Islam

Imam mosque in Isfahan standing on the south side of Naghsh-e Jahan Square. This Mosque has been built during the Safavid period, ordered by the first Shah Abbas of Persia.

Its construction began in 1611 and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.

Imam Mosque located on the Square of Naghse Jahan is one of the most important historical mosques in Isfahan which was built during the Safavid Era and is one of the most important buildings of the Islamic architecture of Iran. It is a masterpiece of architecture, tiling, and carpentry of the 11th century AH.

The Imam Mosque of Isfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in Iran. It employed the new haft rang (seven-color) style of tile mosaic. In earlier Iranian mosques the tiles had been made of faience mosaic, a slow and expensive process where tiny pieces are cut from monochrome tiles and assembled to create intricate designs.

Esfahan’s Shah Mosque, one of the country’s finest, is known for its blue-hued tiled walls that exude an almost celestial vibe. While it’s most revered for its Islamic calligraphy, open iwans (porch), special acoustic properties, and symmetrical arcades, it’s the domes that seem to captivate visitors, many of whom lie down to contemplate the various mosaics without straining their necks.

Built between 1602 and 1619 during the reign of Shah Abbas I, it was dedicated to the ruler’s father-in-law, Sheikh Lotfollah, a revered Lebanese scholar of Islam who was invited to Esfahan to oversee the king’s mosque (now the Masjed-e Imam) and theological school.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is best recognized for its defiantly off-center dome and lack of minarets. The cream-hued tiles shift colors as the sun moves throughout the day, giving them a pinkish tint at times. The dome is without a doubt the focal point of attention with its arabesque designs that become smaller as they approach the center.

The dome makes extensive use of delicate cream-coloured tiles that change colour throughout the day from cream to pink (sunset is usually the best time to witness this). The signature blue-and-turquoise tiles of Esfahan are evident only around the dome’s summit.

The pale tones of the cupola stand in contrast to those around the portal, which displays some of the best surviving Safavid-era mosaics. The exterior panels contain wonderful arabesques and other intricate floral designs that have become a signature motif of Esfahan; especially fine are those displaying a vase framed by the tails of two peacocks. The portal itself contains some particularly fine muqarnas (stalactite-type stone carving used to decorate doorways and window recesses) with rich concentrations of blue and yellow motifs.

The mosque is unusual because it has neither a minaret nor a courtyard, and because steps lead up to the entrance. This was probably because the mosque was never intended for public use, but rather served as the worship place for the women of the shah’s harem. The sanctuary or prayer hall is reached via a twisting hallway where the eyes become accustomed to the darkness as subtle shifts of light play across deep blue tile work. This hallway is integral to both the design and function of the mosque because it takes the worshipper from the grand square outside into a prayer hall facing Mecca, on a completely different axis.

Inside the sanctuary, the complexity of the mosaics that adorn the walls and the extraordinarily beautiful ceiling, with its shrinking, yellow motifs, is a masterpiece of design. The shafts of sunlight that filter in through the few high, latticed windows produce a constantly changing interplay of light and shadow that enrich the space and give a tangible quality to empty air. The mihrab is one of the finest in Iran and has an unusually high niche; a calligraphic montage names the architect and the date 1028 AH.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque was constructed between 1876 and 1888, during Qajar dynasty, which ruled over Iran from 1785 to 1925. One of the most important monuments of this period is Nasir-Al-Mulk mosque built in Shiraz, This mosque was by order of Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al molk, and it is designed by Mohammad Hasan Memaar.

This Mosque is known as the most beautiful mosque of Iran. It has several names like Pink mosque because of the usage of pink and yellow flowers in the tiles used in its design

Beauty, peace, and glory have all gathered in Nasir al Mulk Mosque.

The thing that makes this place outstanding is the technique of usage of glasses and playing with lights. Another part of this mosque that inspires most of photographers to take photos is the harmony of using the columns inside it and this idea is taken after Jam-e mosque of Shiraz.

This mosque has two eastern and western bedchambers, the eastern one has a tiled altar accompanied with 12 columns and windows with colorful glasses.

In fall and winter when sunlight shines through the colorful glasses, it presents an exemplary beauty to the interior of the bedchamber (prayer hall) , making this mosque outstandingly aesthetical among other mosques of Iran. The tiling and paintings of the prayer hall are of exceptional beauty as well.

Nicknamed the “Pink Mosque” due to its various rose-hued tiles, Nasir ol-Molk is a prime location to spend your morning in Shiraz as sunlight streams in through the stained-glass windows and reflects off the Persian rugs—something that is sure to inject you with a dose of spirituality, no matter what your beliefs may be.

With dazzling stained glass, thousands of painted tiles on the ceiling and Persian rugs covering the floor, this place of worship is a gorgeous rainbow of color in every direction, like stepping into a kaleidoscope.

Inside the mosque is an open courtyard with a rectangular pool in the center, surrounded by flowers. The building’s facade features dozens of arabesque arches, adding to the beauty of the light reflected from the stained glass.

The best time to visit the mosque is in the early morning, when the sun reflects the stained glass patterns onto the floor.