Analysis of the Historic Urban Landscape of Isfahan Based on the Cultural and Natural Foundations from the Beginning to the End of the Safavid Era

The current paper attempted to recognize the historical city of Isfahan based on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach to investigate the key foundations of the formation and continuity of this city over time. The qualitative approach was used to achieve this purpose. Also, the historical-interpretive method was utilized to reread the evolution of Isfahan overtime by written resources based on its natural and cultural foundations. Indigenous knowledge, religion and faith, mysticism, and philosophy were investigated as the constituent components of the culture to analyze the foundation of culture. The research results indicated that nature and religion were two main foundations in the HUL of Isfahan that must be the center of each conservation measure or plan to achieve holistic conservation. Also, external cultural attraction and internal cultural repulsion were revealed as two influential factors in a HUL. Accordingly, it was explained that each conservation and development plan in the city must be implemented in accordance with its main constituent cultural and natural foundations to overcome the possible conservation and development challenges effectively. Based on the results of this paper, it was revealed that the planning in the conservation of the historical city of Isfahan must be based on the conservation of religion and nature. It requires that the atomistic approach to the constituent elements of the city, such as historical monuments and urban spaces, which is currently the main paradigm in the conservation and development strategies, must be directed to the conservation of its main constituent foundations.