Treasure Between Restoration and Stagnation: Challenges Facing the Fate of Isfahan's Historic Fabric
Isfahan – The historic houses, bazaars and passageways of Isfahan are a civilizational and economic asset. However, protecting this heritage and linking it to the life and economic revival of older neighborhoods remains a serious challenge.
Ambassador of Arjan Group of Provinces, Korosh Dibaj: We know Isfahan as a city where, for centuries, architecture was not just for building shelters; Its houses, markets, passageways, palaces and squares together have formed a way of life that is the result of the connection of art, economy, culture and social relations. But today, the question is, what part of this extensive heritage is left in the current life of the city?
When a historical house is restored, but the neighborhood around it remains empty of old residents; When a valuable building becomes a destination to visit, but its connection with people's daily life becomes looser; And when a part of the city's history stands in front of our eyes, but does not have the power to build the future, can we talk about heritage protection without asking about the fate of living in it?
The problem of Isfahan's historical context is not only the dilapidation of buildings or the lack of investors; The problem is the gap that has formed between the historical value of this area and its ability to generate wealth, maintain habitation and recreate life. A context that can provide employment, tourism, the prosperity of local businesses and strengthen the city's identity, in parts with physical discontinuity, transportation difficulties, heavy renovation costs, ownership problems and scattered management.
In such a situation, even the successful restoration of a house does not necessarily mean the revival of the neighborhood; Just as an increase in tourist traffic alone does not guarantee that old residents will stay in their historic city or that the economic benefits of this presence will flow to the local community.
The difference between the experience of Isfahan and cities like Kashan and Yazd raises the serious question why a city with such a civilizational and architectural support has not yet been able to transform all the capacities of its historical context into a sustainable cycle of value creation? Perhaps the main question is not how much historical heritage Isfahan has; Rather, why this heritage, despite all its values, has not yet been able to create life and wealth for the city and its citizens to the extent of its capacity?
Restoring buildings without destroying neighborhoods
Mozhgan Ebrahimi, an architect and activist in the field of Isfahan's historical context studies, considers the extent and dispersion of historical elements to be one of the important differences between Isfahan and some successful cities in heritage restoration.
In a conversation with Mehr's reporter, he stated: The historical fabric is not only made up of houses, palaces, bazaars, bazaars, and squares, but passages, alleys, arches, and vestibules are also the connecting components of this collection.
Ebrahimi says: In the passage of time, the physical integrity of parts of the historical fabric of Isfahan has been lost and valuable elements have been scattered in different parts of the city. Even in the areas that are more connected, the necessary management platform for the economic exploitation of these funds has not been properly provided.
He considers historical tourism as a capacity to generate income, but he defines the range of wealth from heritage beyond financial income.
From Ebrahimi's point of view, the presence of people in historical neighborhoods and the experience of urban spaces strengthens citizens' belonging to the city and provides the basis for the continuation of cultural and social ties.
This architect introduces the lack of a coherent plan for the post-restoration stage as one of the important problems of reviving the historical context of Isfahan; Because the restoration of a building, without predicting how it will be used and its relationship with the surrounding environment, does not necessarily lead to economic prosperity.
Historic houses are being restored; But for whom?
Ebrahimi considers one of the existing problems to be the repetition of similar uses in restored buildings and continues: In some historical houses, cafes, restaurants, hotels, and residences have been created, but the variety of activities and uses that can benefit more groups of people have been given less attention.
Referring to the experience of Kashan, he explains: In this city, it is possible to visit some historical houses by preparing a ticket and coordinating; While in Isfahan, changing the shape of some houses for residential use has limited the possibility of experiencing their historical atmosphere.
This expert in the field of historical context also points to the dependence of part of the accommodation activities on the economic conditions and peak and decline periods of travel; An issue that can affect the utilization of the capacity of these buildings.
He emphasizes: the revival of the historical context must be accompanied by a continuous program for exploitation; A program that, in addition to houses, houses, four-souqs, passageways, and historic baths, defines a specific role for each section in the economic and social life of the city.
Ebrahimi considers integrated management as one of the prerequisites for this transformation; A management that has the ability to coordinate the responsible institutions and is familiar with the history and culture of Isfahan.
