Abstract
Urban archeology pays special attention to religious minorities and their role in the historical and social context of cities. The study of subsistence, index architecture, and how religious minorities interact in the urban context are among the topics of interest in this branch of archeology. Tehran’s Ciye Tir and Mirza Kuchakkhan streets, which are the subject of this study, were part of the newly established government neighborhood, according to the division of urban areas in the late Qajar period. Existence of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Armenians, The Gospel Church of St. Peter belongs to Protestant Christians, The Haim Synagogue belongs to the Jews and the Zoroastrian Adrian which were created in this area from the end of Nasser al-Din Shah’s reign to the end of the first Pahlavi period has a distinct urban texture compared to other parts of the city. From the perspective of archeology, the present study will examine the architecture, visibility, and interaction of these works in the historical context of Tehran to reveal the position of these minorities in the social structures governing the city. Also, by comparing these works, the amount of influence of each religion in the context of Tehran will be determined. The study found that the minorities had created distinct structures within the urban fabric by changing their attitudes toward religious architecture over the pre-constitutional era. Meanwhile, Armenians, due to their rich history in architecture, have benefited the most from the socio-political conditions after the constitution and have had a great impact on the urban fabric of Tehran. This research is a kind of fundamental research. The research data were collected by field study and library research and presented by the descriptive-analytical method.
Keywords: Religious Minorities, Tehran, Urban Archeology, Architecture, Visibility.
Introduction
The streets of Ciye Tir and Mirza Kuchak Khan in Tehran are the subjects of this article, which includes four religious buildings by Armenian Christians, Protestant Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians. These buildings, with the growth and development of Tehran in the late Qajar and Pahlavi periods, were created for various political and social reasons in the western part of the Dolat neighborhood. Leading article for proper understanding and understanding of the social and political conditions of religious minorities after the constitutional period and the first Pahlavi From an archaeological point of view, to examine the influence of religious minorities in religious places and how they interact and view in the historical context of Tehran, as well as the role of different religions in this work.
Objectives and Necessity of Research: Religious minorities are influential groups in society. An accurate and comprehensive understanding of how these groups interact with the environment affects the proper understanding of social structures. The present study will examine the interaction between religious places of religious minorities and their impact on the historical body of Tehran by examining the ancient comparative study of four religious buildings of Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians of Tehran around Ciye Tir Street. It will also measure the impact of different religions on each other to reveal the position of minorities in the governing social structures of Tehran.
Question: How has the texture of Tehran’s city been influenced by the religious minorities during the Qajar and Pahlavi periods? Has the religious architecture of different minorities been equally influential in the urban fabric of Tehran during this period?
Research Methods: This research is a kind of fundamental research. The research data were collected by field study and library research and presented by the descriptive-analytical method.
Identified Traces
The Haim Synagogue is a different structure in Jewish religious architecture. First, it is built outside the Jewish Quarter, and second, it has a clear view of the urban fabric but in terms of architecture, it is no different from the surrounding residential buildings and if the title of the Synagogue is removed from the entrance, there is no distinctive feature between it and other buildings, so it is not one of the most significant and influential buildings.
The interpretation of Zoroastrian past religious architecture and its comparison with Adrienne Tehran shows that the inherent connection of Zoroastrian religious architecture with what existed before Islam has been severed. Therefore, although Adrian Tehran is a magnificent building, its introverted design, which is surrounded by high walls and surrounding buildings, does not reflect much on the overall appearance of the city.
The Church of Peter was built by American missionaries and the Church of Mary with the architecture of Nikolai Markov. In addition to the differences in the plan of these churches, there is another difference in the location of the church altar. The features of St. Peter’s Church are those of American builders and their distinct religious denominations, so the church’s architectural style bears no resemblance to churches in Iran. Despite its outstanding architecture, the Church of St. Peter’s is not well-visible due to the building’s introversion pattern and is far from public view, indicating a reluctance to be seen in public due to social and political conditions.
Finally, the Church of Mary, with its distinctive architecture, extroversion, and the use of religious symbols, is the most different religious building on Ciye Tir Street and this shows the freedom of action, the application of previous architectural experiences, and the proper use of the social conditions of the time.
Conclusion
The research shows the position of minorities in social structures and their impact on the urban fabric. In response to the research questions, it was found that religious minorities experienced a level of extroversion and a tendency to see more religious architecture within the urban context, given the distinct post-constitutional social and political conditions. However, the impact of religious architecture on different religions has not been the same in urban contexts.
Unlike in the past, the Jews tended to be seen in the urban space, but the Haim Synagogue is not an influential building in the urban context due to its lack of special architectural style and significant elements in architecture. Archaism, the display of past splendor, and the use of Achaemenid architectural elements were essentially in harmony with Zoroastrian thought, but the type of introverted architecture did not place Adrian among the most influential buildings in the urban fabric. Religious missionaries of the Protestant denomination, despite the architectural capacities of the Church of St. Peter, were reluctant to reveal themselves in the urban fabric due to government restrictions and opposition from the Armenian Diocese. Having sufficient experience in religious architecture, working with architects with foreign influence, and not be required to follow the pattern of Iranian architecture, were the factors that led to the greater exploitation of the existing conditions by Armenians. The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an influential building in the context of Ciye Tir Street. It should be noted that although the constitution and the first Pahlavi provided freedoms and facilities for religious minorities, the ratio of their use was not the same for the followers of different religions, and each of them used it according to their historical capacities and records. Accordingly, Armenians are the most influential minority in Tehran’s urban fabric.