Thread by @TheOnionGod

1/ In the heart of Afghanistan lies one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Deep within the wadi, far from anything modern, the minaret from Jam has stood for almost 900 years. A #thread on a Muslim structure with an unclear Jewish connection. >>
@nickfshort

2/ >> The accepted hypothesis is that the place where the minaret stands is its location in the old city of Firozkoh, which was eventually completely destroyed by the Mongols. The minaret sits in the middle of Wadi, a fact that will later become important. >>

3/ >> According to an inscriptions on the minaret it was erected in 1194/1195, according to some paintings & testimonies, there was also a mosque on the site, but no remains can be seen. From the mid 13th c. AD until the end of the 19th c. the minaret was completely forgotten. >>

4/ >> In 1886 the minaret was rediscovered, but only in 1957, research on the minaret began. Its height is 65 meters and its base is a 9 meter diameter. In total, the minaret consists of four cylinders that are built so that the diameter decreases as the height increases. >>

5/ >> The inside of the minaret is no less amazing. The ascent is by a circular staircase built on the sides of the minaret from the inside. These stairs go up to the middle of the minaret, ascending to the top is done by stairs built on the outer wall. >>

6/ >> It seems there was a dome at the top of the minaret, which does not exist today. The outside, the minaret is decorated with geometric carvings and includes inscriptions painted in turquoise in order to make them stand out. >>

7/ >> Most of the inscriptions are quotations from the Qur'an with a complete Surah of Miriam, chapter 19 of the Qur'an, which tells the story of Miriam, mother of Jesus. The end of one of the inscriptions lists the names of the dynasty in whose honor the minaret was built. >>

8/ >> Other buildings were exposed in the area of ​​the minaret, including the remains of fortresses, towers and a water reservoir, probably part of the settlement that was around the minaret. The most surprising find appeared on the hill near the minaret. >>

9/ >> There, stones with inscriptions in ancient Hebrew were found, according to their contents these are probably the remains of a cemetery.
Today the main problem is that the minaret is under constant threat of erosion from the rivers beside it. >>

10/ >> There are also signs that the minaret is beginning to lean, just like the Tower of Pisa. To date, despite many attempts, there has been no access to the site for UNESCO professionals and currently no conservation work is being carried out on the site.

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