The mosque has urbanized over time to accommodate population increases. This is a mihrab from a mosque in isfahan, iran and is currently in the metropolitan museum of art 16. It is regarded as one of the masterpieces of persian architecture in the islamic era. The shah mosque is situated in the historical part of central isfahan in iran. Strongly associated with persian architecture, the iwan continued to be used in monumental architecture in the islamic era. Isfahan, a self sufficient metropolitan city in every field. Within a couple of hours you can see and compare 800 years of islamic design, with each example near to the pinnacle of its age. Construction of the mosque was already started in 1590, but it was mainly completed during the period 1630 to 1638. The predominantly sunni aqquiunlu supported timurlane while the qaraquiunlu provided an effective resistance, eventually taking isfahan in 1453. The mosque is located in isfahan, the third most populous region in iran and the capital of the eponymous province. Some of the ruling groups of isfahan include ilkhanid, timurid, safavid, and qajar. The masjidi imam, formerly known as masjidi shah, was built on the south side of isfahan s maydan, the royal square of isfahan, that had been built under shah abbas abbas moved the capital of the safavid dynasty to isfahan in 1597 with the goal of centering political, religious, economic, and cultural activities, in the process shifting isfahan s center away from the area surrounding the. Isfahan flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries under the safavid dynasty when it became the capital of persia for the second time in its history under shah abbas the.
Download imam stock photos at the best stock photography agency with millions of premium high quality, royaltyfree stock photos, images and pictures at reasonable prices. Archaeological research show that perhaps it would have been an important religious center of the city before the arab domination over the city. Isfahan imamshah mosque isfahanin progress the unique blue tiles of isfahans islamic buildings, and the citys majestic bridges, contrast perfectly with the hot, dry iranian countryside around it, isfahan is a sight you wont forget. It exhibits several typical features of islamic art 17. Diverse in design and dimensions, they can illustrate the style of the period or geographic region, the choices of the patron, and the expertise of the architect.
He also made a sun clock to the west of the imam mosque. The mosques monumental portal iwan is located exactly opposite the portal iwan on the northern arcade of the maydan, which connects the maydan to the old bazaar to the north. Shah mosque was built during the safavid dynasty under the order of shah abbas i of iran. An encyclopedia of iranian and islamic arts and architecture. An example of safavid empire architecture completed in 1629 ce. He was the architect of isfahan s imam square, imam mosque and hessar najaf. After muhammads death, muslim scholars developed a law code known as shariah. Isfahan is an important city as it is located at the intersection of the two principal northsouth and eastwest routes that traverse iran.
The mosque forms part of a series of buildings in the centre of isfahan, which together represent some of the finest examples of persian architecture. Today, the mosque stands as a magnificent and detailed public work. A study on the north dome of masjidijami isfahan the bridges. As a result, it has rooms built in different architectural styles, so now the mosque represents a condensed history of iranian architecture. Muqarnas tilework of the entrance portal of the imam mosque.
The great mosque of isfahan in iran is unique in this regard and thus enjoys a special place in the history of islamic architecture. Explore esfahan holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. Sheikh lotfallah mosque was completed in 1619 after nearly 20 years of work. In 2015 it was estimated, as per official statistics, that there are 47,291 shiite mosques and 10,344 sunni mosques in iran. Unesco world heritage site 2012, masjede jame of isfahan, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, townplanning or landscape design iranian national heritage 1932 tentative world heritage site 1997, jame congregational mosque of esfahan.
Shah mosque isfahan, also known as the new abbasi mosque or royal mosque, in isfahan, iran. Grand mosque of isfahan the fouriwan mosque an iwan is a vaulted space that opens on one side to a courtyard. Sheikh lotfallah mosque isfahan, iran atlas obscura. The jameh mosque of isfahan, iran, is a veritable museum of islamic architecture and still a working mosque. Photos from the iran you dont see on tv the atlantic. The shah mosque masjede shah or masjede imam in isfahan, iran. Imam mosque monday, april 5, 2010 imam mosque masjide jam e abbasi, also called masjide shah royal mosque before the victory of islamic revolution, is one of the finest and the most stunning buildings in the world standing in south side of naghshi jahan square isfahan. The great mosque of isfahan hagop kevorkian series on near eastern art and civilization grabar, oleg on. Shah mosque simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Inscriptions call it a mosque, but it lacks the typical courtyard, iwans, and minarets. A masterpieces of persian architecture the shah mosque also known as imam mosque renamed after the 1979 islamic revolution in iran, and jaame abbasi mosque, is a mosque in isfahan, iran, standing in south side of naghshe jahan square. The mosque is part of the imam square, one of the largest squares in the world. Great mosque of isfahan abebooks shop for books, art.
