Secret places around Naghsh-e Jahan square
Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is definitely one of the most famous squares in Iran. The vast area, beauty and most importantly the large number of historical tourist attractions around this square have made this square a special place in Isfahan and all over Iran. There is no tourist who enters Isfahan and does not spend at least an hour in Naghsh-e Jahan Square. But the number of heritages in this amazing square are more than what you heard up to now. In this article of Chiyakotravel, we focus on places you can not find by yourself around Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and together we will see what is going on around this square and what entertainment can be experienced in this square in Isfahan.
1- Qeisarieh Cafe in Isfahan
Museum,Gallery Cafe of Qeisarieh or Qeisarieh Cafe in Isfahan on the north side of Naghsh-e Jahan Square invites you with its exceptional view. Indeed, the best of the historical and spectacular attractions of Isfahan is seen in Naghsh-e Jahan Square and the surrounding areas. It takes hours to see them. After a tour of the magnificent Safavid heritages that dazzle the eyes of every viewer, the tiredness of body should be removed in this beautiful atmosphere. Follow us with the introduction of Qeisarieh Cafe in Isfahan.
In this historical complex, you only need to take a look around, you can easily see the Qeisarieh Gallery Cafe. This cafe beautifully invites us to itself. Sit on the roof of this famous gallery cafe that everyone knows as Qeisarieh Cafe.
And from the top view, look at the Naghsh-e Jahan square and the Aali Qapo with a cool and refreshing drink with peace of body and soul.
Where is Qeisarieh Museum Gallery Cafe
At the northern end of Naghsh-e Jahan Square, on the porch in the western part of Qeisarieh entrance, is the Qeisarieh Gallery Cafe. The entrance of this beautiful mansion is located before the entrance of Qeisarieh. And crossing the high stairs is necessary to reach the entrance of the gallery cafe. Admission includes a visit to the art gallery and a drink on the porch.
2-Timche Malek
Timcheh Malek complex is located on the western side of Isfahan Bazaar and was built during the reign of Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. This collection is a combination of three main parts, Timcheh and Baharband. The delicacy of the market design is such that it is possible to perceive the coherence of the three parts of the collection. Timche Malek is the first and most important part of the series.
On the way to the entrance, a short and low corridor provides the necessary ground to enter a new space, and following the corridor, we encounter the sudden opening of Timcheh. The shape of the space is basically a basin and there is a pool in the middle of it. The middle space of Timcheh has a height equal to two floors and the dome arch has increased the height.
What attracts the most attention is the busy wooden facade of the rooms and the use of the ceiling. Timcheh is connected to the courtyard through a short corridor in front of the entrance hall.
Sara has a small courtyard with a rectangular base, the walls of which are recessed by embedding a two-story portico. The wooden and flat roof of the porches sits on stone cylindrical pillars.
3-Assar khane Shahi or Royal distillery | a symbol of the economic history of Isfahan in the Safavid era
The royal distillery is one of the historical monuments of Safavid period that has remained in Isfahan and today is one of the most interesting historical attractions. In ancient Iran, special mills used to crush some ingredients such as turmeric and pepper were called extractors. Distilleries were also used to extract oils such as castor oil. In fact, the word distillery means where they extract, the function of these distilleries can be considered similar to lubrication plants. The apparent structure of the distillery consisted of two large pieces of stone stacked on top of each other. These two pieces of stone were attached on one side with a lever to the top of the four-legged animal, like a donkey or a camel and a horse. The upper part of the moving rock was the place where the crushed material was poured into to go under the rock and be crushed. These primitive distilleries were also called “Choghan Gari”.
What remains of the old Iranian distilleries does not exceed the number of fingers. These distilleries can be considered the industrial symbol of ancient Iran. Abandoned examples of these distilleries in Yazd, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Isfahan remain. As time went on and the needs of the people expanded, the distilleries also developed and changed. This type of factory was first established in Isfahan and then spread to other areas.
Today, there are several types of these distilleries left in Isfahan. The amazing way the distilleries work has made them unique phenomena and pristine attractions in the eyes of tourists, yet as it should be, these amazing places have not yet been properly introduced to the community.
One of the most famous surviving distilleries in Isfahan is the royal distillery, which was built in 1021 AH at the same time as the construction of the Grand Bazaar of Qeisarieh and the school of Molla Abdullah by order of Shah Abbas I.
The royal distillery has an area of about 380 square meters. The distillery consisted of different sections. The main space of the distillery had five parts: counter, cargo , camel place, a hot house and Tirkhaneh . It is said that the area of this distillery used to be about 1800 square meters and now places such as camel place, cargo and merchants’ entrances have been destroyed and only one archery and two nested warehouses in the eastern part of the archery remain on two floors. The distillery is currently located in the goldsmiths’ passage.
Distillery function
The distillery functioned in such a way that in the first stage, the oil grains were cleaned and the grains that needed to be grilled were grilled. The roasting place was on the second floor of the distillery. After germinating the seeds, their skins were taken out and then entered to the stone mill stage. In the past, they used male camels or horses and cows to move the load stone. The movement of the animal caused the crude oil grains to become flour under the stone. The flour was then sent to another location, mixed with water to make a paste, and then the dough was poured into thick baskets called Koopi, which was made from the plant, and sent to the mill.
These baskets had a purifying role. Tirkhaneh was the main part of the distillery where lubrication took place. This place consists of two large thick beams made of sycamore wood, pulley and wooden lever and a well called Tilouyeh, the bottom of which has gutters and a jar for storing oil, and the shield wall with a thickness of five meters is made of wooden spools. That is, in fact, the beam is divided into three parts: thick beams, wells and shield walls. After lubrication, the oils were transferred to large jars and the jars were stored inside the wall.
4- Tohidkhaneh | Hidden in the dust of oblivion
Tohidkhaneh is the name of the building behind Aali Qapo mansion which was used in the past as a kitchen and a palace for prison. It is said that this building was the place of worship of Sufis during the reign of Shah Abbas I and the place of the “Caliph of the Caliphs”, the center and leader of the Safavid Sufis. On Friday nights, groups of them gathered in this building and prayed for the Shah .
It was also considered a sacred place where justice seekers sometimes went on strike and no one had the right to enter with weapons. During Qajar period, this place was no longer sacred, and during the Pahlavi period, its dome was turned into a prison, and part of its land was allocated for the construction of a police building.
Today, this building is located in the courtyard of the Faculty of Architecture of Isfahan University of Arts and is hidden from many eyes. You can go to Aali Qapo porch and watch this building.
5-Ashraaf Hall | Ashraaf Safavid palaces
The remaining Ashraaf Hall is one of the most beautiful palaces of the Safavid period called “Ashraaf Palace” which is said to have been built during the reign of “Shah Soleiman the Safavid”. This palace is called Ashraaf because according to one tradition it was superior to all the palaces of the Safavid period and Ashraaf was theirs, and according to another tradition, when the Safavid dynasty fell to the Afghans, “Ashraf Afghan” chose this palace as his residence.
In any case, Ashraaf Palace and especially its large hall are very beautiful and its decorations are much better and healthier than the decorations of Chehelston Palace or Hasht Behesht Palace.
This hall is currently in the possession of Isfahan Governor’s Office and is called “People” Hall. However, because there has been no way for people to enter it for many years, the vast majority of tourists are not aware of its existence.
Address: Sepah St., Shahid Dastghib St.
