Athar

fa واکاوی تأثیرات نظام اقتصادی صفوی بر سازمان‌دهی فضایی شهر اصفهان با رویکرد ارتباط معماری و شهرسازی Analyzing the Impact of the Safavid Economic System on the Spatial Organization of Isfahan, with an Approach to the Relationship between Architecture and Urban Planning <div style="text-align: justify;"> دورۀ صفوی به‌عنوان یکی از ادوار مهم و برجسته در تاریخ ایران، تحولات بنیادینی را در ساختارهای فرهنگی، اجتماعی، اقتصادی و کالبدی شهرهای ایران رقم‌زد. در این‌میان، شهر اصفهان که در جایگاه پایتخت صفویان قرار داشت، تجلی‌گاه عینی این تحولات و بازتاب‌دهندۀ نظام سیاسی، اجتماعی و اقتصادی حاکم در آن عصر به‌شمار می‌آید. این شهر در دوران مذکور، تغییرات شگرفی را در سامان‌دهی فضایی خود تجربه نمود؛ با این‌وجود، بررسی نحوۀ تأثیرگذاری نظام اقتصادی صفوی بر ساختار فضایی اصفهان در مقایسه با دیگر ابعاد، کمتر موردتوجه محققان قرارگرفته است. پژوهش حاضر قصد دارد، به تحلیل و تبیین نحوۀ تأثیرگذاری نظام اقتصادی صفوی بر سازمان فضایی شهر اصفهان از رهگذر بررسی پیوندهای میان معماری و شهرسازی در این دورۀ تاریخی بپردازد. این تحقیق با رویکرد کیفی و روش تاریخی-تحلیلی و با اتکا به منابع کتابخانه‌ای و اسنادی انجام‌شده است. به‌منظور دستیابی به نتایج دقیق‌تر، میدان نقش‌جهان و بافت پیرامونی آن به‌عنوان مطالعۀ موردی برگزیده‌ شده است. یافته‌های پژوهش نشان می‌دهد که الگوهای اقتصادی حاکم در این دوره به‌صورت مستقیم بر شکل‌گیری فضاهای عمومی، ساختار بازارها و نحوۀ استقرار محلات شهری اثرگذار بوده است. گسترش شبکه‌های تجاری و توسعۀ زیرساخت‌های ارتباطی و خدماتی در سایۀ سیاست‌های اقتصادی صفوی، تأثیرات عمیقی بر سازمان فضایی شهر اصفهان به‌جا گذاشت. نتیجۀ نهایی تحقیق حاکی از آن است که میان نظام اقتصادی و سازمان فضایی شهر اصفهان در دورۀ صفویه، ارتباطی تنگاتنگ و متقابل برقرار بوده است. هم‌پیوندی میان معماری و شهرسازی در فرآیند فضاسازی‌های شهری کاملاً مشهود بوده و همگرایی ابعاد اقتصادی، اجتماعی و فرهنگی در شکل‌دهی به هویت بصری و فرم فضایی شهر اصفهان، نقشی محوری ایفا کرده است.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">Abstract The Safavid era stands as a pivotal period in Iranian history, ushering in fundamental transformations across the cultural, social, economic, and physical structures of Iranian cities. Among these, Isfahan, as the Safavid capital, served as a tangible manifestation of these changes, reflecting the prevailing political, social, and economic systems of its time. During this era, the city underwent significant spatial reorganization. However, the specific impact of the Safavid economic system on Isfahan’s spatial structure has received comparatively less attention from researchers.This study aims to analyze and elucidate how the Safavid economic system influenced the spatial organization of Isfahan, examining the intricate connections between architecture and urban planning during this historical period. Employing a qualitative approach with a historical-analytical method, and relying on library and archival sources, this research selected Naqsh-e Jahan Square and its surrounding fabric as a case study to achieve more precise results.The findings indicate that the dominant economic patterns of the Safavid period directly influenced the formation of public spaces, the structure of bazaars, and the arrangement of urban neighborhoods. The expansion of trade networks and the development of communication and service infrastructures, spurred by Safavid economic policies, left a profound impact on Isfahan’s spatial organization. The research ultimately concludes that a close and reciprocal relationship existed between the economic system and the spatial organization of Isfahan during the Safavid era. The strong interrelationship between architecture and urban planning was clearly evident in the city’s spatial development, with the convergence of economic, social, and cultural dimensions playing a central role in shaping Isfahan’s visual identity and spatial form. Keywords: Economic System, Spatial Organization, Architecture and Urban Planning Relationship, Isfahan, Safavid Dynasty. Introduction The development and transformation of urban spatial structures have always emerged from the intricate interplay of various elements, including political, social, cultural, and economic factors. Within the long and rich history of Iranian urbanism, the Safavid era stands as the most protracted period of Islamic rule in Iran. During this time, an economic system fundamentally anchored in international trade, artisanal industries, and agriculture played a decisive role in shaping the spatial organization of cities. Among these, Isfahan, as the Safavid capital, provides a striking exemplar of this reciprocal influence on both its architecture and urban planning (Shourmij, 2025:110).Isfahan’s spatial structure during this period was profoundly shaped by the economic policies of Shah Abbas I and the consequential shifts arising from the concentration of capital and resources within the city. This organization was meticulously designed to meet the economic, political, and religious demands of the era, leading to the formation of urban spaces within a coherent and purposeful network. This network comprised interconnected bazaars, caravanserais, public