Subway endangers historic sites in Isfahan

Claims that subway excavation in Iran's ancient city of Isfahan poses a threat to historic sites of the region have lead to a temporary halt to construction.

Cultural heritage experts maintain that subway excavations under Chahar-Bagh Street could cause irreparable damage to the Chahar-Bagh School, which displays some of the unique architectural styles of the Safavid period.

Isfahan's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization filed an official complaint against the city's metropolitan railway authority in order to avoid any possible collapse of historic sites of the city.

Following the organization's complaint, Isfahan's municipality stopped construction of the city's subway system allowing cultural heritage experts to study and estimate any potential damage.

Vibration from the subway movement and its construction process will be the first factors examined by the expert panel.

Isfahan's Hasht Behesht Palace and other historical monuments are also endangered if the subway project continues.

The group will report their observations to Isfahan's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization for final decision making over the fate of the construction project.

Isfahan's subway officials started the project under Chahar-Bagh Street three years ago and digging of the tunnel is in the final stages.