Esfahan Things to Do

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The Shah Mosque is a mosque in Isfahan (Eşfahān), Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square.

Built during the Safavids period, it is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of Iran, and regarded as the masterpiece of Persian Architecture. The Shah Mosque of Esfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in Iran and all over the world. It is registered along with the Naghsh-i Jahan Square as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.

The Seljuqs and the Safavids found the Shah Mosque as a channel through which they could express themselves with their numerous architectural techniques. The four- iwan format, finalized by the Seljuq dynasty, firmly established the courtyard facade of such mosques as more important than their exterior ones. During the Seljuq rule, as Islamic mysticism was on the rise in the region, the four-iwan arrangement came to be interpreted as seeking true meaning within the appearance. Their presence can serve the sole purpose of being the passageway between the material world and that of the spiritual. It must also be noted that glazed brickwork and tiling had little appeal to the Seljuqs as they primarily favored the distinct tranquil color of turquoise blue.

Covered with premeditated calligraphic fresco, the front doors are used as an apparatus to remind the spectator of the glory of God and of Shah Abbas I himself. Entering from the northern iwan, the compelling physical presence of the identical side iwans direct our attention to the soaring qibla iwan situated straight ahead. As a result such architecture stresses the degree of fidelity in the structure which makes it explicitly pervasive.

See more pics for inside. Admission fee: IR4,000 (May 2008)

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Kelisa-ye Beit-ol-Lahm is nothing else than the Church of betlehem, another stunning church in the Jolfa quarter - and another one well-known for its frescoes and paintings. This church was built in 1628 and has the largest dome of all churches in the quarter.

The paintings are very much different of those in Vank cathedral, but they are of a much finer quality. Backgrounds are often black and gold - and they also depict scenes from the bible - but are painted in more realistic style than the nearly sci-fi ones in Vank cathedral.

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Vank cathedral is the main religious site in the Jolfa quarter, and the most imposing one, too. This cathedral (well, complex, in fact) was built between 1655 and 1664 and is made up by a church, a bell tower, a printing press, a library and a small museum of Armenian artefacts and old manuscripts.

The best thing to visit is the church's paintings - very colourful and very bizarre. They were painted by three monks (Havans, Stepanus and Minas) ad depict very crude biblical scenes, many about damnation - and mostly with naked people. Because of these very unislamic paintings, photography is (theorethically) not allowed inside the church - in practice everyone is taking pictures of these paintings and no one seems to care.

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If the Imam's mosque is referred to as the male mosque of imam's square - this other mosque is knowns as the female mosque. Its construction started in 1601 and lasted 17 years - but it was not meant for common people - but only for the family members of the Shah Abbas I. The name - Loftollah - is the name of the father-in-law of Shah Abbas I.

Because it was a private mosque it is quite a small one with only a square worship house topped with a dome, but it ddoesn't have any courtyard and even more surprisingly, a minareth. Another peculiarity is that very little in terms of green and blue tiles were used in the decorations (compared to other iranian mosques) - but rather some yellow and gold ones, as you can see on the dome.

Imam Mosque - Masjed-e imam - is definitely the most beautiful mosque you can see in Isfahan - its location (right off Imam square) and its stunning architecture make it just perfect. There's a huge gate covered in tiles of all hues of blue and green, and two turquoise minarets - one on each side of the gate... then you enter the open-air prayer hall and see the main dome. The general impression is that of total harmony, but if you look closely at the decorations, you will notice that they were made in two completely different styles.

This mosque was built in 26 years in the early 17th century, under the Shah Abbas I od the Safavid dinasty - and it took such a short time to be completed because the original decorative style was abandoned. Let me explain: at the beginning the green and blue floral decorations were complex mosaics that took one artist and a long time to make - then, to save time, it was decided that ornate tiles (that looked like mosaics) would be used - so that more than one artist could be employed.

This mosque is referred to - occasionally - as the male mosque of imama square.

Masjed-e imam appears on the cover of the 4th edition of the Lonelt Planet guide on Iran.

Masjed-e ali, Ali mosque - which we could see constantly from our guesthouse, Dibai house... a tall delightful minareth opposte the Mausoleum of Haroun Vilayat - both closed when we visited. Ali mosque is a very old one buit under the reign of built under Sultan Sanjar.

Don't expect arabesques or stuning tilework - what dominates this small mosque is some really exquisite seljuk brickwork (basically prominent bricks laid out in patterns) - very elegant in its geometrical forms but easy-to-miss as it is not as eye-catching as blue and green tiles.

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Masjed-e jameh - the Friday mosque... a stunning mosque in Isfahan, which allows you to see 400 years of Iranian art and architecture when you visit it. In the oldest part, as you enter to the left, you can see how earthquakes have damaged the structure and some of the walls and pillars are now leaning.

The mosque has 4 large and decorated iwans and many little rooms to visit - but what really is different is that fact that in the middle of the courtyard there's a little building wanting to resemble the holy Kabba in Mecca... the reason is simple: people leaving on their haji pilgrimage could come here and practice their ritual prayers correctly before setting off for Saudi Arabia.

Madreseye Chahar Bagh is located on Chahar Bagh street, which means “Four Gardens” - but it is also known as Shah school. It was built in the 16-17th century during the reign of the Safavid King Hossein - of course as a theological school. This school was free of charge - but money was needed to run it - so King Hossein's mother had a brilliant idea: she built a large caravanserrail right nearby and used the income from it to finannce the school.

The school is still in use today - as a school; and the caravanserrail, too - but not as a caravanserrail: it's the 5 star Abbasi hotel, which doesn't belong to the madrassa anymore (and that's why you pay 30000 rials on entrace). The madrassa is very beautiful and interesting to visit - although you can only visit the central courtyard and obviously not the students' rooms: You enter though a monumental gate and pass under a domed octagonal vestibule - both decorated with colourful tiles; then you reach the central court with its pool and garden, and can see where the students' rooms are - in the two-levelled arcades.

Shah Abbas avenue
Madreseye Chahar Bagh is located on Chahar Bagh street, which means “Four Gardens” - but it is also known as Shah school. It was built in the 16-17th century during the reign of the Safavid King Hossein - of course as a theological school. This school was free of charge - but money was needed to run it - so King Hossein's mother had a brilliant idea: she built a large caravanserrail right nearby and used the income from it to finannce the school.

The school is still in use today - as a school; and the caravanserrail, too - but not as a caravanserrail: it's the 5 star Abbasi hotel, which doesn't belong to the madrassa anymore. The madrassa is very beautiful and interesting to visit - although you can only visit the central courtyard and obviously not the students' rooms: You enter though a monumental gate and pass under a domed octagonal vestibule - both decorated with colourful tiles; then you reach the central court with its pool and garden, and can see where the students' rooms are - in the two-levelled arcades.