Chahar Qapi, Darreh Shahr

🕰️When was it built?

Its exact date is not known, but it is counted among the works of the Islamic era. The building stands in the Tanureh Sorkh area, on remains of architecture from the same time as the historic city of Seymareh, and was added to Iran's National Heritage List on 12 July 2000 as number 2746.

🏛️What was it built for?

The building is also known as a fire temple. In Iranian architecture a chahartaqi is a space whose dome is held up by four arches, a form also used in ritual buildings. Here you can follow how piers, arches and dome connect in one small example, without needing a large building.

👀What you will see

• Four arched vaults facing the four main directions hold up the building's small dome.
• The squinches under the dome join the square space below to the roof above.
• The walls are built of river cobbles and semi-crushed gypsum; look at the rounded stones beside the mortar.
• On the south side are the remains of a stairway, probably an entrance; don't use it as a confirmed safe route.

💡Something interesting

In the winter of 2011–12 the fallen walls of the building were cleared and restored. This part of the chahartaqi's story shows that even a small building needs constant care to survive.

🎒Good to know before you go

• To see how the dome sits, look from the floor of the site, and don't climb the piers or walls.