Atalar ortalaar (Persian:تالار) is a type ofporch or hall inIranian architecture. It generally refers to aporch fronting a building, supported by columns, and open on one or three sides.[1][2] The term is also applied more widely to denote a throne hall or audience hall with some of these features.[1]
The columned hall or porch has its roots inancient Persia, as seen in theAchaemenid palace inPersepolis, as well as inGreco-Roman houses and possibly even in the tents ofCentral Asian nomads who moved into Iran over the centuries.[1] Thetalar can also refer to the representation of a throne carved on the rock-cut tomb ofDarius atNaqsh-e Rostam, near Persepolis, and above theportico which was copied from his palace.[3]
Thetalar was revived in Iranian architecture underAbbas I (r. 1588–1629) during theSafavid period. Safavid architects appropriated the idea of a columned hall from Achaemenid examples and used it in the design of new royal palaces and pavilions, most notably theAli Qapu andChehel Sotoun palaces inIsfahan during the 17th century.[1][4][2] In these examples, thetalar is open on three sides.[5]
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Karim Khan Zand, the ruler ofShiraz in the mid-18th century, borrowed from Safavid models and employed this feature in new ways for the design of his own palaces in Shiraz. Here, thetalar was combined with aniwan (vaulted hall open to one side) to form pillared halls opening onto a courtyard on one side.[6]
Under theQajar dynasty, which eventually captured Shiraz and reunified Iran at the end of the 18th century, this feature was imported to the new royal palaces in Tehran.[6][5] Under the Qajars, atalar could refer to a relatively simple hall open on one side with columns, such as theTalar e-Marmar (containing theTakht e-Marmar, the Marble Throne[7]) built byFath Ali Shah in theGolestan Palace in the 19th century.[5] Thetalar continued to be a popular design feature of aristocratic houses and pavilions in Shiraz, such as those of theQavam family.[8] It was even employed during the early 20th century, under thePahlavi dynasty, as part of the Persianrevivalist trends in architecture during this time.[5]
In ancient times, as depicted in the sculptured façade of Darius tomb at Persepolis show, thetalar had three tiers, with Atlant statues upholding each.[9] This design typified the subject-people of the monarch.[9]
Thetalar built by theQajar dynasty as part of the Golestan Palace is a spacious chamber with flat ceiling decorated with mirror panels.[10] The walls are also decorated with mirror work calledaineh-kari, which produced numerous angles and coruscations.[10]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Talar".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 366.| Periods |
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