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Iwan is defined as a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open.
Iwans originated in Elam and were the trademark of the Sassanid Empire, later it found its way to the Islamic architecture especially in the Abbasid era when it was used extensively but its peak during the Seljuki era when iwans became established as a fundamental design unit in Islamic architecture.
Typically, iwans open on to a central courtyard, and have been used in both public and residential architecture.
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The entrance iwan of the Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan.
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The iwan of the National Museum of Iran was designed with the architectural precedent of Ctesiphon in mind.
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Iwans are also used in residential architecture. The main iwan of the Amerian House, Kashan, Iran.
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The Badshahi Masjid with an iwan in the centre, Lahore, Pakistan.
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The entrance iwan of the Jama Masjid, Delhi, India.
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Intricate designs on the iwan of the Ulugh Beg Madrassa, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
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The entrance iwan of the Taj Mahal, Agra, India.
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See also
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