Arch of Ctesiphon, Ancient Persian Architectural Masterpiece Collapses near Baghdad
Culture News Blog, Kodoom.com
According to Persian news sources, part of Arch of Ctesiphon (in Persian: Taqh Kasra), an ancient Persian monument near Baghdad has collapsed.
Recent damage to the Taq Kasra, a 1,500-year-old architectural masterpiece in Iraq, has renewed urgent calls for government officials and cultural heritage organizations to protect the Persian monument.
Located approximately 25 miles south of Baghdad, the Taq Kasra was built in 550 CE and dates back to the Sasanian era (ca. 224–651 CE). It is the only above-ground structure remaining of the ancient city of Ctesiphon, the former royal capital of the Persian Empire prior to the Muslim conquest. Known as the Archway of Ctesiphon, the monument is also architecturally significant for having the world’s largest single-span unreinforced brick vault arch.
According to Hyperallergic a spokesperson from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)] has confirmed four meters of the arched roof collapsed following heavy rains in the region approximately 20 days ago. In a call between UNESCO and Ayad Hamza, director general of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH), the latter said the site is in “dangerous and critical” condition and needs immediate support to the remaining part of the roof to prevent further collapse.
Related to History:
- Video: Compare Words in Ancient Iranian (Avestan) and Indo-European Languages
- A Historical Blunder: Trump Claims 1775 Revolutionary Army 'took over airports'!
- Persian Physician's Book Was Translated, Taught and Cherished in Ireland Centuries Ago
- In Pictures: Tehran Museums, A Treasure Trove of Iranian Culture and History
- Iran Now A Powerhouse in Volleyball: U19 Team Tops FIVB Global Ranking for the First Time Ever
- Archaeologists Find Evidence Noah’s Ark Landed in Northern Iran
- 2500 Year Old Persian Palace Excavated in Northern Turkey
- Film Shows Isfahan and Tehran some 61 years Ago
- Legal victory for Iranians and World Heritage: US Judge Orders Return of Ancient Achaemenid Relief to Iran
- In Pictures: Millions celebrate Chaharshanbeh Soori fire Festival in Iran
- The Prince and the Shah: A Rare Glimpse into 19th Century Iran
- US Supreme Court blocks seizure of ancient Persian artifacts
- Blowback: Iran, the Ayatollahs, and the CIA (Video)
- Visit the Louvre Museum in Tehran!
- Iran's First Female Conductor Leads Orchestra in Tehran
