Journal of History and Culture

Journal of History and Culture

Safavid period markers of Innovations in the Architecture and Urban Spaces of Isfahan

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Negar Yousefi 1
Reza Sameh 2
Fariborz Karimi 2
Seyed Rahman Eghbali 3
1 PhD Candidate, Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
10.22067/jhistory.2026.96249.1415
Abstract
The Ṣafavīd period is characterized by transformations across a range of fields, including significant innovations in architecture, with Isfahan emerging as a particularly important site for the development of new forms of expression. The present article seeks to identify markers of the Ṣafavīd period on the basis of innovations in the architecture and urban spaces of Isfahan. It asks which markers of these innovations can be gained that are designable as markers of the Safavid period and therefore serve as a basis for identifying manifestations of modernity during this time. Modernity has generally been viewed as an imported phenomenon. The significance of this study lies particularly in its contribution to clarifying the beginnings of the modern era in Iran. Systematic review of the research literature and thematic analysis were employed in two stages: first, to collect the identified innovations and, second, to extract their markers. Findings indicate six such markers. Together, they depict the Ṣafavīd period as a new era characterized by the relative predominance of secular concerns, greater openness in public spaces, and increased engagement with the wider world. Within this context, people assumed a distinctive position through their role in the representation of government, their entry into new spheres, their exposure to new rights, and the emergence of the individual as a significant social presence.
Keywords
Ṣafavīd period
innovation
architecture
urban space
Isfahan
Subjects
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Journal of History and Culture
Volume 58, Issue 1 - Serial Number 116
Spring & Summer2026
September 2026
Pages 131-170

  • Receive Date 18 November 2025
  • Revise Date 27 June 2026
  • Accept Date 28 July 2026