South Azerbaijan

APA presents the article “Ark Castle – A Living Witness to Tabriz’s Turbulent History” by Mahammad Rahmanifar as part of the “Explore South Azerbaijan” project.

You can read the previous article of the project here.

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle described humans as talking animals. Today, we know that not only humans but also animals can communicate. But what about stone, clay, and brick? Are these truly silent, speechless, mute, and deaf objects? And what about historical monuments? I believe some of them speak even more and more clearly than humans. These historical monuments are considered living witnesses and, at the same time, narrators of the ancient history of the places they are located in. Some of them are even recognized as symbols of a city. One of such historical monuments is the Ark Castle of Tabriz. The height of the castle reaches 33 meters, making it one of the tallest historical walls in the country. Today, alongside reminding us of the city's turbulent history, it also stands as a symbol of the power and grandeur of Tabriz's ancient architecture.

This castle, with its grandeur, reflects the grandeur of Tabriz; with its stability, the stability of this city; and with its pride and dignity, the pride and dignity of Tabriz. But Tabriz has not always seen joyful days. This can be understood even from the bricks of this building. The deep wounds inflicted on the upright posture of this symbol of Tabriz are the best narrators of the wounds inflicted upon Tabriz throughout history. Today, in this article, we will take a look at what has happened to this historical monument—or more precisely, what has happened to Tabriz.

When and how was the Ark Castle of Tabriz built?

Ark Castle is a structure from the Ilkhanid period (1256–1335). In fact, during the Mongol Ilkhanate era, Azerbaijan experienced one of its most flourishing and progressive periods. Across all corners of our Azerbaijan, we encounter monuments left behind by the Mongol Ilkhans as their legacy. In one of our previous articles, we explored the Dome of Soltaniyeh in South Azerbaijan, one of the most magnificent historical monuments of the Ilkhanid era. Among these is also the ruling complex known as Sham Ghazan, which today is mentioned only in history books and remains only as the name of a neighborhood in Tabriz. Another example is Rab'-e Rashidi in Tabriz, one of the oldest universities in the world, which was built at the same time. This ancient scientific center, which bears the name of the Mongol Ilkhans’ scholar and learned vizier, Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fazlullah Hamadani, has also survived only in ruins to this day.

Ark Castle is a monument left from Azerbaijan’s magnificent and developed period. The construction of the Tabriz castle was started between the years 716-724 Hijri under the instruction of Taj al-Din Ali Shah Gilani, who was then the vizier (prime minister) of the Mongol Ilkhanate. Historical texts show that the main purpose of the creators of this ancient building was to build a large mosque that had never been built before. In fact, throughout various historical periods, there was serious competition among different architects and even states to build the tallest dome in the world. Nevertheless, building the tallest dome in the world required precise architectural technical knowledge alongside skill.

Due to the rivalry between Taj al-Din Ali Shah Gilani and Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fazlullah Hamadani, who were viziers of the Mongol Ilkhans, Taj al-Din Ali Shah intended to build a mosque with a dome taller than the Sultaniyeh dome. However, due to haste, insufficient care, and failure to meet technical requirements, the dome collapsed shortly after its completion. Yet, the grandeur of this magnificent historical building did not escape the eyes of ancient historians and geographers; various historical sources provide valuable information about this building. For example, the well-known historian and geographer, Qazvini Hamdullah Mustawfi (1281–1339), writes: “Khwaja Taj al-Din Ali Shah built a mosque larger than the Khosraviya hall in the city of Tabriz, but when he hastily entered the building, it collapsed.”

Ibn Battuta (1304–1369) wrote about this monument: “Its courtyard is paved with marble stones, its walls are covered with tiles. A river flows through it, and all kinds of trees, jasmine, and fruits grow there.”

The French traveler Sir John Chardin wrote: “The tallest structure that caught attention when we entered Tabriz is this construction.”

What was Ark Castle used for?

According to historical sources, this building was initially used as a mosque and a traditional school. However, with the death of Taj al-Din Ali Shah in Hijri 724, the construction of this complex was halted; the facade, the decorations of the large southern arch, and the completion of the collapsed arch were never finished. This is one of the bitter aspects of our history. Throughout history, successive shahs or viziers not only failed to complete the unfinished works of their predecessors but often even destroyed them. Similarly, Taj al-Din Ali Shah Gilani treated his predecessor, the vizier Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fazlullah Hamadani, in the same way, and the magnificent buildings constructed by him were not preserved during the era of Taj al-Din Ali Shah Gilani.

