For centuries Menar Jonban (“shaking minarets”), which stand tall in the ancient city of Isfahan, have been a source of charm for Iranians and even foreign visitors as they are really prone to vibrate!

The minarets are almost 17 meters in height from the ground level, and at a distance of about 10 meters. The popular destination is initially a tomb topped by two brick towers that can be rotated with little pressure; When one is shaken by human power, the other will automatically vibrate.

Originally constructed some 700 years ago as a mausoleum for “Amu Abdullah” who was a mystic figure in the Ilkhanid era (1256-1353 CE). Archeological studies suggest that the dual minarets were later added to the mausoleum during the Safavid era (1501–1736).

Over the past decades, some unique characteristics of the shaking of the minarets, and the entire building, have been repeatedly studied. Findings indicate that the specific dimensions and proportions of the building and minarets and even the material forming the bricks used for the building contribute to the vibrations.

It is suggested, following physical experiments, that this phenomenon is similar to the mirror image vibrations observed when connecting two vertical identical pieces of string to a connecting horizontal one.

Such a theory, however, has its skeptics and is dismissed as a mere coincidence under the guise that most buildings also have such vibrations (although on a smaller scale) and it’s only the height of the minarets that make it so visible in this particular case.

Soaked in a rich history, Isfahan was once a crossroad of international trade and diplomacy in Iran and now it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reasons. The ancient city has long been nicknamed as Nesf-e-Jahan, which is translated into “half the world”; meaning seeing it is relevant to see half the world. In its heyday, it was also one of the largest cities in the region with a population of nearly one million.

It is filled with many architectural wonders, such as unmatched Islamic buildings, museums, Persian gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. It's a city for walking, getting lost in its maze-like bazaars, and roaming in beautiful gardens among hospitable people.

AM