Pol e Khaju
Address: south end of the Chahar Bagh Khaju Avenue, near the Khaju Square
The second of the two most popular bridges in Isfahan, the Khaju is known for its masterfully designed sitting spaces that offer direct contact with the flowing Zayandeh River.
The bridge was commissioned in 1650 by Shah Abbas II, and served as both bridge and dam. It links the Zoroastrian neighborhood in the south to the northern Khaju quarters of the city.
The bridge is just a 100 meters long and 14 meters in width, and has 23 splendid arches that contain sluice gates underneath them. An octagonal pavilion in the middle of the top as well as the bottom levels of the bridge act as popular sitting spaces as well as vantage points for amazing panoramic views. The downstream (west) side of the bridge, on the lower level, has stepped seating where you can spend hours just sitting and listening to the sound of gushing water, your feet dipped into the cool, flowing Zayandeh. The very masterful design of these steps means there are no splashes, and you get wet only in places you want to get wet!
