Vakil Complex

Vakil Complex

Shiraz Vakil market, Vakil Bath, Vakil mosque, and Arg Citadel are four eye-catching masterpieces that were built during the twenty years of the golden period of the Zand-e- Vakil government. Zand-e-Vakil was a legendary governor of Persia who founded the pillars of meritocracy by considering himself the agent of the Persian subjects rather than their king. Vakil complex shines as a gem in the bride-like city of Shiraz, astonishingly dazzling the eyes of every visitor. The tourist spots that have become universally famous even to the farthest places in the world. It is not possible to name Shiraz anywhere in the world, and they haven’t heard about the Vakil complex. 

Shiraz Vakil Market (Bazaar) is one of the most beautiful, attractive, and lovely markets of Iran in traditional styles. This very mesmerizing place was built when Zand- e -Vakil was ordered to construct it early in the eighteenth century. This splendid site is located in the very heart of Shiraz, including other amazing joint constructions like a bath and a mosque. Vakil Market is a rare, long bazaar with a specifically flaring design that is still sparkling after the passage of a long history. It stands as a majestic building with a calm and soothing atmosphere and the exhilarating, aromatic fragrance of the various spices and Persian herbs. It seems that sovereign Zand was inspired by Larestan Market, a county in the southern part of Fars province, historically made during the Safavid dynasty. Zand e Vakil, however, developed the idea and created something quite new, blowing his artistic spirit into it. Every business transaction, buying and selling national and foreign products and exchange shops, was accomplished in specific chambers within this area.

Vakil market was the beating heart of Shiraz from the viewpoint of economic and social concerns. Every chamber had two amazing wide steps on each side with 74 opening tall arches. The constructional elements are the traditional creamy gold bricks, lime, and chalk used on the stone base. The central intersection from which the four grand Bazaar originates has a bewildering ceiling that is very high and connotes a specific, heavenly feeling filled with transcendence and ethereal serenity. Every section of this grand market is named according to its specific products, like the grand Bazaar as the major center of the goods, fabrics market, crystal market, tailors’ side, hat makers’ side, and sword makers’ market. 

Vakil market is unique indeed. The reason why it stands as a rare historical, artistic site lies in the fact that this bazaar was uniquely based on huge stones and unbelievably tall ceilings. Moreover, it sells everything that is very amazing, from textiles and fabrics to carpets and groceries and handmade artifacts made by Shirazi artists. In Persian Works, Forsat Al Dulah Shirazi states that the ending exit of the Bazaar surprisingly leads to the entrance door of Vakil mosque. Furthermore, it is exactly beside the main road passing in the very center of the city.   

Vakil mosque is attached to the Grand Bazaar and the bath. Its construction is uniquely strong in its structure and so artistically designed. The very shape is of two major verandas and elegant bedchambers on its southern and eastern sides. The southern bedchamber is so beautifully grand, with 48 white spiral stone columns that are stylistically Persian. The hall is 5000 square meters that has a very majestic rostrum of 14 steps with white marble stones. It has been mentioned that Vakil-e-Zand has ordered to bring a unique stone piece for building this tribune from north of Iran. In the south part of the mosque, there is a very high beautiful arch well-known as the “ Marble Arch.” Round this grand arch, there is a handwritten Surah piece from the holy Quran with a nice Naskh (Script) calligraphy in a curved form.

The amazing uniqueness of Vakil mosque lies in the fact that this artistic structure functions as a social/religious bye-polar zone that realistically links this secular, worldly life to the sacred otherworld. The tile works of the south and the north halls are of a specific Persian style of 7 color marquetry style. Its attraction is so strongly influential that in his travel book, “On the Way to Isfahan,” Pirlouti stated that “ I am extremely rejoiced and lucky to enter Vakil Mosque.” The people from Shiraz are incredibly welcoming and so kindly generous. The extreme beauty of the mosque comes from the brilliant colors of green and red, whose mixture has created a calm but majestic ambiance. No wall is left uncovered. Without a doubt, we are in an azure blue, turquoise royal palace”. Surprisingly, there is a documentary named “ Zandieh,” which is a digitally animated version of this artistic monument. 

Vakil Bath is the third wonder belonging to the Vakil complex, exactly connected to the mosque and the Grand Bazaar. There is a royal section in this bath area that has been only specified for the king. This place is also inscribed in the list of national works of Iran. What stands out in the construction of this particular bath is the application of proto-modern, advanced techniques of architecture. For example, the very entrance section of the bath is very small and narrow and goes to step in the center of the bath with a slight sloping mode which is lower than the ground level.

The locker room was made with a particular angle that causes to keep the warm temperature inside and prevents the cool weather of the outside area from coming in. The bathroom sink is an octagonal pond and eight tall stone columns exactly under a dome ceiling. The heated house is covered by the specific stone art under which there are hot water narrow tube-like corridors that makes it possible for the bath to become warm soon. In the southern part of the bath, there are two deep ponds and two royal terraces for the royal family. In every royal part, there is a small marble pond under the lime art of the dome that reflects the old stories of love and dreams.

Last but not least is Arg Citadel which stands erectly like a robust guard. It is an incredibly huge monument with tall and solid towers and ramparts. It is believed that this citadel is like other traditional Persian citadels, quite fashionable in the past. However, historians believe that Zand –e-Vakil, the governor, built the citadel in the neighborhood of a grand square and functioned as his private palace for his own royal family. As the name of the governor was Karim Khan, the citadel is famously called the Karim Khani monument. It is a 4000 square meter building with two obvious styles of construction, military and residential. From the external side, it looks very military. Four towers with 14 meters in height and 3 meters in width. The walls in between are 12 meters, very suitable for defending functions.

The surrounding trench by itself reveals the importance of safety and high protection of the construction. Marvelously, one of the ramparts gradually went to get crooked, like Pizza Tower, which even added to the wonder of this citadel for those visiting it. There are unique shelter areas created on the walls that are appropriate for shooting and observation. Cunningly speaking, there are two rooms constructed in each circle tower, one for resting the guard and the other for the gun storage. The decorations on the external side of the citadel are confined to the zigzag patterns of the bricks artistically designed by the architect.

Round the roof, there are several lion heads which not only cause the decorative look but also function as a shelter protecting against the sunlight. Surprisingly, the indoor area is so delicately artistic, with fine paintings in the rooms and terraces. The garden and the basins have created a heavenly feeling which both comes from the green tiles of the pelvis and, more imaginatively, from the spring blossoms of Shirazi citrus trees. There are six royal rooms on each side, with a private bath in the eastern corner. The majority of the construction materials are special marble stones and bricks. Specific limestones are also used that are called Gandomak (little wheat) limestones. There are also three royal halls with higher ceilings and wooden columns of spiral patterns. These grand halls are called Heaven shapes.  

Can you ever imagine anything or anywhere more paradise-like than Shiraz and Vakil complex? We don’t think so.