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Among the sights of Shiraz, Karimkhani Citadel is one of the most famous. This magnificent building, which is located in the center of Shiraz, is one of the magnificent works of the Zandiyeh period, which was built by Karimkhan Zand, known as Vakil al-Raaya, in 1180 AH. This citadel was the place of rule and life of Karimkhan and for this reason it is known as Karimkhani citadel. Karimkhan Citadel was included in the list of national heritage of Iran in 1351.
Karimkhani citadel or Karim Khan prison is one of the attractions of the city of poetry and literature. This magnificent and beautiful building was built by Karimkhan Zand, known as Vakil al-Raaya, in 1180 AH. After coming to power and choosing Shiraz as the seat of his rule, he decided to build a large square in the north of old Shiraz, like Naqsh Jahan Square in Isfahan. In the past, this square was called Topkhaneh, on the north side of which was Diwankhaneh Karimkhan, on the east side of Vakil Bazaar Square and several caravanserais, on the south side of Hammam Square and Vakil Mosque, on the southwest side of that garden, and on the west side of Arg and Androni Square.
The architecture of Karimkhan Citadel is in Isfahani style and introverted architecture. The outside of this building is simple and clean, and inside it, delicate and beautiful decorations are used. Above the entrance gate of the citadel, there is a beautiful and eye-catching tile work of seven colors, which depicts the scene of the battle between Rostam and the White Devil, and dates back to the Qajar period. After the entrance, there is a vestibule through which you enter the citadel courtyard.
The residential part of Karimkhan Citadel includes three fronts: north, south and west. Each side has a pillared porch with two stone pillars. During the Qajar period, the main columns of the south and west porches were removed and wooden columns were replaced with spiral decorations. There are two corridors, two floors and 6 rooms on both sides of each porch and between the halls.
Sash has been worked in the halls of the Karimkhan citadel; Sash refers to wooden windows in which colored glass is used and opens and closes vertically. The roofs of the halls are made with two layers, and the second false ceiling is created with a distance from the main ceiling. The interior ceiling is vaulted with plaster moldings and is decorated with very beautiful paintings and gildings that are modeled on the paintings of the Safavid era. Materials such as gold, mercury, saffron, ocher flower and other minerals are used in drawing these paintings.
read here : Saraye Moshir Shiraz
On the northern front of the Karimkhan Citadel, there is a private courtyard with several small rooms separated from the rest of the citadel’s rooms. In the four corners of the building, next to the towers, there are four backyards with a pond in the center, which probably had uses such as serving and kitchen. In the southeast part, a Hammam citadel from the Zandiyeh period is still standing.
The dressing room of Karimkhan Citadel bathroom is octagonal. The roof of the dressing room consists of a simple brick roof, with beautiful limestone slats in its corners. The most interesting part of this bathroom is considered to be the four solid stone pillars that are inside the greenhouse and very interesting decorations have been made on them. There are corridors on the floor of the bathroom, which are called cat rooms. The use of the chimneys is to transfer the heat and soot inside the furnace from the greenhouse to the chimneys for their exit; Besides, in this process, the bathroom floor is also heated.
