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Abstract: (1487 Views)
The Yazd Shahrbani Prison, located in the old Dar al-Hokumeh precinct (now Shahid Ebrahimi Street), is a surviving security-governmental structure from the Qajar and early Pahlavi eras. Situated in Yazd’s historical fabric, it remained in use until the late 1370s SH (1990s CE) despite historical interruptions and extensive modifications. Transitioning from Qajar-era prisons to the Pahlavi period, the building underwent significant changes. Its layout consists of three interconnected patterns, experiencing physical transformations across different periods. Some changes involved removing or adding elements from prior eras, while others addressed functional needs. This study examines the building’s physical characteristics and its evolution over the past century. The methodology relies on collecting and analyzing historical documents alongside field studies, using a historical-descriptive-analytical approach to detail the architectural features of the Yazd City Police Prison. It addresses the question: What are the physical and functional characteristics of the prison, and what transformations has it undergone? Evidence from the Qajar-to-Pahlavi transition is scarce, but the prison’s peak prominence is traceable to the 1340s SH (1960s CE). Based on field investigations and written documents, the transformations are categorized into four periods: (1) 1250–1310 SH (1871–1931 CE); (2) 1310–1357 SH (1931–1978 CE); (3) 1360–1385 SH (1981–2006 CE); (4) 1385–1403 SH (2006–2024 CE). This article explores the building’s physical structure and its historical transformations.
Keywords: Qajar-Pahlavi architecture, Yazd’s Shahrbani Prison, Morphological Evolution, Governmental citadel, Yazd
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
History of Architecture
Received: 2025/10/8 | Accepted: 2026/01/31 | Published: 2026/03/21
Received: 2025/10/8 | Accepted: 2026/01/31 | Published: 2026/03/21
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