The Ancient City of Bishapur

Bishapur should be considered one of the most ancient cities of Iran, the history of which can be found in a stone inscription. The most advanced engineering knowledge of the time was used for its construction and some of its urban structures and systems are considered as wonders.

For several centuries after the advent of Islam in Iran, this city was still a living place but was later on deserted, and today only some ruins of it are left. The remains of this city are located 23 kilometers northwest of Kazeron, in a defile named “Tang-e Chogan”.

Nomenclature

This city was founded by Shapur I, so the name of the city is probably derived from his name. Linguists believe that Bishapur is derived from the word "Beh-Shapur", which means good Shapur. In some sources, this name has been interpreted as “Saray-e Shapur” or “The place that Shapur had founded”.

History of Bishapur

Based on the stone inscriptions that exist in the remains of the city, the foundation of Bishapur dates back to 266 AD. Of course, there are some signs of human habitation in this area even before the Sasanian period. Some excavations show that probably Elamites and Achaemenids also lived in this area.

It has been recorded that after defeating Valerian, the Roman emperor, Shapur ordered the construction of this city. The place that was chosen to build the city was in the middle of the route between Persepolis and Ctesiphon and was quite pleasant weather-wise. A Syrian architect by the name of “Asapai” was chosen to build this city, and investigations were made into its geographical and natural features. The purpose of these investigations was to create natural obstacles against the attack of enemies. In addition, the natural landscapes of the region were also taken into consideration.

Architecture of Bishapur

The general structure of the city was rectangular and there were four gates and two main streets (one north-south and the other east-west) that connected the two opposite gates.

The royal citadel and residential houses were the two main parts of the city. In the royal section, Anahita Temple, Shapur Ceremonial Hall, Mosaic Porch, and Valerian Palace were located and people’s houses, a bathhouse, caravanserais, and bazaars were built in the residential sector. The citadel complex was located on the heights of Mount Shapur and overlooked the entire city. This part was separated from the rest of the city by a stone fence.

Anahita Temple

Anahita Temple (goddess of water) was one of the most important religious buildings of the city. This building was unique in terms of architecture and had an advanced system for controlling and distributing water.

Anahita temple was 23 to 27 meters and was built in a place that is 250 meters away from the Shapur River so that its water could easily flow to this side. Before the construction of the temple, an aqueduct flowed towards this site, the remains of which can still be seen.

There was a platform in the inner courtyard of the building for the worshipers to stand on. This platform was made of pieces of carved stones measuring 140 to 47 cm. There was a channel in the middle of the entrances of the temple, for water to flow into the building. It is possible that water was directed into the temple during special religious festivals and ceremonies.

Ceremonial Hall

There is a large domed hall in the southeast of the Anahita temple, which has an area of 781 square meters. This hall has four symmetrical porches and the height of its dome is about 25 meters. There are 64 niches in this square hall.

Mosaic Porch

This porch is 25.11 meters long and 6.1 meters wide. Crescent-shaped arches covered it and its floor was decorated with colorful mosaics some of which are now kept in the museums of Iran and other countries.

Valerian Palace

In terms of appearance, this palace is similar to Anahita Temple and is located 150 meters north of Bishapur Fire Temple.

This ancient city was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in 1931 and was subsequently included on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage in the Year 2018.