Arg of Karim Khan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Karim Khan Citadel
ارگ کریم خان زند

Former names	Arg of Karim Khan
General information
Type	Castle
Architectural style	Iranian architecture
Location	Shiraz, Iran
Construction started	1766
Completed	1767
Height	14 m
Technical details
Structural system	Imperial resident, Military. (later prison)
Size	4.000 m2
Design and construction
Architect	Karim Khan Zand
Engineer	A team of engineers all from Zand territories

The Karim Khan Citadel is a strong fortress located right in the middle of Shiraz, a city in Iran. It is also known as the Arg of Karim Khan. This impressive building was constructed as part of a larger group of buildings during the time of the Zand dynasty.

The citadel is named after Karim Khan, who was a powerful ruler. It was his home and also a military center. The citadel looks like a rectangular medieval fortress. Over the years, it was even used as a prison. Today, the Karim Khan Citadel is a museum. It is managed by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization.

History of the Citadel
What the Citadel Looks Like
Gallery
See also

History of the Citadel

The Karim Khan Citadel is found at the start of Karim Khan Zand Street. It sits on the corner of Municipality Square in Shiraz. Karim Khan was inspired by Safavid architecture. He saw the beautiful Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan. This inspired him to build a large square in northern Shiraz. This area was known as the Artillery Square.

The Divan Karim Khan Square was to the north of this area. To the east, you could find the Vakil Bazaar and several inns. The Vakil Bathhouse and Vakil Mosque were to the south. A garden was to the southwest, and the Arg citadel was to the west.

After Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar took over Shiraz, he wanted to destroy Karim Khan's buildings. He did this because he was against Karim Khan. Many buildings from the Zand era were torn down. This included the wall Karim Khan built around Shiraz. Luckily, the Arg citadel was saved from being destroyed. It was then used as a court by the government. It also served as the governor's office for the Fars region.

After the Qajar dynasty ended, the citadel became a prison. The beautiful paintings inside were covered up. In 1971, the citadel was given to Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. The work to restore and fix up the citadel began in 1977.

What the Citadel Looks Like

The Karim Khan Citadel is located at Shahrdari Square. It covers an area of 4,000 square meters. The entire compound it sits in is 12,800 square meters. The citadel has four tall walls. These walls are connected by four round brick towers. Each tower is 14 meters high. The towers are placed at 90-degree angles.

Each wall is 12 meters high. The walls are 3 meters thick at the bottom. They are 2.8 meters thick at the top. The way the citadel is designed mixes military strength with a comfortable home. This is because it was both Karim Khan's residence and the main military base for his dynasty.

In 1827, a person named James Edward Alexander described the citadel. He said it was surrounded by a "deep wet ditch." This ditch would have been filled with water.