Pol - e- Khaju

he Bridge of Khaju or pol-e-Khaju, the most famous of Isfahan bridges, has roused the admiration of travelers since the 17th century.

There was an earlier bridge across the river at the same spot, near the district of Khaju on the old Shiraz road; this was probably built in the reign of Timurian sovereign, one of the successors of Tamerlane (15th century). Shah Abbas II built the present structure round about 1650. It has 23 arch and are 436 feet long and 39 feet wide. It is also a dam; sluice gates between the piers closed the canals, raising the water level upstream so that large reserves could be collected for irrigating the surrounding gardens.

With its two stories of arcades with intersecting arches, its stone steps downstream with the water cascading over them, and its two large pavilions in the center- (The Prince` Parlors)- this bridge is a masterpiece of balance and harmony.

The outer side of the arcades is decorated with richly colored tiles, and the interior of the pavilions with more recent paintings.

Shah Abbas the second of the Safavid dynasty on the ruins of Hassan Baik Bridge in 1650 or 1655.The bridge has been known with a variety of titles including Pol-e-Shahi, Pol-e-Khaju, Pol-e-Baba Rokneddin, and Pol-e-Gabrha built this bridge. The bridge is 105 meters long and 14 meters wide.

The pass way of the bridge is 7.5 meters wide, made of bricks and stones with 21 larger and 26 smaller inlet and outlet channels. The pieces of stone used in this bridge are over 2 meters long and the distance between every channel and the ceiling base is 20 meters. The existing inscriptions suggest that the bridge was repaired in 1873.