squares, distinct neighborhoods, and significant religious and governmental complexes. This spatial configuration was a direct manifestation of an authoritarian and centralized economic model, brought to fruition through the specific fiscal, commercial, and security policies characteristic of the Safavid period (Hanayi et al., 2021:22).While numerous scholarly works in the history of Iranian urban planning and Safavid architecture have explored various physical and spatial dimensions of Isfahan, there has been comparatively less analytical-historical investigation, within a robust theoretical framework, into how the Safavid economic system and the economic policies of Shah Abbas I specifically impacted the city’s spatial organization and its relationship with the broader architectural and urban planning structures.The significance of this research lies in its potential to illuminate the intricate reciprocal interaction between economics and space within a historical context like the Safavid era. This understanding can not only contribute to re-identifying the spatial identity of Iran’s historical cities but also offer a valuable paradigm for contemporary urban design processes, particularly in harnessing indigenous and historical capacities.Research Objectives and Hypothesis,The overarching objective of this research is to elucidate the manner in which the Safavid economic system influenced the spatial organization of the city of Isfahan and to analyze its intrinsic connections with the architectural and urban planning structures of the Safavid period.The primary research question guiding this study is: How did the spatial organization of Isfahan correlate with the economic policies of Shah Abbas I’s era.The research hypothesis posits that the Safavid economic system, fundamentally driven by international trade, artisanal industries, and agriculture, led to the formation of a coherent and purposeful spatial organization in Isfahan. This was achieved through the concentration of capital and resources within the city and the implementation of Shah Abbas I’s economic policies, all of which were intimately linked with the prevailing architectural and urban planning patterns of the Safavid period. Discussion and Analysis During the Safavid period, driven by population growth, the city of Isfahan expanded significantly from its traditional core, the Old Square (Meydan-e Kohneh), southward towards the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the southern gardens. The primary axis of urban progression ran from north to south, crossing the Zayandeh Roud river and extending to the Hezar Jarib garden in the city’s southwest. This vital artery served as the city’s backbone and the main route for the spice trade and other goods. Along this axis, man-made and natural elements were strategically positioned, with residential areas and governmental buildings gradually emerging around it. The physical form of the city during this time relied on a central nucleus at the Old Square and a linear axis extending southward.With Isfahan’s establishment as the capital in (1596-97 CE), major transformations in the city’s spatial structure began. The city’s structure in this period featured two main cores and two primary axes: the initial core at the Old Square and the new core at Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Naqsh-e Jahan Square gradually superseded the Old Square as the city’s governmental and commercial heart. New architectural and functional elements progressively developed around this new central space. The novel spatial composition was designed as a rectangular square, measuring 505 meters by 160 meters, featuring uniform two-story facades. Diverse governmental, religious, cultural, and commercial functions were strategically located around the square. Among the most significant surrounding structures were the Shah Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, Qaysariyyeh Portal, and numerous bazaars, including the Qaysariyyeh Bazaar.The development of Naqsh-e Jahan Square unfolded in three distinct phases:Phase One (1590 CE), The square was initially established for recreational purposes, hosting military displays and state ceremonies.Phase Two (from  1602 CE): The square evolved into a commercial hub, strategically designed to counterbalance the influence of the old bazaar.Phase Three (from 1611 CE),The square became dedicated primarily to state ceremonies, festivities, and royal rituals.From an economic perspective, the Timurid period witnessed a flourishing of trade, facilitated by the construction of qanats (underground aqueducts), the collection of direct taxes, and the reduction of road tolls and goods tariffs. Distinct features of this era included Timur’s invasions and plundering of adjacent territories, along with urban expansion towards the south, adjacent to fortresses and city gates.In contrast, during the Safavid era, economic policies focused on securing trade routes and establishing caravanserais, bolstering commerce, and revitalizing maritime routes following Magellan’s circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope in Southern Africa. Export commodities like silk, carpets, spices, pearls, and turquoise, alongside imported English textiles, tin, and almonds, played crucial roles in economic exchanges. This period also saw the relocation of the capital from Qazvin to Isfahan and the creation of new neighborhoods, such as New Julfa in the southwest and Chahar Bagh along the city’s main axis.The construction of Chahar Bagh Avenue as a vital connective artery between the Zayandeh Roud and Chahar Bagh-e Abbasi, the erection of bridges, and the relocation of Armenian and other diverse populations to stimulate the silk trade were all integral to Safavid economic and urban policies. Furthermore, this era was marked by a significant accumulation of production and value-added goods, the strengthening of guilds, the regulation of specific taxes like “khums”  and land taxes “tiyuldari ”, and a notable expansion of religious and educational endowments “waqf”. Conclusion Isfahan, as the capital of the Safavid Empire during its zenith (1501-1721 CE), stands as an outstanding example of the profound integration of economic systems, urban planning, and cohesive architecture in the history of both Iranian and Islamic urban development. In this pivotal era, the city’s economic structure was firmly anchored by three core components: advanced agriculture, sophisticated artisanal crafts, and dynamic international trade.The strategic utilization of the Zayandeh Roud river’s complex irrigation network and its secondary channels, known as “Madiha,” combined with a remarkably efficient and contemporary water management system, enabled large-scale agricultural production. This intricate water network was not just an economic engine but also an intrinsic part of the city’s spatial layout, playing a significant role in the organization of its various neighborhoods.In the commercial sphere, covered bazaars and their surrounding caravanserais, meticulously designed with orderly, axis-based layouts, functioned as vital centers for commodity exchange and social interaction. These structures were crucial in connecting Isfahan to major trade routes, facilitating the export of high-value goods like silk, carpets, and metalwork to markets in Europe and India. Among these, the Qaysariyyeh Bazaar, with its orthogonal and highly organized structure, particularly exemplified the city’s economic centrality and its deep connection to both the livelihoods and social fabric of its inhabitants.From an urban planning perspective, Safavid Isfahan was conceived following the model of the ideal Islamic city, with a strong emphasis on symmetry, spatial hierarchy, and visual unity. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, serving as the city’s vibrant heart, masterfully accommodated four key functions: political (Ali Qapu Palace), religious (Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque), economic (the Grand Bazaar), and social (the public plaza itself). Furthermore, the Chahar Bagh-Si-o-seh Pol axis, besides linking the royal gardens, played a critical role in water distribution through its network of underground channels, underscoring the multifunctional genius of Safavid urban design.Regarding water management, engineering marvels like the Si-o-seh Pol and Khaju Bridges, equipped with adjustable sluice gates, effectively acted as regulatory dams, aiding in the seasonal distribution of water across the city’s intricate network.Ultimately, Safavid architecture in Isfahan was a vivid manifestation of the ruling power, and alongside the city’s economic structure and spatial organization, it forged a seamless and integrated system. The profound and explicit connection between architecture and urban planning is distinctly evident across every spatial component of the city, cementing Isfahan’s legacy as a paramount example of holistic urban development.</div> نظام اقتصادی, سازمان‌دهی فضایی, ارتباط معماری و شهرسازی, اصفهان, صفویه. Economic System, Spatial Organization, Architecture and Urban Planning Relationship, Isfahan, Safavid Dynasty. 93 115 http://athar.richt.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1020-2&slc_lang=fa&sid=2 Fatemeh Ghajari فاطمه قجری Fatemeh.Ghajari@iau.ac.ir 0009-0009-2522-299X No Researcher, Ph.D. in Architecture, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. پژوهشگر دکترای معماری، واحد تهران غرب، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، تهران، ایران. Leila Zare لیلا زارع zare.leila@wtiau.ac.ir 0000-0002-3315-3535 Yes Assistant Professor, Creative Economy Research Center, Islamic Azad University, West Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author). استادیار مرکز تحقیقات اقتصاد خلاق، واحد تهران غرب، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، تهران، ایران (نویسندۀ مسئول). Alireza Anisi علیرضا انیسی anisi61@yahoo.co.uk 0000-0003-1532-3702 No Associate Professor, Faculty Member of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute, Tehran, Iran. دانشیار پژوهشکدۀ ابنیه و بافت‌های تاریخی، پژوهشگاه میراث‌فرهنگی و گردشگری، تهران، ایران.