Investigating the Process of the Formation of the Defensive Walls in the City of Mashhad

Subject Areas : Archaeology

Hamed Tahmasebizave ¹

1 - Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Conservation , Art University of Isfahan, iran

Received: 2024-02-13 Accepted : 2024-03-15 Published : 2024-06-25

Keywords: Key Words: Defensive Walls, Mashhad, Faramarz ibn Ali, Shah Tahmaseb,

Abstract :

The city of Mashhad gradually took shape and expanded after the martyrdom of Imam Reza, around his mausoleum. Throughout history, defensive walls with towers were built in three different periods to ensure the security of citizens and pilgrims around this city. Historical reports and dedicatory Qurans testify to the existence of the existence of defensive walls around the city of Mashhad from the fourth century, which is considered the first defensive wall constructed for the city of Mashhad. the second defensive wall for this city was constructed by Faramarz ibn Ali in 515 AH. The last defensive wall for the city was built by Shah Tahmaseb Safavi to ensure that the city remained safe from Uzbek attacks forever. This defensive wall remained around the city of Mashhad until the first Pahlavi dynasty. During the first Pahlavi dynasty, the improvement of urban security in Mashhad reduced the effectiveness of the city's towers and defensive walls, leading to the expansion of the city beyond the defensive walls. The lack of maintenance for the defensive wall, along with leveling and destroying it to create new roads and expand the city, destroyed the defensive wall of Mashhad.

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