The Kashaneh Tower (Persian: برج کاشانه) is a 14th-century structure in Bastam, Iran. It is located to the south east of the Jama mosque of Bastam.[1]

Kashaneh Tower
برج کاشانه
Map
General information
Town or cityBastam
CountryIran
Completed14th century
Height24 meters

History

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The inscription on top of the entrance of the tower attributes the building to the year 700 of the lunar Hijri calendar.[2] The local people however believe that the tower has been a Zoroastrian fire temple during Sassanian times. André Godard however, attributes the building to Ghazan khan, which is in agreement with the inscription on the building indicating its date of construction.[3][2] Furthermore, André Godard claims that the structure was originally named Ghazaneh which was later corrupted into Kashaneh.[3] The inscription on top of the building however, attributes it to Öljaitü.[2]

At times, it was used as a watchtower. However, the tower's shape suggests that it might have had uses in astronomy, as it resembles an observatory in many ways.[2]

The tower's roof had at one point collapsed but was later repaired.[2][4]

It was enlisted among the national heritage sites of Iran with the registration number 69 on 6 January 1932.[2][5]

Architecture

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The tower is 24 meters tall from the inside, and 20 meters tall from outside. It's external shape is a Triacontagon. On top of the tower there are two outlines made of large bricks that have inscriptions on them.[3][4]

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References

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  1. ^ "/گزارش تصويري/ برج كاشانه بسطام" [Report: Bastam's Kashaneh Tower]. ایسنا (in Persian). 2015-07-26. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "آشنایی با برج کاشانه بسطام - سمنان" [Introduction to Bastam's Kashaneh tower.]. همشهری آنلاین (in Persian). 2009-10-17. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  3. ^ a b c tebyan.net, موسسه فرهنگی واطلاع رسانی تبیان | (2010-03-06). "شاهرود و جاذبه های تاریخی" [Shahrud and historical attractions.]. fa. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  4. ^ a b ""برج کاشانه"نگینی بر انگشتری بسطام؟" [Kashaneh tower, a pearl on the ring of Bastam?]. ایسنا (in Persian). 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  5. ^ YJC, خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران | آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان | (September 10, 2016). "آشنایی با برج کاشانه بسطام + تصاویر" [Introduction to Bastam's Kashaneh tower.]. fa (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-02-27.