From his point of view, the presence of local residents and the continuity of customs in the neighborhoods is part of the capital that should not be ignored in the revitalization process.
He emphasizes: if the city is alive, pleasant and attractive for Isfahani themselves, Iranian and foreign tourists will also welcome it. In this direction, the approvals of specialized councils will be effective when a competent institution follows up their implementation.
"Disturbance in eligibility"; A problem beyond investment
Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti Shirazi, a member of the Supreme Council of Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the country, explains the issue of Isfahan's historical context with the concept of "impairment in citizenship"; A concept that, from his point of view, refers to the reduction of the bond between people and the historical and cultural quality of their cities.
In a conversation with Mehr reporter, he stated: Isfahan, Yazd and Kashan have faced a common problem in recent decades: the diminution of the presence and role of those who shaped the historical quality of these cities. He makes a difference between being born in a city and having its citizenship, and considers the quality of living, building and treating the city to be effective in the formation of urban identity.
To explain this situation, the member of the Supreme Council of Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the country points to parts of the new development of Isfahan, where the distinguishing features of the city have faded.
Beheshti sees this process as a sign of disruption in the same quality that has made Isfahan what it is.
In response to the question about the difference between Isfahan and Kashan, he introduced the historical market of Tabriz as an example of the economic participation of the local community, and further said: The business and market activists of Tabriz played a role in the restoration and revival of this complex, provided its costs, and this action led to receiving the Aga Khan Award and registering the market in the World Heritage List.
Beheshti compares this experience to the lack of similar economic participation in Isfahan and asks why the people of Isfahan whose predecessors built the bazaar, Naqshjahan square and other important elements of the city, today do not take the same initiative to revive and exploit the heritage of their city.
He points to the presence of investors from Tehran in the revival of historical houses in Kashan and says: these activities have the capacity to expand in Isfahan as well.
At the same time, he sees the increase in public sensitivity towards the city's heritage status as a promising sign for the future.
A legacy that the future should produce
Ali Topchi, the mayor of the special historical district of Isfahan city, formulates the issue beyond how to economically exploit historical monuments.
In a conversation with Mehr's reporter, he emphasized the necessity of moving away from the museum's and static view of heritage and moving towards the concept of "Generative Historical City"; A city that, while protecting the past, provides the possibility of producing new values.
Topchi considers wealth as a set of economic, social, cultural, spatial and future-building capitals. In this framework, income and employment are only a part of wealth, and social trust, belonging to citizens, knowledge and skills, the attractiveness of the place and the ability of the city to create new opportunities are included in this definition.
Referring to the historical accumulation of Isfahan, he mentions squares, markets, mosques, neighborhoods, houses, gardens, handicrafts, narratives and cultural memory of the city and says: the existence of these assets does not automatically lead to the proportional production of wealth.
The mayor of the special historical district of Isfahan warns: Even in the presence of tourists, the flow of economic activity and restoration, there may be a decrease in sustainable settlement, a decrease in the diversity of activities, a weakening of the transfer of local skills and the concentration of investment in a few limited points.
He proposes this situation in the form of a hypothesis called "hidden economic-inheritance degeneration"; A situation where the appearance of the city is still active, but its future capacities are limited.
From Topchi's point of view, the reliance of the heritage economy on visiting, staying, eating and buying souvenirs, despite its importance, does not cover all the available capacities.
He considers the gap between heritage assets and different parts of the city economy as one of the obstacles and emphasizes: Isfahan's value is not only in individual buildings, but also in the relationship between them.
The mayor of Isfahan Special Historical District proposes the idea of "Civilizational Corridor of Isfahan" as a strategic plan to connect three areas: the Seljuk Government House and the vicinity of the Jame Mosque and Atiq Square, the Safavid Government House and Naqsh Jahan Square, and the contemporary urban area on both sides of the Siuse Bridge, including the Revolution Square and Risbaf Complex.
He emphasizes: This corridor should not be just a physical project, but should strengthen the connection between the historical, cultural, social and economic layers of the city. In this framework, protection and investment are not two opposite paths; Rather, they should be placed in a mechanism that allows the production of new values while protecting irreplaceable values.