SITE III – EXPOSED

Jesse Verdoes

The site is situated in a village named Tapeh Salam, referring to a local granite outcrop. Tapeh Salam translates to ‘Hello Hill’ because from this point, travelling pilgrims coming from the South East would be able to get their first glimpse of the shrine, which they would then greet. Originally five of these hills surrounded Mashhad but this is the only one left. It is currently surrounded by granite and meat industries which, together with the fact that the shrine cannot be seen anymore due to new buildings around it as well as the current air pollution, made this historical point loose its significance.

Figure 25. Relation between Tapeh Salam and the Imam Reza Shrine

Complexity Drawing