The 40-year-old minaret of the Islamic Republic Courtyard was relocated to its new place in the northern portico under the auspices of the Organization of Construction and Maintenance of the shrine during a sophisticated operation.
According to Khalilollah Kazemi, head of the organization, “Despite previous efforts, only about 4% of the 1 million square meters of the shrine area is covered space. This limited covered area has been a challenge during peak visitation times and unfavorable weather conditions”.
In line with the order of the Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), the plan to increase covered spaces was initiated, including the development project of Sheikh Baha'i Sanctuary and the creation of Amir al-Momenin Portico in the Islamic Republic Courtyard.
Kazemi went on to explain: “The two projects would increase the covered space of the shrine by approximately 36%. They also aimed to use as much of the existing materials as possible to maintain the uniformity of the building”.
To preserve the historical structure, the stones from the courtyard floor and the central pool were repurposed at the entrance of the Qibla Square between Bab al-Javad and Bab al-Reza. The plaques collected from the old courtyard were also used in the new portico after being numbered.
The complexity of relocating the minaret was due to the subterranean Samen Al-Aemmeh Cemetery beneath the courtyard. They needed to strengthen the columns for the planned rooftop pilgrimage above Amir al-Momenin Portico. New columns were placed between the graves without disturbing them.
Moving the 35-meter, 210-ton minaret required innovative methods since heavy cranes could not access the shrine. After multiple meetings, it was decided to move the minaret without any demolition using a railway or traverse structure. The minaret's strong foundation and successful tests ensured its safe transfer.
“Moving the minaret with its gilded upper section without damage required 510 tons of support structures in the courtyard”, Kazemi noted.
The operation started on February 27, and by March 1, the minaret was successfully relocated 65 meters to its new home, reducing the distance between the minarets from 120 meters to about 50 meters.