Isfahan acquired early in its islamic history a large mosque that served. Esfahan is irans top tourist destination for good reason. The lower facade of the mosque and the gateway are constructed of marble, while the sevencolored tiles and polychrome mosaics decorate the upper parts of the structure. One is located between the south iwan and the mihrab, and is known as gunbadi nizam almulk. It was built during the safavid dynasty under the order of shah abbas i of persia. Esfahan holds special significance for the bahai faith. Rather than searchin g for overall stylisti oc r visual unity, we observ insteae d the ways in which history and cultural traditions hav causee d artisti stylec s to diverge and contrast and how these styles have functione ads expression osf different communal. Sheikh bahai prominent scholar of safavid era saturday, april 24, 2010. According to a contemporary, isfahan, a city of 600,000, had 162 mosques, 48 colleges, 273 public baths and no fewer than 1,802 caravanserais open courtyards surrounded with. Similar to a pulpit in a christian church, the minbar is where the prayer leader, or imam, gives the friday sermon 15. Also,minar jonban shaking minarets and sioseh pol are samples of the architectural works of sheikh bahai which used as case studies in this article.
The great mosque or masjide jameh of isfahan smarthistory. Esfahan s great mosque is located about one kilometer to the northeast and may be reached while strolling through the citys famous main bazaar. Poststructural theory and the architectural history of iranian mosques international library of iranian studies. This mosque in the ne quarter in the city is in my top five sites for esfahan. Jun 11, 2018 although each of the mosques parts is a masterpiece, it is the unity of the overall design that leaves a lasting impression, and the positioning of the muchphotographed entrance portal is a case in point as it has more to do with its location on the square than with the mosques spiritual aims. Poststructural theory and the architectural history of iranian mosques international library of iranian studies khaghani, saeid on. Many people see it as the masterpiece of persian architecture. Architecture and illusion in the works of sheikh bahai.
The shah mosque of esfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in iran. Aerial view of the friday mosque, isfahan, iran early islamic four vaulted iwans and a courtyard. Prior to it becoming a mosque, it is said to have been a house of worship for zoroastrians. The great mosque or masjide jameh of isfahan article khan.
Imam mosque, masterpiece of architecture in isfahan mehr. Tehran located in the central iranian city of isfahan, the jameh mosque, or masjede jameh in farsi, is of deep architectural significance as it shows off designs employed for more than one millennium, starting in about 840 ce. It is grand perhaps the biggest in iran and stylish and represents a range of architectural styles present in mosques over the past 800 yrs. Explore esfahan holidays and discover the best time and. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. This style of mosque came to be known as a hypostyle mosque, meaning many columns. Islamic architecture in iran, a case study on evolutionary of minarets of isfahan katayoun taghizadeh department of architecture, university of tehran, tehran, 1417466191, iran. Isfahan is known historically for its large number of mosques. It was equipped with a library daralkotob housing books that were. Built during the safavids period, it is an excellent example of the islamic architecture of iran. A great collection of historic monuments, such as bridges, mosques, palaces, houses, churches, synagogues, mausoleums, pigeon towers, fire temples, minarets and. There is also no doubt about his mastery of topography. After iranian revolution this mosque known as imam mosque or jaame abbasi mosque, but before that it called shah mosque and it is located in south side of naghshe jahan square and built during the safavid dynasty. Most mosques built in arab lands utilized this style for centuries.
Esfahan, capital of esfahan province, major city of western iran, and one of the most important architectural centers in the islamic world. The architecture of a mosque is shaped most strongly by the regional traditions of the time and place where it was built. It was also known as the imam mosque after the iranian revolution. As oleg grabar puts it in his wonderful book, one might rightly consider esfahans great mosque as the chartres of iran. Masjede jame of isfahan contains millennium of architectural experiences in particular. The city first thrived under the seljuq turks and later under the safavids, especially as the capital of abbas i the great. Imam mosque, masterpiece of architecture in isfahan tehrna, october 21 mna the distinct feature of persian domes, which separates them from those domes created in the christian world or the ottoman and mughal empires, was the colorful tiles, with which they covered the exterior of their domes, as they would on the interior. Originally named jame abbasi, the elegant mosque, with its iconic bluetiled mosaics and its perfect proportions, forms a visually stunning monument at the head of esfahans main square.
