University of Kashan Journal of Iranian Architecture Studies 2252-0635 14 27 2025 09 21 Exploring the Spatial Position of Bāghshāh Gate in the Historical and Contemporary Urban Fabric of Shiraz Exploring the Spatial Position of Bāghshāh Gate in the Historical and Contemporary Urban Fabric of Shiraz 265 292 115170 10.22052/jias.2025.256972.1405 FA Parisa Bahadori M. A.Student in Urban Design, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University Sahand Lotfi Associate Professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University Mahsa Sholeh Associate Professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University Alireza Sadeghi Associate Professor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University Journal Article 2025 05 07 Bāghshāh Gate, as one of the prominent symbolic elements within the historical urban fabric of Shiraz, has been referenced in numerous textual and visual historical sources. However, due to the physical destruction of the structure, the lack of tangible field evidence, and ambiguities in the historical records, its precise location remains uncertain. This research aims to identify and reinterpret the spatial position of this gate within the historical and contemporary urban context of Shiraz, thereby reconstructing a lost component of the city's spatial memory. The study employs a qualitative methodology, integrating interdisciplinary approaches such as documentary analysis, historical semiotics, intertextual reading, and spatial correlation. Data were collected from diverse sources, including travelogues, historical maps, archival photographs, and descriptive texts. Through comparative and content-based analysis of these sources, organized around shared temporal axes and overlapping spatial themes, the study seeks to discern recurring patterns, semantic discontinuities, and zones of interpretative ambiguity to arrive at an evidence-based localization of the gate. Findings reveal that Dehnādi Street lay outside the historic city walls, and the approximate position of Bāghshāh Gate was located between Dehnādi Street and the Municipality Square. Moreover, the georeferenced analysis of the 1923 map (1302 AH Solar Hijri) revealed inconsistencies between the gate's mapped location and its placement as inferred from visual documentation. This discrepancy underscores the greater reliability of archival imagery over the hand-drawn, low-precision cartography of that era. Based on these comparative analyses, a revised version of the 1923 map has been produced, offering a more accurate, evidence-based representation of the gate's surroundings. By recovering the spatial identity of a lost architectural element in Shiraz's historical landscape, this research not only reinforces the city’s historical memory but also provides a documented foundation for future studies on regeneration in historic urban areas and the reinterpretation of Shiraz's spatial organization. It further offers insights for informed policymaking in urban heritage conservation. Bāghshāh Gate, as one of the prominent symbolic elements within the historical urban fabric of Shiraz, has been referenced in numerous textual and visual historical sources. However, due to the physical destruction of the structure, the lack of tangible field evidence, and ambiguities in the historical records, its precise location remains uncertain. This research aims to identify and reinterpret the spatial position of this gate within the historical and contemporary urban context of Shiraz, thereby reconstructing a lost component of the city's spatial memory. The study employs a qualitative methodology, integrating interdisciplinary approaches such as documentary analysis, historical semiotics, intertextual reading, and spatial correlation. Data were collected from diverse sources, including travelogues, historical maps, archival photographs, and descriptive texts. Through comparative and content-based analysis of these sources, organized around shared temporal axes and overlapping spatial themes, the study seeks to discern recurring patterns, semantic discontinuities, and zones of interpretative ambiguity to arrive at an evidence-based localization of the gate. Findings reveal that Dehnādi Street lay outside the historic city walls, and the approximate position of Bāghshāh Gate was located between Dehnādi Street and the Municipality Square. Moreover, the georeferenced analysis of the 1923 map (1302 AH Solar Hijri) revealed inconsistencies between the gate's mapped location and its placement as inferred from visual documentation. This discrepancy underscores the greater reliability of archival imagery over the hand-drawn, low-precision cartography of that era. Based on these comparative analyses, a revised version of the 1923 map has been produced, offering a more accurate, evidence-based representation of the gate's surroundings. By recovering the spatial identity of a lost architectural element in Shiraz's historical landscape, this research not only reinforces the city’s historical memory but also provides a documented foundation for future studies on regeneration in historic urban areas and the reinterpretation of Shiraz's spatial organization. It further offers insights for informed policymaking in urban heritage conservation.

https://jias.kashanu.ac.ir/article_115170_1ff61932c2e2da4b3f28ab444e951dca.pdf