【Iran Travel Notes 】Isfahan Jameh Mosque 🕌✨

👣On the way to the Jameh Mosque, you’ll pass through Isfahan’s Old Square (shown in Figure 1, with the mosque in the background 🏞️). Historically, this square was the heart of Isfahan for centuries. In the 11th century, when Isfahan became the capital of the Seljuk Empire, this square served as the city’s main plaza and the center of commerce and social life 🏙️. It wasn’t until the 17th century, during the Safavid era, that its prominence was replaced by the Imam Square. 🏛️🕰️ ✨This mosque is composed of four structures from different eras, forming Iran’s largest and most historically significant mosque complex 🕌. These buildings were constructed, rebuilt, expanded, and renovated from around 771 AD to the late 20th century. As a result, the mosque encapsulates the evolution of Iranian Islamic religious architecture from the Seljuk period to the present day, making it a living specimen of Persian religious architecture over the past 800 years 🕰️📜. Today, visitors can see architectural styles from the Seljuk, Buyid, Mongol, and Safavid periods, a fusion unmatched anywhere else in the world 🌍. This uniqueness led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. 🏛️✨ Entering from the eastern gate, you’ll find a courtyard surrounded by four iwans . The western iwan features Safavid-style decorations with geometrically perfect mosaic patterns 🎨, while the southern iwan showcases Mongol-inspired mosaics and sharp decorative lines. The northern iwan is a classic example of Seljuk architecture. One standout feature is the Khargah Dome , a brick dome located opposite the northern mihrab. Though not large, it is structurally elegant and practical, supported by small arches and adorned with delicate plasterwork 🏗️. The surrounding colonnades are supported by columns from different eras, ranging from Seljuk to Safavid . Don’t miss the Room of Oljeitu, a space beside the western iwan, where you can see exquisite Quranic calligraphy reliefs from the Mongol era . 📜🖼️ #Iran 🇮🇷 #Isfahan #Persia 🏛️ #Architecture 🏗️ #ArtAndArchitecture 🎨 #WorldHeritageCities 🌍 #HistoricalBuildings 🕰️ #WorldHeritage 🏛️ #CulturalHeritage 📜 #Travel ✈️