Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Abbas Great Mosque

Abbas Great Mosque photo by BABAK1985 – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating about Abbas Great Mosque

The Abbas Great Mosque also known as the Shah Mosque is a mosque located in Isfahan, Iran. It is located on the south side of Naghsh-e Jahan Square. It was built during the Safavid dynasty under the order of Shah Abbas I of Persia.

It is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian architecture in the Islamic era. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions. In the article are the top ten fascinating facts about the Abbas Great Mosque.

1. Abbas Great Mosque has a World Heritage status

A photo of Shah Mosque by مانفی – Wikimedia commons

The Royal Mosque is registered, along with the Naghsh-e 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.

2. Shaykh Bahai is credited for the urban planning of Isfahan

A portrait photo of Sheikh Amili Bahayi by an Unknown Author – Wikimedia commons

TOP 10 OUTSTANDING FACTS ABOUT THE TOMB OF HAFEZ

In 1598, when Shah Abbas decided to move the capital of his Persian empire from the northwestern city of Qazvin to the central city of Isfahan, he initiated what would become one of the greatest programs in Persian history.

Abbas chose the central city of Isfahan, fertilized by the Zāyandeh River “The life-giving river”, lying as an oasis of intense cultivation amid a vast area of the arid landscape.

Back to the urban planning by Shaykh Bahai, Abbas Great Mosque which is also called the Shah Mosque was among the planned projects. Of course, Shah Square was amongst the planned projects.

3. The Abbas Great Mosque has the largest dome in Isfahan

Abbas Great Mosque photo by BABAK1985 – Wikimedia commons

The Shah Mosque was constructed not only with a vision of grandeur, having the largest dome in the city, but Shaykh Bahai also planned the construction of two religious schools and a winter mosque clamped on either side of it.

The crown jewel in this project was the Masjed I Shah, which would replace the much older Jameh Mosque in conducting the Friday prayers.

4. The mosque was built in ignorance

Shah Mosque photo by Amir Pashaei – Wikimedia commons

Because of the Shah’s desire to have the building completed during his lifetime, shortcuts were taken in the construction; for example, the Shah ignored warnings by one of the architects Abu’l Qāsim regarding the danger of subsidence in the foundations of the mosque, and he pressed ahead with the construction.

The architect proved to have been justified, as in 1662 the building had to undergo major repairs. Also, the Persians decorated the mosque with Seven-colored wall tiles that were both cheaper and quicker, and that eventually sped up the construction.

This job was done by some of the best craftsmen in the country, and the whole work was supervised by Master calligrapher, Reza Abbasi. In the end, the final touches on the mosque were made in late 1629, A few months after the death of the Shah.

5. The Safavids used the mosque to express their architectural expertise

The Safavids founded 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, and inherited by the Safavids, firmly established the courtyard facade of such mosques, with the towering gateways on every side, as more important than the actual building itself.

6. The mosque has distinct features of Islamic architecture

Shah Mosque photo by BaBAK1985 – Wikimedia commons

Standing in the public square, or Maidan, the entrance-iwan to the mosque takes the form of a semicircle, resembling a recessed half-moon. It measures 27 meters in height, the arch is framed by turquoise ornament and decorated with rich stalactite-like tilework called muqarnas, a distinct feature of Persian Islamic architecture.

7. The dome of the Abbas Great Mosque houses religious buildings

From the main courtyard, the iwan pointing to the east contains a religious school or madrasa. It contains an inscription by calligrapher Muhammad Riza Imami praising the Fourteen Immaculate Ones i.e., Muhammad, Fatimah, and The Twelve Imams.

The iwan in the western corner leads to another madrasa and a winter mosque. In its own, private courtyard, one can find the famous sundial made by Shaykh Bahai.

8. Abbas Great Mosque had the tallest dome in Isfahan

Reaching 53 meters in height, the dome of the Masjed-e Shah would become the tallest in the city when it was finished in 1629. It was built as a double-shelled dome, with 14 meters spanning between the two layers, and resting on an octagonal dome chamber.

9. Abbas Great Mosque was a huge structure

Shah Mosque photo by BABAK1985 – Wikimedia commons

The Masjed-e Shah was a huge structure, said to contain 18 million bricks and 475,000 tiles, having cost the Shah 60,000 tomans to build. It employed the new haft rangi (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.

10. The architect of the mosque is Ali Akbar Isfahani

A photo of a statue of Ali Akbar Esfahani by Razavi.mos – Wikimedia commons

His name appears in an inscription in the mosque above the doorway of the entrance iwan complex. The inscription also mentions that the supervisor of the construction was Muhibb ‘Ali Beg Lala who was also a major donor to the mosque.
Another architect Badi al-zaman-i Tuni may have been involved in its early design.

Take note that the Abbas Great Mosque was part of the urban planning by Shaykh Bahai. However, the architects were Ali Akbar Isfahani and Badi al-zaman-i Tuni.