Blue Mosque — Attraction in Yerevan

The Blue Mosque (Armenian: Կապույտ մզկիթ, Kapuyt mzkit; Persian: مسجد کبود‎ Masjed-e Kabud) is an 18th-century Shiamosque in Yerevan, Armenia. During the Soviet era, the mosque stopped its services and housed the History Museum of Yerevan. Following Armenia's independence, the mosque was renovated with the support from the Iranian government and again started acting as a mosque, mostly for Iranians residing in the country. It is currently the only active mosque in Armenia. The Yerevan region had been under the control of various Muslim rulers since the incursions of Timur in the 14th century. From the early 16th century, and decisively with the 1555 Peace of Amasya, until the course of the 19th century, it had intermittently been a province of Iran (ruled successively by the Safavids, Nadir Shah, Karim Khan Zand and the Iranian Qajar Dynasty), before it fell to neighboring Imperial Russia through the Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828 and the resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828.

For the mosque's constution, various dates from the mid-18th century are cited in literature. As reported by 19th-century traveller H.F.B. Lynch, the Blue Mosque was commissioned to be built during the reign of Iranian ruler Nadir Shah (1736–47) by Husayn Ali Khan. George Bournoutian names Husayn Ali Khan as the patron of the building, but places his reign in the years 1762-83.According to Vladimir M. Arutyunyan et al. construction started in 1760 and was completed under Husayn Ali Khan in 1764-68.

The building was the main congregational mosque for the city. When Yerevan was captured by Russia in 1827 during the 1826-1828 Russo-Persian War it was, according to the cataster drawn up by the Russians, the largest of its eight functioning mosques. The building consisted of the main prayer hall, a library, and a madrasa with 28 cells, all organised around a courtyard, with the overall complex occupying 7,000 square metres of land. There is a single minaret at the main portal, in keeping with contemporaneous mosques, and there is no evidence that there were...

The Yerevan Blue Mosque welcomes guests with luxurious decorations. The entrance is richly decorated with colorful mosaics and ornaments. Once inside, you will find yourself on a neat patio, surrounded by a garden with mulberry and apricot trees and rose bushes. The complex also includes a gallery with several rooms, an administrative office of the Imam of the mosque, the police room, a kitchen, a first-aid post, and classrooms.

Passing the blooming green garden, you will get to the main building. Inside there is a prayer hall. The floor is covered with carpets, a gilded chandelier sparkles under the ceiling, and the stained-glass windows are decorated with various beautiful patterns. There are sound speakers for broadcasting prayers as well in the prayer hall.

The name of the mosque is derived from the color of the dome, which attracts attention with bright, rich turquoise tones. It is decorated with fascinating paintings.

In addition, there is a minaret decorated with patterned brickwork. Three other minarets, built originally for the mosque, were demolished during Soviet rule.

The Blue Mosque has its own library, which is open to every visitor. Here you can find a unique collection of Iranian paintings as well. The collection of the library also includes photographs of the mosque in...

We visited here on a Monday and as the only remaining mosque in Yerevan it’s definitely something to see.

The entry is free, and accessible with stairs into the compound.

With the large gardens and the mosaic tiles of the mosque frontage and dome, it’s worthwhile taking a look just to see it.

The mosque itself is open to visitors with the traditional men and women entrances. The carpets and tapestries are colourful and the mosque itself is cool in the heat of the day.

The Iranian artefact display is nice to see showing some history.

There’s a little store for Iranian products and trinkets to purchase if you like.

Overall, something you should see as it is the only mosque remaining in Yerevan and open to visitors to take a glimpse into the...