The current paper attempted to recognize the historical city of Isfahan based on the Historic Urban Landscape
(HUL) approach to investigate the key foundations of the formation and continuity of this city over time. The
qualitative approach was used to achieve this purpose. Also, the historical-interpretive method was utilized to reread
the evolution of Isfahan overtime by written resources based on its natural and cultural foundations. Indigenous
knowledge, religion and faith, mysticism, and philosophy were investigated as the constituent components of the
culture to analyze the foundation of culture. The research results indicated that nature and religion were two main
foundations in the HUL of Isfahan that must be the center of each conservation measure or plan to achieve holistic
conservation. Also, external cultural attraction and internal cultural repulsion were revealed as two influential
factors in a HUL. Accordingly, it was explained that each conservation and development plan in the city must be
implemented in accordance with its main constituent cultural and natural foundations to overcome the possible
conservation and development challenges effectively. Based on the results of this paper, it was revealed that the
planning in the conservation of the historical city of Isfahan must be based on the conservation of religion and
nature. It requires that the atomistic approach to the constituent elements of the city, such as historical monuments
and urban spaces, which is currently the main paradigm in the conservation and development strategies, must be
directed to the conservation of its main constituent foundations.