasion they subscribe. And there is no better place  to try to understand Hafez’s eternal hold on Iran than here at his tomb.

Set in a charming garden with two pools, the whole scene is restful despite the everpresent traffic noise. The marble tombstone, engraved with a long verse from the poet, was placed here by Karim Khan in 1773. In 1935 an octagonal pavilion was put up over it, supported by eight stone columns beneath a tiled dome. Plan to spend a couple of hours sitting in a discreet corner of the grounds, at sunset if possible, to watch the way Iranians react to what is, for many, a pilgrimage site. You might see people performing the faal-e Hafez, a popular ritual in which you seek insight into your future by opening a volume of Hafez – the future is apparent in his words. After sunset, with the tomb fl oodlit and sung poetry piped over the public-address system, it is diffi cult not to feel transported back to the magic of ancient Persia. There’s a teahouse at the front of the garden where you can enjoy a tea, cheap bowl of ash (noodle soup) or faludeh (a frozen sorbet made with thin starch noodles and rosewater).

To get here from the centre of town you can walk (about 2km) or take a taxi dar baste (US$2.70).

Aramgah-e Sa’di آرامگاه سعدی

(Tomb of Sa’di; Bustan Blvd; admission h7.30am-8.30pm, to 9pm summer) While not as popular as Hafez’s tomb, the Aramgah-e Sa’di and its generous surrounding gardens are appropriate for a man who wrote so extensively about gardens and roses. It’s a tranquil place, with the tombstone housed in an open-sided stone colonnade built during  the Pahlavi era. See p 314 for more on Sa’di. Nearby is an overpriced underground teahouse set around a fi sh pond that is fed by a qanat. It’s easy to visit the tombs of both Hafez and Sa’di in a single afternoon. From Golestan Blvd, near the tomb of Hafez, take a shuttle taxi four squares southeast (US$0.30) to Sa’di Sq, then walk about 1.3km uphill to the tomb.

Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze امامزاده علی ابن حمزه

(Hafez St, near Hamzeh Bridge; hdawn-dusk) This is the tomb of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah Cheragh who also died here while en route to Khorasan to help Imam Reza. The existing shrine was built in the 19th century after earthquakes destroyed previous incarnations, and has separate areas for males and females. Highlights include the eye-catching bulbous Shirazi dome, dazzling Venetian mirror work, stained-glass windows and an intricate, ancient wooden door. The tombstones around the courtyard, for which families of the deceased paid a small fortune, are also interesting. Unlike some other shrines, the caretakers here are very welcoming of foreigners; women are supplied with a chador and photography is allowed.

Bagh-e Eram باغ ارم

(Garden of Paradise; Eram Blvd; admission h8am-12.30pm & 3-5pm, to 7pm summer) Famous for its tall cypress trees, this Unescolisted garden was laid out during the Qajar period but incorporates elements from an earlier Seljuk landscape. Social anthropologists will love it – the many hidden corners of the gardens are wildly popular with young Shirazis, who pay a fraction of the entrance fee that foreigners are charged. The garden is designed around a pretty pool beside a Qajar-era palace, the Kakh-e Eram (Eram Palace), which is not open to the public. The gardens are easy enough to reach by taking any shuttle taxi (US$0.30) going along Zand, alighting at Namazi Sq