A large open hall or portico in Persian or Islamic architecture, typically used as an entrance or courtyard space.
From Persian 'aywān', possibly from Pahlavi origins; the architectural form spread throughout Islamic and South Asian architecture during the medieval period.
The iwan became one of the most distinctive features of Islamic architecture—the massive barrel-vaulted halls created incredible acoustics and drew huge crowds, which is why you see them in mosques, palaces, and caravanserais across the Middle East and Central Asia.
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