Abstract:

This research focuses on "History and Geography of Tabriz" written by Prince Nādir Mīrzā Qajar (1827-1887/8), as a mirror to an overlooked architectural heritage narrative, prevalent among Iranians in the nineteenth century. The concept of “architectural heritage” is a product of modern times, giving rise to dominant narratives about the preservation and valuation of architectural heritage. However, different cultures and societies have their own approaches to architecture and its preservation, which may not align with the Euro-centric narrative of heritage. This discrepancy prompts scholarly investigations into how societies have historically perceived, valued, and protected their built environments outside the dominant narrative of European modernism. Like many other places affected by the influx of modern ideas of Europe in the nineteenth century, Iran was influenced by the European concepts of heritage during that time as well. This makes the nineteenth century a pivotal point in the history of Iran, a time when European modernism clashed with the traditional and religious ideas prevalent in the country. The focus of my research is the traditional perceptions of the built environment and its preservation in nineteenth-century Iran, when new ideas of heritage were introduced. In this regard, Nādir Mīrzā was chosen for this research, who was a member of Iran’s non-reformist elite, and his viewpoints were deeply rooted in Iran’s traditional and religious thought, in contrast to the European modernist ideas of heritage. Nādir Mīrzā’s book, "History and Geography of Tabriz," which is uniquely replete with architectural descriptions offers a reflection on the unseen narratives of how architectural heritage was perceived before the modern concept of heritage emerged in Iran. Through a deep examination of this historical text, this paper aims to elucidate its value as a resource for uncovering previously overlooked attitudes toward architecture and historical buildings in Iran.