Illustration showing the shah mosque in isfahan, iran, which is the result of continual construction, and additions on the site from around 771 to the end of the 20th century. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The south dome is a square room of about 16 meters 50 ft. The exquisite tile work which is far superior in irans mosques, are from the most beautiful elements in the irans mosques. Imam mosque jame abbasi mosque isfahan tourist information. Sheikh bahai, illusion, safavids, iranian architecture. Masjide jameh great mosque by maryam fassihi on prezi. State of conservation report of masjede jameisfahan world.
Structurally, in many architecture books the north dome is introduced as one of the best. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you. The entire mosque is a centrally planned domed space, which is typical of commemorative mausoleums, not mosques, but this building does not house a tomb. Shah mosque tehran, also known as the soltani mosque, in tehran, iran this disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. Islamic architecture imam mosque isfahan iran youtube. Built during the safavid period, it is an excellent example of islamic architecture of iran, and regarded as one of the masterpieces of persian architecture. Built during the umayyad dynasty, it is rumored in isfahan that one of the pillars of this mosque were personally built by the caliph in damascus. However, it does have the essential mihrab niche and is oriented toward mecca. The darbe imam dates from the period when the quiunlus ruled isfahan as does the series of panels within the main eivan of the friday mosque. In ancient time, a minaret was built between two borders and something bright was put into it to show the.
Imam mosque unesco world heritage site also known as shah mosque and masjede shah located in imam square also known as naghshi jahan square or maidan in isfahan the pearl of islam. It was on the southern short side of it that the royal mosque, the supreme work of persian architecture, was constructed. The masjidi shah was shah abbass largest architectural monument. The iwan developed in preislamic iran where it was used in monumental and imperial architecture. It has been renamed to imam mosque after the islamic revolution built during the safavids period, it is an excellent example of the islamic architecture of iran. This spacious place supports a huge dome of about 50 feet. Located in isfahan, 340 km south of tehran, the friday mosque of isfahan is a prominent architectural expression of the seljuk rule in persia 10381118. A study on the north dome of masjidijami isfahan marjan ghannad school of architecture carleton university 85 castlegreen private kit3n3 ottawa, ont. Location of jameh mosque of isfahan in iran the jameh mosque of isfahan or jame mosque of isfahan persian. Masjidejameh isfaha n was the grand, congregational mosqu e jameh of isfaha n city, within isfaha n province, iran. It is located on the south side of naghshe jahan square. Observation of image and color of isfahan mosques in. Mosque project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Imam mosque, is a mosque in isfahan, iran standing in south side of naghshi jahan square.
Courtyard, the great mosque or masjide jameh of isfahan photo. The market of seleukia by james morris and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Isfahan imamshah mosque persian architecture, mosque. Jameh mosque of isfahan offers journey through islamic. Iranians commemorate the birth anniversary of sheikh bahaei on april 23. Media in category mosques in isfahan the following 98 files are in this category, out of 98 total. Imam mosque known as shah mosque before 1979 revolution is a part of the complex of naqshe jahan square the main attraction of isfahan.
It has been renamed to imam mosque after the islamic revolution. Its known as the imam mosque after the islamic revolution. Great mosque masjide jameh, isfahan ap art history. The construction of the south dome was done in about 10701071 a. It has been referred to as the masjede emam imam mosque since the islamic revolution in 1979.
You can visit the masterpieces of iranian architecture. The calligraphy and decoration of manuscript quran is an important aspect, but other religious art such as glass mosque lamps and other mosque fittings such as tiles, woodwork and carpets usually have the same style and motifs as contemporary secular art, although. Photo, print, drawing mosque dome, isfahan, iran color film copy transparency full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. It was also known as the imam mosqu e after the iranian revolution. Its profusion of treelined boulevards, persian gardens and important islamic buildings gives it a visual appeal unmatched by any other iranian city, and the many artisans working here underpin its reputation as a living museum of traditional culture. Its present configuration is the sum of building and decorating activities carried out from the 8th through the 20th centuries.
Full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. The great mosque of isfahan hagop kevorkian series on near. Rise of islam origin of islam muhammad the last prophet hoaiii 4. The royal square meidan, at 170m x 500m, is so enormous that every urban activity and festival is performed there. Islamic architecture in iran, a case study on evolutionary of. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Along with naqshe jahan square, the mosque is registered as unesco world heritage site. Our ancient history is often lost in the noise of contemporary politics but images from this era abound in daily life. Shah imam mosque, sheikh lotf allah mosque,ali qapo palace, which is located in naghshe jahan square in isfahan. Iranian islamic architecture, covering 12 centuries, most. The great mosque of isfahan hagop kevorkian series on near eastern art and civilization. Unblemished since its construction 400 years ago, it stands as a monument to the vision of shah abbas i and the accomplishments of the safavid dynasty.