Towers and Minarets of Iran / Persia

Towers and minarets of Iran / Persia are on many itineraries of tours of Iran. We have visited many during our road trips. Towers used as lookouts, “lighthouses” for caravans and religious purposes were very common in ancient Persia. But few survive today because of the strategic value during war.

The Arabs who occupied Persia adopted many construction techniques used by Persians to build towers and minarets elsewhere in their empire.

Towers – also referred to as borj (Persian) or minarets (when part of a mosque) – were especially vulnerable to enemy destruction because of their strategic value as lookouts for the approaching enemy. The towers of a city were the first things an invading army targeted for destruction.

The engineering of the towers and minarets of Iran / Persia was advanced. They had to withstand harsh weather, enemy attacks, and most importantly, the very frequent in Iran.

The Arabs who occupied Persia adopted many construction techniques used by Persians to build towers and minarets elsewhere in their empire.

The engineering of the towers and minarets of Iran / Persia was advanced. They had to withstand harsh weather, enemy attacks, and most importantly, the very frequent in Iran.

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The karat tower or karet minaret near town of taybad

Jan 8 2023

Iran’s Towers: “Lighthouses of the desert”
Iranians kept fires burning on these minarets to direct desert traffic

Ancient Persians, aware of the strategic value of the Silk Road to East-West commerce, built towers with fires on the top to direct travelers. Many of the towers survived the centuries despite earthquakes and the punishing weather.