Citadel of Bam

File / Documentation

Name

139377_sv.jpg

Size

610.43 KB

Format

JPEG

Checksum (MD5)

00f010d47aa6fba90263c7c4604f36c6

Creator(s)

Persian, Islamic

Time period

creation date: 200-1799, destruction date: by earthquake, 2003

Location

Site: Bam (Iran)

Cultural context

Persian

Islamic

Description

"The Arg-e Bam (Citadel of Bam), established in the Sassanian period, is situated atop an artificial hill in the northwest quadrant of the old city of Bam. This artificial hill, originally created from debris, elevates the citadel approximately 5 meters above the surrounding urban fabric. The citadel complex occupies an area 315 meters wide along the east-west axis by 270 meters long along the north-south axis. Bounded on the north by the river, by steep cliffs to the east, and by gardens and residential neighborhoods to the north, northwest and south, the Arg-e Bam was optimized for both self-sufficiency and protection
[...]
Natural disaster has recently struck Bam: shortly after the devastating earthquake of 26 December 2003, which leveled the city, the Arg-e Bam was inscribed on the 2004 World Heritage List, and added directly to the World Heritage in Danger List. Prior to the earthquake, the fortress had possessed the distinction of being the largest adobe building in the world, recognized for its unbaked mud brick (khesht) and poured mud wall (chineh) construction."
Source: http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7861 [Accessed August 7, 2012]

exterior, palace courtyard, 2003

Work type

Wall

City

Citadel

Medium

brick

mud

stone

straw (plant material)

Keywords

Fortifications