Glossary
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- iwan
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Iwan or Persian ayvān is defined as a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open.
Iwans were a trademark of the Sassanid architecture of Persia, later finding their way into Islamic architecture. This transition reached its peak during the Seljuki era when iwans became established as a fundamental design unit in Islamic architecture.Typically, iwans open on to a central courtyard, and have been used in both public and residential architecture.