Kolah Farangi Citadel: An Important Monuments of Iran's Eastern Province
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Birjand is the capital of South Khorasan province. The famous city is known for its saffron, barberry, rug and handmade carpet exports. Kolah farangi Citadel was built during the late Zand and early Qajar eras between 1848 and 1895.
This unique landmark, constructed by Amir Hassan Khan Sheibani, consists of a garden, stable, bathhouse, offices, and a reception hall.
Its structure has a hexagonal base and a white conical top. It is white in color and construction materials consist of brick and limestone.
The wall decorations are honeycomb plasterwork, motifs and niches. It is six stories high, although only two floors are functional.
The main entrance is preceded by a roofed area featuring eye-catching arcs. The ground floor is the largest section of the citadel.
The interior of the ground floor has a number of rooms connected by hallways. In the center is a pool that can be accessed from different entrances.
It is situated approximately a meter lower than the rest of the floor and is octagonal. The pool helps optimize ventilation throughout the building.
The next floor is also octagonal, but is smaller and has fewer rooms. Other floors are progressively smaller and are strictly aimed at maintaining the citadel’s current shape and have no other use.
Kolah Farangi Citadel was registered as national cultural heritage site number 1880.
Source: English.irib
