TaqKasra.com — On 7 March 2019, parts of Taq Kasra collapsed only two years after the completion of a conservation operation by Avers. The Czech firm had been commissioned by the Iraqi Ministry of Culture.
Taq Kasra, also known as the Arch of Ctesiphon, is the world’s largest brick vault and the symbol of the Persian Empire in the Sasanian era (224-651 AD). The monument is located about 35 km south of Baghdad, in modern-day Iraq, which was, at the time, part of Persia.
According to NRT TV, Kazim Shammari, head of the Iraqi National Alliance, has urged Iraqi authorities and UNESCO to act quickly to stabilise this massive arch.
Amsterdam-based Pejman Akbarzadeh, who recently made a documentary film titled “Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture,” says the Czech firm in charge of the recent conservation operation lacked sufficient expertise and experience in such conservation, and used a layer of concrete which, rather than protecting the arch, has resulted in damaging the edifice.
Akbarzadeh, in an interview with London-based Persian-language ‘Iran International‘ TV, has criticised Iraqi authorities for failing to register Taq Kasra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also criticised the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad for neglecting this iconic monument in favor of Shia shrines in Iraq.
In Tehran, several newspapers have covered the partial collapse of Taq Kasra. The Society of Iranian Archaeology has also expressed its concern about the situation in a press release. In the city of Yazd, Sepanta Niknam, a Zoroastrian member of the City Council, has urged Iranian President Rouhani to follow up on the issue during his trip to Iraq. There has been no official reaction to this development by Iraqi or Iranian authorities.
– AUDIO: Latest Situation of Taq Kasra (BBC Persian Service Special Program)
– Special Thanks to Stephanie Fauver and Ali Mozaffari.
Also known as the ‘Arch of Ctesiphon’, TAQ KASRA is the world’s largest brick vault and the symbol of the Persian Empire in the Sassanian era (221–654 AD), when a major part of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) was part of Persia.
NOTE: The DVD of the documentary is sold out. Academic institutions and libraries are welcome to stream the film on their server. Please contact: info [at] taqkasra.com
The mysterious monument was abandoned after the Arab invasion of Persia (Iran) in the 7th century AD but has remained a source of inspiration for archaeologists, poets, and other travelers.
Taq Kasra was in serious danger of ISIS attacks in 2014–16 and this was the main motivation for documentary-maker Pejman Akbarzadeh, based in the Netherlands, to travel to Iraq at that time and film the arch before it was potentially destroyed.
Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture, the first-ever documentary film about this arch, explores various aspects of the site with respected architects, archaeologists, and scholars from around the world. The film also portrays the huge impact of the 20th-century wars and ideological policies on this ancient building.
The following scholars and architects have been interviewed in the film:
(in order of appearance)
– Hossein Amanat | Persian-Canadian architect
– Prof. EdKeall | Former director of Royal Ontario Museum’s Near Eastern Department – Prof. Touraj Daryaee | Director of Center for Persian Studies University of California – Dr. Ute Franke | State Museums of Berlin
– Dr. Vesta Sarkhosh-Curtis | British Museum – Dr. Ali Mozaffari | Australian Research Council, Deakin University – Dr. Mahmoud Mullakhalaf | Iraqi Ambassador to UNESCO – Dr. Qais Huseen Rasheed | Head of Iraqi State Board of Antiquities – Dr. Miroslav Zeman | ProjektyZeman, Prague – Prof. Robert Hillenbrand | University of Edinburgh Guest Artists: Shahrokh Heydari & Fraidoun Warasta
________________________________________ PRODUCED BY PERSIAN DUTCH NETWORK FUNDED BY SOUDAVAR MEMORIAL FOUNDATION & TOOS FOUNDATION
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR Pejman Akbarzadeh (b. 1980, Shiraz) is a documentary maker, journalist, and pianist. His reference book on the 20th-century composers and conductors of Persia (Iran), written when he was just 18, has been used as a source for academic publications including the Encyclopaedia Iranica. He has also performed Persian piano recitals in various European venues such as Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw.
Pejman began working as a journalist while still in Tehran. Following a rise in state oppression of the press, he moved to the Netherlands in 2006 and worked with the Persian-language Radio Zamaneh as a senior producer for eight years. He has also contributed to several other media outlets including BBC and VOA.
In 2009 Pejman started a new phase of his career. Recognising the wider catchment of visual media over literature, that same year he completed his first documentary, the feature-length film Hayedeh: Legendary Persian Diva. The film was screened at festivals in both Europe and the United States and nominated for Best Documentary at the Noor Iranian Film Festival in Los Angeles.
“Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture” (2018) is Pejman Akbarzadeh’s second documentary film, for which he traveled to Iraq twice, despite the lurking presence of ISIL nearby. The film premiered at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS) in February 2018 and subsequently screened at various international conferences, museums and universities including the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer|Sackler Gallery in Washington DC, Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Yale University, the 8th Biennial Convention of the Association for the Study of the Persianate Societies in Tbilisi and the 12th Conference of the Iranian Studies Association at UC Irvine. More: www.PejmanAkbarzadeh.com
(BBC Live Interview with Pejman Akbarzadeh following the world premiere of the film in London)
SI (Press Release) – Located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River near present-day Baghdad, Iraq, the city of Ctesiphon served as a royal capital of the Persian Empire in the Parthian and Sasanian eras for over eight hundred years. The city’s most iconic structure was the Taq Kasra (Throne of Khosrow) palace, one of the wonders of the ancient world. The palace’s vaulted brick throne room measures eighty-four feet across, making it the largest of its kind.
To celebrate this exceptional monument, Touraj Daryaee, Matthew Canepa, Katharyn Hanson, and Richard Kurin discuss the site’s importance and recent preservation efforts. Then, watch the first documentary on this unique monument, Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture, directed by Pejman Akbarzadeh, produced by Persian Dutch Network, and funded by the Soudavar Memorial and Toos Foundations. Watch the trailer.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Pejman Akbarzadeh.
Date & Place:
Saturday, September 15, 2018, 2 pm Freer Gallery of Art(Meyer Auditorium), Washington DC
Cost: Free
Co-sponsor
This event was organized with support from the Tina and Hamid Moghadam Endowment for Iran and the Ancient Near East and the Ancient Near East Fund.
Following the Smithsonian’s event, the documentary will be screened at Yale University on 27 September (6 PM, Luce Auditorium) and at the US Military Academy in West Point on 28 September 2018.
Both events will be followed by a Q&A session with the director.
World Premiere of “Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture”, SOAS, University of London, 1 February 2018
Nader Soltanpour BBC Persian Service 2 February 2018
Taq-e Kasra, which its history goes back to around 2000 years ago, is cited as the world’s largest brickwork vault. It was a palace in Ctesiphon (Mada’in) and one of the most magnificent monuments of Sasanian Persia.
Taq-e Kasra is located in south of Baghdad. Last night a documentary was screened at SOAS, University of London which was the world premiere of the film. Pejman Akbarzadeh has made this documentary and is here with us:
Q: Please tell us about the historical architectural importance of Taq-e Kasra.
A: Taq Kasra, or Arch of Ctesiphon, which its height is 37 meters, is the largest single-span brick vault. It is the symbol of Persian Empire in Sasanian era. As the monument is not located in the Persian territory for centuries and also the situation is Iraq is critical, the arch has been neglected. Taq Kasra is in the area that Sasanian army was defeated by the Arab army [in the 7th century AD], and is therefore of historically importance, particularly for Persians (Iranians).
Taq Kesra / Arch of Ctesiphon in 2017
During the 2015-2016 presence of ISIS in Iraq, Taq Kasra was in serious danger because of the group’s hostility with the historical sites. ISIS was just 60 KM away from Taq Kasra and actually this was one of the main reasons that I made this documentary because I was quite frightened. They could attack this arch and the damage inflicted upon cultural heritage in northern Iraq, could befall this arch as well.
Q: How has Taq Kasra been identified in the contemporary era?
A: I can say since Reza Shah era a new movement was started to reintroduce the arch. Postal stamps depicting Taq Kasra were printed. Also the architecture of the National Museum of Iran was inspired by Taq Kasra. Actually in the film we have a special section with Ali Mozaffari, an expert of architecture and heritage at the Australian Research Council, which explains in a period that Persian society was dominated by the religious values, the government started movements to make (re)acquaint people with the past.
Pejman Akbarzadeh (R), Vesta Sarkhosh-Curtis (L), Q & A session at SOAS
Q: The artifacts discovered from the archaeological digs in the area, where are they kept at present?
A: It is an interesting point that those who are interested in the history of ancient Persia in Sasanian era cannot see these artifacts inside the country. This is because the main excavations around Taq Kasra were done in 1929 by German expeditions and in 1931 by American teams joined them and the artifacts that were discovered during these expeditions, the largest collection is kept at Pergamon Museum in Berlin and a smaller collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Q: Because of its geographical position, being a Persian historic monument near Baghdad in Iraq, and given the relationships between the two countries in recent decades, which include serious tensions and an eight-year war, how is this monument perceived and how was it used?
A: Since early 1980s there were two moves for instrumentalising Taq Kasra and its use for ideological propaganda by both governments of Iran and Iraq. Saddam Hussein used it as the symbol of the Persian defeat in Iraq. He even commissioned North Korean painters to paint a panorama of the [Qadasiyya] battle in the 7th century AD to which was erected opposite Taq Kasra for all visitors to see – indeed the place had become a tourist attraction.
