The history of the Arg of Tehran goes back to the
Safavid era. The Arg itself was surrounded by its own walls and a moat separating it from the city. Between the moat and the entrance to the Arg, a square was formed. This space was known by several names: Shah Square, Old Toopkhaneh (because of the presence of various cannons, including the famous
Pearl Cannon), Golshan Garden, Arg Square, and Takht-e Pol (because a wooden bridge was built across the moat to access it). During the reign of
Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, the cannons were removed from this square and transferred to the newly built
Toopkhaneh Square. The only surviving remnant of the old Toopkhaneh Square is the Pearl Cannon. In the
Qajar era, Arg Square was much larger than it is today. After the construction projects of the early modernization of Tehran, its area was reduced and replaced by buildings such as the National Bank (Bāzār branch), the Palace of Justice, and the Tehran Radio Station. The square, which had existed since the
Zand era, was named
Arg during the reign of
Fath-Ali Shah Qajar. Later, it became known as
Shah Square,
Old Toopkhaneh, and
Golshan Garden. Today, only a small part of the once vast Arg Square remains, known as
15 Khordad Square. == Gallery ==