Taq Kasra
Sassanid-era Persian monument in modern Iraq
Tāq Kasrā (Arabic: طاق كسرى, romanized: ṭāq kisrā), also transcribed as Taq-i Kisra or Taq-e Kesra (Persian: طاق کسری, romanized: tâğe kasrâ) or Ayvān-e Kesrā (Persian: ایوان خسرو, romanized: Eivâne Xosrow, lit. 'Iwan of Khosrow') are the remains of a Sasanian-era Persian monument, dated to c. the 3rd to 6th centuries, which is sometimes called the Arch of Ctesiphon. It is located near the modern town of Salman Pak, Iraq. It was the facade of the main palace in Ctesiphon, and is the only visible remaining structure of the ancient capital city. The archway is considered a landmark in the history of architecture, and is the second largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world after the Gavmishan Bridge in Iran.
History
The exact time of the structure's construction is not known with certainty. Some historians believe it was constructed under Shapur I who ruled Sasanian Persia from 242 to 272 AD while others believe that construction possibly began during the reign of Khosrow I after a campaign against the Byzantines in 540 AD. The arched iwan hall, open on the facade side, was about 37 m (121 ft) high, 26 m (85 ft) across and 50 m (160 ft) long, the largest man-made, free standing vault constructed until modern times.
The arch was part of the imperial palace complex. The throne room—presumably under or behind the arch—was more than 30 m (110 ft) high and covered an area 24 m (80 ft) wide by 48 m (160 ft) long. The top of the arch is about 1 m (3.3 ft) thick while the walls at the base are up to 7 meters thick.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Taq Kasra” as sassanid-era Persian monument in modern Iraq. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as sassanid-era Persian monument in modern Iraq. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1486703. Authority coordinates are 33.094, 44.581. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Taq Kasra”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Taq Kasra primary sources, Taq Kasra archive and Kasra research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Taq Kasra” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.