Shadirvan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A şadırvan for ritual ablutions in front of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Shadırvan in Po-i-Kalyan, Bukhara, Uzbekistan

A shadirvan (

Arabic: شاذروان) is a type of fountain that is usually built in the courtyard or near the entrance of mosques, caravanserais, khanqahs, and madrasas, with the main purpose of providing water for drinking or ritual ablutions to several people at the same time, but also as decorative visual or sound elements.[citation needed
]

Shadirvans are

Persian in origin and, with a curtain or drape, were originally placed in the tents of rulers or on the balconies of palaces.[1] They are a typical element of Ottoman architecture.[2][3]
: 459 

See also

  • Cantharus, a similar fountain in Christian places of worship
  • Howz
  • Sebil or sabil
    , public water fountain in Islamic countries

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Sumner-Boyd, Hilary; Freely, John (2010). Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City (Revised ed.). Tauris Parke Paperbacks.
  3. .

External links

Media related to Şadırvans at Wikimedia Commons