How people used to find their way and reach their destination without any means of navigation in the past seems very strange today. But all this was thanks to infrastructures like Karaat Tower in Razavi Khorasan.
Stay with Overiran tourism Magazine until the end of this blog to get to know Karaat Tower, Taybad.
Karaat Tower: A Seljuk Era Guidepost for Trade Routes
Karaat Tower is one of the works of the Seljuk period, built to guide caravans and travelers moving from Quhistan states to the east or vice versa on the old Jam and Bakharz road to Khaf for trade purposes.
The appearance of this historic minaret is distinctive, making it different from other minarets. Some consider it similar to the Jam minaret in the eastern part of Herat city.
where is Karaat Tower
Karaat Tower is located in Razavi Khorasan province, 25 km south of Taybad city. This tower is next to a cemetery called Karat and near the border of Iran and Afghanistan.
It’s worth noting that the distance from Karaat Tower to Mashhad city is about 258 km, and to Torbat Jam city is about 93 km.
The location of Karaat Tower on Google Map
The architecture of this tower
In general, the square shaft measures about 25 meters in height, with a base circumference of 20 meters. On closer inspection of Karaat Tower, its structure reveals a two-part composition.
The lower section is octagonal, while the upper part is cylindrical. When observing the visible external designs of Karaat Tower, it’s notable for its brickwork and geometric brick patterns.
Constructed primarily with materials like sand mortar, plaster, and brick, the entire building reflects the style of Seljuk architecture. Brick decorations from the Seljuk era gained significant fame, marking a peak in the use of bricks during this historical period. Subsequent periods saw fewer decorations in comparison to the elaborate brickwork of the Seljuk era.
This architectural richness owes much to the peace and political stability prevailing in the territories under Seljuk rule during that time.
At the top of Karaat Tower, remnants of the porch, some of its decorations, and wooden bases remain. An access door on the western side was used to reach the balcony. Kufi script adorns it, though not entirely legible. Furthermore, pottery works discovered near this site signify the prosperity of the region and the civilization during the Seljuk period.
Karaat Tower’s Leaning Upper Part
This is the upper part, which, with a height of 10 meters, tilted due to an earthquake and reminds visitors of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. This itself is a sign of the high ability of the architects of that time: that such a building is still standing even after enduring an earthquake and tilting.
Finally
Karaat Tower has been registered as a national monument of Iran with the number 123, and a signboard has been placed near it by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization. Tourists can read it for more information during their visit.