☰Khaju Bridge

The Khaju Bridge, built under Shah Abbas II around 1650, is the older and more ornate of Isfahan's two famous bridges. At 132 metres long and 12 metres wide, it functions as both a bridge and a dam: sluice gates in the lower level can control the flow of the Zayandeh River and raise the water level upstream. A central octagonal pavilion, once used by the shah himself, sits at the midpoint of the bridge, its walls decorated with tile panels and paintings. The lower level is lined with arched alcoves where people gather to sit, talk, and watch the water — the same function it has served for nearly four centuries. On cool evenings, Isfahanis come here to sing traditional Persian music in the stone chambers, whose acoustics carry the sound across the water. Less visited than Si-o-Se Pol, it rewards the short taxi ride east.