Arg of Tabriz

The US flag flies over the US Consulate near Ark of Tabriz, Tabriz, during Iran's Constitutionalist Revolution. The Ark was attacked and bombed by 4000 Russian troops in December 1911. The Iranians held out for four days.

Plan of Arg castle

The Ark before the revolution, when it was used as Mellat park.

Ark-e AliShāh, also known as Ark-e Tabriz and Masjid AliShāh, is a remnant of a mosque in the center of Tabriz, Iran, built in the Ilkhanate period.

According to some historians, it was used as a military castle however, others claim the structure was initially used as a mosque, but during the Qajar era was used as a military post and storage facility for weapons (in Persian 'Ark' or 'Arg' means "castle"). Consequently, after the Iranian Revolution the regime of Islamic republic damaged large parts of the Ark to make a new mosque. The structure today stands 28 meters high, and is still used as part of a space for holding Friday prayers in Tabriz.

See also

• List of Iranian castles
• Iranian architecture