Alexander’s Prison / Ziaieh School

Dating back to more than 800 years ago, this school is commonly referred to as Alexander’s Prison, for the references made in Hafez poems and also the 2-meter-wide well of the yard that is 5 meters deep and connected to the cellar. The presence of such a big well itself was reason enough for initiating the tales. The common belief is that it was made and used as a prison by Alexander, which is unlikely and based on no historical proof. The building was made in two phases; the first phase coincides with the Mongol attack when it was used as a mausoleum. the second phase is 100 years later when a building was added to the domed mausoleum and used as a school. The 18-meter dome of the building is decorated with beautiful stuccos with golden and indigo frescoes that unfortunately little is remained of. Study hall, student’s room, iwans, courtyard, and Hashti are the most common components of a school that are all part of the architecture of this place.