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Mehdiabadi M. (2026). Hermeneutic Analysis of the Restoration of the Northern Wing of the Abbasieh in the Tekyeh Moaven al-Molk, Kermanshah. Athar. 47(2), 115-134. doi:10.66224/Athar.1918.3401.18
URL: http://athar.richt.ir/article-2-1918-en.html

In recent decades, the discourse on restoration has grown significant in preserving historical and cultural monuments. As an interventionist act, restoration affects not only physical structure but also meaning and narrative. This study, employing a hermeneutic approach—particularly intentionalism and anti-intentionalism—examines such interventions through interpretive philosophy. The Tekyeh Moaven al-Molk in Kermanshah ranks among Iran’s most important historical sites for its unique tilework. After the founder’s death and the building’s abandonment, it sustained considerable damage. Restoration involved extensive changes: approximately seventy percent of the tiles were repositioned and fifty percent of the architecture altered. The northern wing of the Abbasieh, containing religious, mythical, and historical imagery, derives meaning from the Tekyeh’s ritual context. Its collapse from moisture prompted complete reconstruction, during which relocation or removal of certain images and decorations ruptured the visual narrative and disrupted the work’s semantic coherence. The central question is whether restoration of this wing considered the semantic horizon and interpretive approach, or relied solely on technical principles. It further explores how a hermeneutic approach can yield a more precise understanding of the process. The aim is to analyze restoration interventions through an interpretive lens, providing clearer guidance for future work on the Tekyeh and preventing inappropriate methods that cause misinterpretation. The method is descriptive-analytical, drawing data from library sources, restoration documents, and field observations. Analysis of removed or relocated images and their historical context shows that insufficient understanding of the monument’s visual text produced semantic disruption and misinterpretation. Intentionalism, anti-intentionalism, and the semantic horizon form the theoretical framework. A moderate strategy combining authenticity with acceptance of historical transformations may best preserve and restore the monument.
Keywords: Tekyeh Moaven al-Molk, Hermeneutics, Intentionalism, Anti-intentionalism, Restoration.

Introduction
Restoration has always been faced with fundamental questions: What should be preserved? What should be recreated? And more importantly, how can the meaning and historical narrative of a monument be preserved during the restoration process? In recent years, philosophical approaches have provided new answers to these questions, among which hermeneutics stands out.
Hermeneutics considers restoration as an interpretive act, similar to reading a text. This perspective views understanding the context, intention, and semantic structure of a work as essential for restoration. In this study, the analysis of the northern façade of the Abbasiyeh section in Takieh Moaven al-Molk is conducted from this perspective.
Takieh Moaven al-Molk was built about a century ago by Hossein Moin al-Raaya and Hassan Khan Moaven al-Molk in the Barzeh-Demagh neighborhood of Kermanshah. It comprises three parts: Hosseiniyeh, Zeinabiyeh, and Abbasiyeh. Architecturally, the complex is notable, and in terms of tilework, it is unique. The imagery depicted on its tiles includes historical, mythological, and religious narratives that reflect the deep connection between Iranian culture and Shi’ism. These tiles represent major innovations in religious architecture in Iran.
After the death of the patron, some parts of the Takieh, particularly the northern section of Abbasiyeh, were severely damaged. Its restoration involved extensive changes: the removal of architectural arches, re-division of the walls, and the installation of new tiles inspired by some of the decorative tiles of the Takieh. Additionally, many tiles were installed incorrectly, leading to a disruption of the visual narrative.
The main question of this article is: Was this restoration performed with semantic and interpretive awareness, or was it merely a technical intervention? The article also seeks to demonstrate how hermeneutic perspectives can lead to more accurate and culturally informed restoration practices.
The analysis focuses on three key concepts: the intention of the patron (intentionalism), the role of the contemporary audience (anti-intentionalism), and the fusion of past and present horizons (Gadamer’s fusion of horizons theory).
Takieh Moaven al-Molk has suffered serious damage due to incorrect interpretations and inappropriate restorations. The restoration of the northern façade of this structure resulted in major architectural changes, the removal and displacement of tiles, and, ultimately, a disruption of the building’s narrative meaning. The central question is whether these restorations were based on semantic and interpretive understanding or were purely technical in nature. How can hermeneutic approaches lead to more accurate and thoughtful restorations?
The aim of the study is to evaluate the restoration process based on hermeneutic principles and to propose guidelines for future restoration efforts, with attention to the cultural and historical authenticity of the monument.
The research method is descriptive-analytical and is based on library research, restoration documents, field interviews, and philosophical-hermeneutic data analysis. The innovation of the study lies in its application of hermeneutic frameworks to the analysis of architectural restorations—a perspective rarely seen in the Iranian restoration literature.