And in Iran as an Islamic Revolution had happened, the officials used to promote the idea that ancient Persia was full of injustice and it was Islam which brought equality to the Persians. They used to promote a hadith which indicates when the prophet Mohammad was born the arch cracked. But similar to Noah’s ark story there is no historical basis to this claim.
However, an interesting point is that in last night’s premier at the University of London, lots of Iraqis residing in the UK, also attended the event who expressed a lot of positive emotions, despite the fact that the film is more focused on Persia (Iran) and the Sasanian history. It appears that despite all such propagandas, Taq Kasra is itself turning into a topic that may bring the people of Persia and Iraq closer to each other.
[The world premiere of “Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture” was organised by the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) at the University of London. Special Thanks to Dr. Hassan Hakimian, Dr. Cyrus Alai, Vincenzo Paci-Delton, Aki Elborzi and Fataneh Farajollahi].
“Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture” is the first-ever documentary film on the world’s largest brick vault. The palace is a symbol of the Persian Empire in the Sasanian era (224-651 AD), when a major part of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) was part of Persia.
(BBC Live Interview with Pejman Akbarzadeh following the world premiere of the film in London)
______________ Taq Kasra was in serious danger of ISIS attacks in 2014-2016 and this was the main motivation for documentary maker Pejman Akbarzadeh, based in the Netherlands, to travel to Iraq twice and film the arch before it was potentially destroyed.
Taq Kasra (Taq-i Kisra), also known as the Arch of Ctesiphon, in late antiquity was a royal Persian residence but since a few centuries ago, in view of geopolitical changes in the Near East, it is located in Iraqi territory, close to the capital city of Baghdad. It was neglected shortly after the Arab invasion of Persia [Iran] in the 7th century AD but remained a source of inspiration for archaeologists, poets and other travellers.
“Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture” explores the history and architecture of this iconic monument with respected archaeologists and scholars from around the world.
The documentary also portrays the huge impact of war and ideological policies on the identity of this ancient arch.
The following scholars, architects and officials have been interviewed in the film:
(in order of appearance)
Hossein Amanat, Persian-Canadian architect
Prof. EdKeall (Former director of Royal Ontario Museum’s Near Eastern Department) Prof. Touraj Daryaee (Director of Center for Persian Studies, University of California) Dr. Ute Franke (State Museums of Berlin)
Dr. Vesta Sarkhosh-Curtis (British Museum) Dr. Ali Mozaffari (Australian Research Council, Deakin Univ.) Dr. Mahmoud Mullakhalaf (Iraqi Ambassador to UNESCO) Dr. Qais Huseen Rasheed (Head of Iraqi State Board of Antiquities) Dr. Miroslav Zeman (ProjektyZeman, Prague) Prof. Robert Hillenbrand (University of Edinburgh)
The documentary maker Pejman Akbarzadeh (right) with Iraqi villagers during making the Taq Kasra documentary, April 2017
World Premiere of “Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture”, SOAS, University of London
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR Pejman Akbarzadeh (b. 1980, Shiraz) is a documentary maker, journalist, and pianist, based in the Netherlands. His reference book on the 20th-century composers and conductors of Persia (Iran), written when he was just 18, has been used as a source for academic publications including the Encyclopaedia Iranica. He has also performed Persian piano recitals in various European venues such as Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw.
Pejman began working as a journalist while still in Tehran. Following a rise in state oppression of the press, he moved to the Netherlands in 2006 and worked with the Persian-language Radio Zamaneh as a senior producer for eight years. He has also contributed to several other media outlets including BBC and VOA.
In 2009 Pejman started a new phase of his career. Recognising the wider catchment of visual media over literature, that same year he completed his first documentary, the feature-length film Hayedeh: Legendary Persian Diva. The film was screened at festivals in both Europe and the United States and nominated for Best Documentary at the Noor Iranian Film Festival in Los Angeles.
“Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture” (2018) is Pejman Akbarzadeh’s second documentary film, for which he traveled to Iraq twice, despite the lurking presence of ISIL nearby. The film premiered at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS) in February 2018 and subsequently screened at various international conferences, museums and universities including the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer|Sackler Gallery in Washington DC, Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Yale University, the 8th Biennial Convention of the Association for the Study of the Persianate Societies in Tbilisi and the 12th Conference of the Iranian Studies Association at UC Irvine. More: www.PejmanAkbarzadeh.com
“TAQ KASRA” WORLD PREMIERE @ SOAS, University of London 1 February 2018
ASPS Conference, Ilia State University
Tbilisi 18 March 2018
US Premiere: Archaeology Museum of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia 21 & 22 April 2018
12th Biennial Iranian Studies Conference: University of California Irvine 15 August 2018
Smithsonian Institution/Freer|Sackler Washington DC 15 September 2018 *** Yale University’s MacMillan Center for Middle Eastern Studies New Haven 27 September 2018
