Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Si O Se Pol Bridge

Si O Se Pol Bridge in Full moon image by Bijan Moravej alahkami – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Si O Se Pol Bridge

The Allahverdi Khan Bridge, popularly known as Si-o-se-pol. Si O Se Pol Bridge is the largest of the eleven historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran.

The bridge was built in the early 17th century to serve as both a bridge and a dam. The bridge is a popular recreational gathering place. In the article are the top ten remarquable facts about Si O Se Pol Bridge.

1. The bridge is among the most famous examples of Iran’s Safavid architecture

Image of Si O Se Pol by Majid eslamdoust – Wikimedia commons

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Safavid art is the art of the Iranian Safavid dynasty from 1501 to 1722, encompassing Iran and parts of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It was a high point for Persian miniatures, and architecture and also included ceramics, metal, glass, and gardens.

2. Allahverdi Khan Undiladze commissioned the building of the bridge

Si O Se Pol image by Habib karimzadeh – Wikiedia commons

Si-o-se-pol was built between 1599 and 1602 under the reign of Abbas I, the fifth Safavid king of Iran. It was constructed under the supervision of Allahverdi Khan Undiladze, the commander-in-chief of the armies, who was of Georgian origin.

Allahverdi Khan bridge was also named after him. The bridge served particularly as a connection between the mansions of the elite, as well as a link to the city’s vital Armenian neighborhood of New Julfa.

3. What are the dimensions of the Si O Se Pol Bridge?

The bridge has a total length of 297.76 meters and a total width of 14.75 meters equivalent to 48.4 ft. It is a vaulted arch bridge consisting of two superimposed rows of 33 arches, from whence its popular name of Si-o-se-pol comes, and is made of stone.

The longest span is about 5.60 meters which is equivalent to 18.4 ft. The interior of Si-o-se-pol was originally decorated with paintings, which were often described by travelers as erotic.

4. Allahverdi Khan’s statue was erected near his bridge

Statue of Allahverdi Khan image by آرش – Wikimedia commons

Allahverdi Khan presided over the construction of several public buildings and charitable foundations. The Si-o-Seh Pol bridge across the Zayandeh River built by the architect Mir Jamal al-Din Muhammad Jabiri in Isfahan under Allahverdi Khan’s patronage still bears the general’s name.

Allahverdi Khan died on 3 June 1613, during a visit to Isfahan. His death greatly saddened Abbas I, who accompanied his bier to a place where the corpses of the deceased were ritually washed and prepared for his burial.

Abbas I also visited the house of Allahverdi Khan’s family in Isfahan, where he offered his condolences. To commemorate him, his statue was erected near his bridge, Si O Se Pol.

5. Si O Se Pol Bridge is built across the Zayanderud river

Zayanerudi River image by J.Salehifar – Wikimedia commons

Zayanderud means”fertile” or “life giver”, and “river”). Also, it’s spelled as Zayandeh-Rood or Zayanderood, which is the largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran. The Zayandeh starts in the Zard-Kuh subrange of the Zagros

Mountains in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. It flows 400 kilometers eastward before ending in the Gavkhouni swamp, a seasonal salt lake, southeast of Isfahan.

6. Si O Se Pol is not the only bridge that is built on The Zayanderud

There are several new and old bridges (pol) over the Zayandeh River. The oldest, Shahrestan, built in the 5th century AD, is still in use as a pedestrian crossing in Sharestan village.

All the bridges in the Zayanderud river are; Marnan Bridge, Vahid Bridge, Vahid Bridge, Felezi Bridge, Azar Bridge, Si-o-Se Pol, Ferdosi Bridge Built, Joui Bridge Built, Khaju Bridge, Bozorgmehr, Ghadir Bridge, and Shahrestan bridge.

7. Si O Se Pol is an iconic symbol of Isfahan

Si o Se Pol with a history of about four centuries is an iconic symbol of Esfahan, half of the world. Its popular name comes from the number of arches that have been placed in two rows on the bridge. the number of arches adds up to thirty-three.

8. There is a 17th-century drawing of Si-o-se-pol by Jean Chardin

A 17th-century drawing  photo of Si-o-se-pol by Jean Chardin – Wikimedia commons

Jean Chardin, born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweler and traveler whose ten-volume book “The Travels of Sir John Chardin” is regarded as one of the finest works of early Western scholarship on Safavid Iran and the Near East in general.

Chardin’s style of writing is simple and graphic, and he gives a faithful account of what he saw and heard. Montesquieu, Rousseau, Gibbon, and Helvetius acknowledge the value of his writings; and Sir William Jones says he gave the best account of Muslim nations ever published.

Extracts from his works appear in all the chief collections of travels, but there is no complete English translation. One of his most famous extracts is the 17th-century drawing of Si O Se Pol Bridge.

9. There are benches and tables next to the bridge

Si-o-Se Pol and Zayandeh Roud banks are still gathering spots to relax and recreate. After the sunset, just when the lightings magnify the arches of the bridge, it is the best time to be in Si-o-Se Pol.

One can take a walk in the riverside park or enjoy a pleasant stroll over the river and sit in a vaulted arch to relax. It is an arena for pleasure walks, cultural events, and rituals during the Safavid time. Therefore the tables and benches have been purposively put there to serve the people who visit the place.

10. Si O Se Pol connects to Chahar-Bagh Avenue

Both the upper and lower Chahar-Bagh Avenue are connected by the Si O Se pol Bridge. Chahar Bagh Boulevard is a historical avenue in Isfahan constructed in the Safavid era of Iran. This historical street is very similar to the Champs Elysees in Paris, which some visitors called the champs Elysees of Isfahan.

The avenue, historically, is the most famous in all of Persia. It connects the northern parts of the city to the southern sections and is about 6 kilometers long. On the east side of this street, there are the Hasht Behesht and Chehel Sotoun gardens.