Introducing the Takieh
Takieh Moaven al-Molk was constructed between 1327 and 1336 AH (circa 1909–1917 AD). Its founders were Hossein Moin al-Raaya (responsible for the original Hosseiniyeh) and Hassan Khan Moaven al-Molk. It is located in the Barzeh Demagh neighborhood next to the Abshooran River, on what has now been renamed Shahid Haddad Adel Street.
The Takieh is a complex composed of the Hosseiniyeh, Zeinabiyeh, and Abbasiyeh, forming a comprehensive architectural layout. In addition to its spatial unity, its tiles also represent a cohesive collection of historical and cultural motifs, which together convey unique and intricate narratives—considered a significant innovation in the tilework of religious places in Iran (Mahdiabadi, 2011).

Theoretical Framework
Hermeneutics is the science or art of interpretation. Its origin lies in the Greek word hermeneuein, meaning “to interpret” or “to make understandable.” One of the central concepts in hermeneutics is intentionalism, where the aim of interpretation is to uncover the author’s or creator’s intention (Schleiermacher). In this view, interpretation should trace the process of creation in reverse and promote mutual understanding between the author and the reader.
Intentionalism is divided into several forms: extreme, moderate, hypothetical, and absolute intentionalism—each with distinct attitudes toward the importance of the creator’s intent.
In contrast stands anti-intentionalism, which argues that the author’s intention is either inaccessible or irrelevant. Anti-intentionalists believe that after a work is created, the author’s intention becomes separated from the text, and interpretation should rely on the text itself and the reader’s understanding. Roland Barthes famously articulated this in his essay “The Death of the Author,” emphasizing the birth of meaning through the reader, not the author.
Another important concept is the fusion of horizons, introduced by Hans-Georg Gadamer. He argues that real understanding occurs when the interpreter’s horizon and the historical horizon of the text merge to form a new, enriched horizon.
Hermeneutics is not about finding a fixed or final answer; rather, it is a fluid process influenced by cultural context, personal experience, and the historical moment. It bridges the past (authorial intent, historical background) and the present (the reader, contemporary culture), emphasizing that meaning is always relative and evolving. Therefore, both the author and the reader play a role in the interpretive process, with varying influence depending on the interpretive school (intentionalist or anti-intentionalist) (Schleiermacher, 1998: 95; Grundin, 2015: 24; Schleiermacher, 1838/2023; Grundin, 2012: 24-148-142 & Barthes, 1967; Barthes, 1977; Nietzsche, Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricoeur, & Others, 2000: 226; Palmer, 1998; Schleiermacher, 1838/2023; Gadamer, 2004: 439, 442).

Changes in the Northern Façade of Abbasiyeh
The northern façade of Abbasiyeh collapsed due to the failure of its water transfer system. During restoration:
• The wall was rebuilt 1.5 meters lower than its original height.
• Traditional arches and vaults were removed.
• The wall was divided into five parts.
• The arrangement of tiles was altered.
These changes disrupted both the architectural structure and the visual narrative of the building. More importantly, due to the absence of the main artisan, the tiles were installed by his apprentice, who lacked knowledge of the correct layout, resulting in incorrect installation during the Takieh’s reconstruction.

Findings
Two kinds of misinterpretations occurred in the northern façade of Abbasiyeh:
• Historical misunderstanding: Physical disruptions in composition and iconography (e.g., removal of arches, misplacement of tiles).
• Interpretive misunderstanding: Reconstruction without understanding the patron’s intent or accurately reading the visual symbols.
From the viewpoint of intentionalists:
• Extreme intentionalists consider any change in use or reconstruction that deviates from the original intention as invalid.
• Moderate intentionalists accept changes if they align with one of the patron’s aims (e.g., preservation and cultural transmission).
• Absolute intentionalists argue that whatever meaning the text conveys now is the original intent.
If future restorations are based on intentionalist views, tiles must be restored according to the original design in the book Asar al-Ajam, maintaining the sequence and spatial architecture based on visual documentation. Removing arches and altering tile arrangements is viewed as a deviation from the patron’s intention.
From an anti-intentionalist standpoint:
The author’s intention is either inaccessible or non-binding. The changes in use and architecture are part of the artifact’s historicity and are acceptable because they align with contemporary needs—even if they differ from the original intent. Therefore, changes (even mistakes by the tile apprentice) are part of the historical narrative and should be preserved.
According to the fusion of horizons perspective, the horizons of restorers, original creators, and current audiences have not been effectively merged. Hence, a true fusion of horizons has not been achieved.

Conclusion
Previous restorations lacked an interpretive approach. They were purely technical and failed to consider the patron’s intention, the semantic structure, and the historical narrative of the Takieh. Therefore, the restoration of Takieh Moaven al-Molk, from a hermeneutic viewpoint, suffers from fundamental deficiencies.
The removal of architectural elements, incorrect tile placement, and neglect of the patron’s intention and historical narratives have led to compounded misunderstandings and a distortion of the cultural identity of the monument. As a result, the narrative of the structure appears vague and meaningless to today’s audience.
The future approach must avoid repeating past mistakes and instead move toward interpretive restoration, in which the past and present engage in a constructive dialogue to revive meaning. Future reconstructions must offer a “faithful interpretation” of the past—an approach that understands the patron’s original intention while also addressing the cultural needs of contemporary society. Only then can a true fusion of horizons occur.