In the vast area of the desert plain, the city of Nayin has a history of several thousand years, A place that was famous during the Achaemenid dynasty and was also renowned in other periods of Iranian history. In this city, there is a chartaqi structure that dates back to the Sassanid period. That structure is called “Pakooh Charataqi.”
Pakooh can be seen in a village with the same name (Pakooh village); It is a simple, beautiful, and visible structure located 30 kilometers east of Nayin city and is visible in the more or less empty area around it. This structure attracts everyone’s attention. Nayin’s Pakooh chartaqi remembers the historical times when the holy fire was burning inside it and the people of different eras visited it. Now, after centuries, it is still standing firm and has kept its ancient memories hidden in its clays, a structure on top of sheerkooh, which the natives call Sepro Fire Temple and sometimes call it “Chardari (4 doors). Sepro is another name for Pakooh village.
The plan of the Chartaqi Pakooh is square, and a dome is built above it. Plaster arrays can be seen between the quadrangle’s base and dome. There are Intricacy and precision with details in the construction of this chartaqi is obvious, even at first sight. The ridge west of Pakooh is believed to be the remnant of an adobe wall. The chartaqi is built in such a way that it can be seen from a long distance.
In architectural’s studies, Pakooh has been considered a compound chartaqi; This means that two sides of it are surrounded by adobe walls (the wall that only part of it is left), and a waterway (flood trapper) on the other two sides. Sasanian quadrangles are divided into two categories: simple chartaqi, where no related structures are seen next to them, And compound chartaqis which have corridors and other facilities around them. Researchers have suggested that in further archaeological research and excavations, the remains of other structures will be found next to and around Chartaqi Pakooh. It is worth noting that the materials used in this square are uncut rubble and Sarooj mortar.
It should be pointed out that, unlike now that Nayin is a part of Isfahan province, it was known as a part of Fars province in ancient times. Fars was divided into five “khowarahs” or districts in those days. Nayin was one of the khowarahs and was known as one of the important cultural and ruling centers of the Sassanids. Nayin had cultural trade with its neighboring states. This point clarifies the importance of Pakooh Chartaqi.
The current height of the Pakooh Chartaqi is slightly more than 12 meters. The height of its dome is more than 6 meters, and its inner space is also the same (6 meters). This chartaqi is on a hill with a seasonal river passing below it. Chahartaqi Pakooh was not spared from the looting of traders and antique seekers and suffered damages. The revival work (which we will mention) did not prevent the dome’s collapse and also the coating of the walls.
The revival work on Pakooh chartaqi has been done with the help of a group of archeologists from Isfahan, and fortifications have been made in it. Pakooh Chartaqi was registered in the list of national and historical monuments of Iran in February 2013. This chartaqi is considered to be one of the most valuable and interesting of the Sassanid chartaqis, which needs more extensive investigation and research in order to get better and more precise knowledge about it. Dr Baghsheikhi’s fundamental research on the Pakooh Chartaqi, which has also been published, is one of the important studies on this Sassanid’s religious structure.