This historical monument was used for military and defensive purposes during the Safavid period. Since that time, Ark Castle has served as a fortress, soldier, and protector of Azerbaijan. Perhaps the symbolic value that Ark Castle holds today among South Azerbaijanis is also influenced by this service.

During the long Qajar-Russian wars that resulted in the division of Azerbaijan, the castle was again used for military and defensive purposes. Abbas Mirza, the son and heir of Fath Ali Shah (1769 – 1834), built thick and sturdy walls around this Ilkhanid structure while preparing Tabriz for battle with the Russian army. Abbas Mirza also had casting workshops built within this complex for the production of weapons and ammunition. In fact, the fact that this building began to be called not a mosque but an Ark or Fortress also originates from here. A fortress with battle-ready cannons to defend the city! Since that time, this castle has always carried the symbolic role of a soldier guarding Tabriz and Azerbaijan.

Ark Castle. Before its destruction during the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic of Iran periods

During the wars between the constitutionalists led by Sattar Khan and the central government forces (1908–1909), this building was used as a defense and combat fortress. Just as in the time of Abbas Mirza, the constitutionalists had placed heavy artillery on the top of this tall and massive structure to defend the city. In 1911, the Russians occupied Tabriz with the aim of suppressing and removing the constitutionalists and Sattar Khan. At that time, this building was also used as a defensive fortress. The Russians did not reach Sattar Khan, but they took their revenge by hanging several well-known constitutionalists from this castle and by blowing up and destroying part of the fortress. Thus, the Russians dealt heavy blows to the body of this old and battle-worn Azerbaijani soldier who had always stood guard over Azerbaijan.

After the Russians, the central governments of Iran became the next force to target this magnificent historical complex. In 1925, with the transition of the monarchy from the Turkish Qajar dynasty to the Persian Pahlavi regime, Azerbaijan faced severe pressures because it is Turkish. It was as if the new regime wanted to take out its anger towards the Qajar Turks on Azerbaijan. As noted in our previous articles written within the framework of the “Explore South Azerbaijan” project, after Reza Shah came to power in Iran, the central government oppressed South Azerbaijan in every aspect, including economic, social, political, cultural, and historical spheres. The attempt to demean, assimilate, and suppress the history, language, culture, and identity of the South Azerbaijani Turks is a comprehensive and deliberate policy. The historical monuments of South Azerbaijan were not spared from the harsh consequences of this policy.

During the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, many historical monuments in South Azerbaijan were destroyed. The number of historical sites demolished during the Pahlavi era is so large that listing and briefly introducing them falls outside the scope of this article. For instance, Reza Shah demolished all the monuments and buildings located in the magnificent historical complex of Baghshumal in Tabriz, and today, almost no trace remains of that vast complex. Although some parts of the Ark Castle historical complex survived Pahlavi vandalism, many structures within the complex—especially those built during the Qajar and Abbas Mirza periods—were demolished and destroyed at that time. However, many of the parts that managed to escape Pahlavi vandalism were later blown up and destroyed after the Islamic Republic Revolution under the pretext of building a Friday prayer mosque!

The only remaining part of this magnificent historical complex today is just a section of the southern structure of the complex. However, despite its ruined condition, it still represents the glory and grandeur of both itself and Tabriz’s majestic era.

The last day this structure was used as a fortress for the defense of Tabriz and Azerbaijan was December 17, 1946. On that day, eight fighters from the Azerbaijani Democratic Party, positioned atop the fortress, fought against the invading forces of the central government until their last bullets were spent. After their ammunition was exhausted, in order not to surrender to the Pahlavi army, they threw themselves from the top of the fortress and bid farewell to the world.

“A sample of the calamities brought upon a majestic historical monument like Ark Castle under the pretext of ‘We are building a mosque'”

Today, this historical monument is not merely a structure made of bricks in the eyes of the Turks of South Azerbaijan. For them, every brick of this magnificent historical structure is like a page from a thick historical book that tells the story of this city and of Azerbaijan. On some pages of this book, we read about Azerbaijan’s joyful days, and on others, its painful ones. But regardless of whether the days recounted in Azerbaijan’s history are bitter or sweet, as mentioned multiple times in this article, today this fortress stands as a symbol of resistance and bravery—of standing tall and unbowed—against occupying enemies in South Azerbaijan, embodied by figures like Abbas Mirza, Sattar Khan, and the fighters of the Azerbaijani Democratic Party.