سعید امیرحاجلو

The presence of landholders class during the Qajar period had created a profitable ground as well as provided higher social status for them. This was the reason why this period witnessed enormous growth of landholders. Gaining power by this social class and some of the khans, the system of "Khankhani" or "Shahpedari"1 became authoritative hence; big land owners, other than constructing forts on their agricultural fields, employed and accommodated a large number of cultivators in their forts in order to increase agricultural production and utilization. The Borkhar plain of Isfahan, by enjoying wide chunk of arable land around Isfahan and the periphery of central desert, played an important role in agricultural and farming activities in the past and gaining authority of the Khankhani system had led to the emergence of various forts across the plain. While introducing the landlord forts of the Qajar era at the Borkhar plain, the current research also intends to study their architectural features. Based on the architectural features, these forts are initially divided into two groups and the architectural patterns of each group are then explained separately. The most important features of the first group of forts include an open portico/balcony at the second floor of the entrance, the location of landlord's residence in the back at the two sides of the entrance, a bathroom outside the fort but attached to the fence, and private homes or individual rooms for supervisors and cultivators. In the second group of forts which probably have a background - older than the Qajar period, there existed architectural distinctions. The location of landlords’ residence in in the fort corners, simple entrance, storehouses, stables, quarters for cultivators and supervisors at the two sides of the main street in the center of the forts are of the most important features of the forts.