Karim Khan Citadel

The Arg of Karim Khan is located in the center of Shiraz, one of the valuable and magnificent buildings of the Zand dynasty. This building is a remnant of the Zand dynasty.

History:
Karim Khan Zand, the founder of the Zand dynasty, ordered the construction of this building in 1179 AH.
Because Karim Khan intended this building for residence and government administration, he ordered the best architects and materials of that time to be used in the construction of this building.
It is said that Karim Khan built this building inspired by Safavid architecture.
Arg of Karim Khan
Use of the building in different periods:
During the Pahlavi era, this building was used as a prison. For this reason, some damage was caused to the Arg during this time.
After the Pahlavi dynasty in 1350, this building was handed over to the Department of Culture and Art of that time.
Arg of Karim Khan was registered in the list of national monuments of Iran in 1351 and was renovated by the Department of Cultural Heritage.
Now the Karim Khan Citadel is used as a museum.
Architecture:
This building had two uses: military and residential.
The high walls with a height of 12 meters and 4 towers with a height of 14 meters indicate the defensive use of this building.
There are holes on the top of the walls that were used as shelter for soldiers during war and shooting.
In the past, there was a ditch around the citadel, which also had a defensive use.
The materials used in the building are brick and stone.
The four corner towers of the citadel each have three floors and two rooms.
One of the rooms was for soldiers to rest and the other was for storing weapons.
The residential space of the citadel is located in the northern, southern and western parts of the citadel.
In these parts, there are porches with 6 rooms around them.
All these rooms are connected from the inside, and several royal residences are also located in the citadel area.
The royal residence on the northern side was suitable for winter.
The main royal residence is located in the southwest, facing the main pond.
The octagonal bath left over from the Zand dynasty is located in the southeast.
This bath is one of the first Iranian baths in this style.
The water in this complex was supplied from the Rokn Abad aqueduct, which was the best water in Shiraz in terms of mineral salts.
Around the edge of the roof, wooden canopies can be seen.
These canopies served as shelter during snow and rain, and also prevented the sun from shining into the rooms at midday in summer.
Not many decorations were used in the Karim Khan Citadel, and most of the decorations were related to the interior of the rooms.
The Qajar kings changed the interior decorations of the Citadel according to their tastes, and for this reason, a lot of destruction took place at that time.
The beautiful tile work on the door, which is designed with the theme of the battle of Rostam and the Devil, dates back to the Qajar period.
Arg Karim Khan
Access:
To reach Arg Karim Khan, you can use the metro, bus, and taxi in addition to your own vehicle.
The nearest metro station is Zandiyeh Station.
Address: Shiraz, northeast of Shohada Square
Visit hours: 8:30 to 20:30
Entrance fee: Iranian visitors 5,000 Tomans – Foreign visitors 50,000 Tomans

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