Water Heritage and Urban Structuring: An Analysis of the Role of Qanats in the Formation of Primitive Cities of Nain, Yazd and Gonabad
Subject Areas :
Negar Hassani Fakhrabadi
1
,
Mohammad Hossein Hassani Fakhrabadi
2
1 - Master of Architecture Studies, Department of Architecture Studies, Faculty of Architecture, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran.
2 - Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Qanat, Kariz, Islamic-Iranian Cities, Urban Spatial Organization, Water Supply History, Urban Structure.,
Abstract :
With the increase in population and the advancement in civilization in ancient Iran, Iranians developed a unique innovation to minimize competition for water consumption, known as Kariz or Qanat. This invention, unparalleled in its kind worldwide, transfers water without cost and energy, transforming flat plains suitable for agriculture into areas for production, tranquility, and security, and currently serving as a fundamental element of life in arid regions. This research employs a descriptive-analytical method to analyze the role of qanats in the formation of primitive cities from a spatial perspective. The findings indicate that historically, the existence of qanats dates back to the second millennium BC in the region of West Azerbaijan in Iran and present-day eastern Turkey. The first qanats in Iran were developed in the northwest of the country and later spread to the central plateau. Physically, the presence of qanats significantly influences the urban structure. It affects site selection and location, the creation of communication networks at various scales, and the formation of buildings and architectural spaces necessary for settlements. The connections between qanat branches lead to the development of gardens, residential spaces, and essential urban functions, all of which ultimately connect to the primary qanat well.