Minaret of Jam

The Minaret of Jam (pronounced: Djam; persian منار جام, DMG Minar -e Ǧām ), built in the 12th century, with a height of 65 meters after the Qutub Minar, the second highest brick minaret in the world. It stands in the central Afghan province of Ghor the river Hari Rud at the confluence of the left tributary Jam Rud and about five kilometers north of the village Jam. The minaret and the surrounding archaeological sites have been declared World Heritage Site in 2002 by UNESCO and at the same time also entered on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger.

Description

The minaret stands in the valley of the Hari Rud, directly on the shore of the river, at one point, emerging in the towering on both sides between the 500 and 600 meter mountain tributaries. From an octagonal base with a diameter of 9 m over four successive narrowing, cylindrical Turmschäfte raise. Inside the tower can be climbed via a double spiral staircase; above the first paragraph in about 40 meters to climb steep steps, which are anchored to the outer wall, about six mezzanines to the tip.

The outside of the minaret is completely decorated with geometric reliefs and inscription bands, consisting partly of baked tiles. The lower shaft is richest decorated, horizontal bands contain the full text of the 19th sura ( Maryam ) of the Quran.

The minaret belongs to a group of 60 minarets and towers, which were built in Central Asia between the 11th and 13th centuries.

On the surrounding slopes can be seen high above the valley, the ruins of medieval fortifications and an existing brick cistern. The remains of a bazaar was demolished in 1964 in favor of a hotel.

History

It is believed that the minaret at the site of the ancient capital of the Ghurids Dynasty, Firuzkuh (or Ferozkoh ) is. An inscription on the tower contains a date, which can be read as either 1193/4, or more likely as a 1174/5. Accordingly, the tower could have been built to either celebrate the victory of the Sultan Muizz ad-Din at the Battle of Delhi ( 1192 ) or his brother Sultan Ghiyath ad-Din ( 1157-1202 ) in Ghazni ( 1173 ).

There are signs that the belonging to the minaret mosque had rather average proportions and thus unusually disproportionate was the tower. The mosque was destroyed by a contemporary account of a flood. Excavations have brought to light next to the minaret remains of a larger court.

Already in 1215 broke up the Ghurids - Empire. After the conquest by the Khorezm Shah of robbery followed by the Mongols, who destroyed Firuzkuh 1222.

Conservation

The building was completely unknown in the West until the 20th century. For the first time in the 1960s, archaeological investigations were carried out, but were interrupted by the decades of war in Afghanistan. The inclusion in the World Heritage List was indeed back in 1982 requested but could not be realized until 2002.

In the 1990s it was discovered that the river threatens to undermine the foundations of the minaret. Therefore gabions have been installed, but measurements showed that the tower has begun to decline. As part of the efforts of UNESCO for the protection of cultural heritage in Afghanistan considerable relief funds for security measures have now been provided. After a flood in April 2007, the gabions had to be replaced with new stone walls to prevent flooding in future effectively.

The World Heritage Committee as a reason for the whereabouts of the World Heritage Site on the Red List also the continued weak state structures to ensure effective protection. The training of supervisors, which are intended to prevent looting and illicit excavations on site is not yet complete. The plan of a bridge over the Hari Rud near the minaret was stopped in 2005, it is but in 2009 the lack of current documentation for progression of securing work from the Afghan side complains.