The mosque built in Isfahan during the Seljuk State period bears witness to history with its different architecture.
The Grand Mosque, built in Isfahan, the capital of the Great Seljuk State, bears witness to history with its distinctive architectural structure and hundreds of years of history.
Isfahan, which was the capital of the Seljuk, Safavid and Daylami states, is one of the Iranian cities most visited by local and foreign tourists with its historical sites.
The architectural structures in the city, which are witnesses of hundreds of years of history, carry the architecture, life and understanding of their period to the present.
The majority of the architectural structures remaining from different times and states in Isfahan are also a part of Turkish art history.
The Great Mosque of the Seljuk period, one of the oldest and special structures of Isfahan, which was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 2012, is also known as the Isfahan Friday Mosque since Friday prayers were performed here.
„A RARE EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURE“
The historical building, also known as Atik Mosque, with its architectural features, constitutes a rare example of centuries-old regional architecture gathered in the same place.
Iranian tourism expert Muhammed Cafer Şahsevendi said about the Seljuk period masterpiece that it is now called „Atik (Ancient) Mosque“ because it is one of the oldest mosques in the city.
Stating that the mosque was built on the foundations of a masjid made of adobe during the Abbasid period, but whose exact architectural structure could not be determined, Şahsevendi stated that for this reason, they evaluated the building in question as a work of the Seljuk period.
The mosque, whose reconstruction started when Isfahan was made the capital during the reign of Sultan Melikşah, continues to witness history to this day with various additions from the Seljuks to the Safavid period and the restorations it underwent in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The mosque, which reflects the architectural character of the Seljuks with its two brick domes located on the same axis in the north and south and a courtyard with 4 iwans, has two important inscriptions.
In one of the inscriptions, there is the name of Nizamülmülk, and in the other, the name of his political rival, Tacülmülk. Both inscriptions are located on the domes built in their names.
While the large dome named after Nizamulmulk is located on the qibla side, the dome named after Taculmulk is located in the opposite direction.
Referring to the square-shaped fountain built in the middle of the main courtyard of the mosque during the Qajar period, Shahsevendi stated that this place was used as the first place of learning for those who went on pilgrimage and that the pillars of circumambulation were taught here.
While water was brought to the mosque from the Zayenderud River for a long time with the water arcades built in the courtyard during the reign of Safavid Sultan Shah Tehmaseb, now water does not flow from the reservoirs due to the cut off of the water of the river.
While the verses engraved on the walls, from the floor to the roof, with abundant blue, turquoise and yellow tiles, make the aesthetic appearance of the mosque unique, the word „Allahu Akbar“ engraved around the window on the qibla side of the courtyard immediately attracts attention.
THE COLUMNS OF THE MOSQUE ARE DESIGNED IN DIFFERENT STYLES
Another feature that makes the mosque special is its columns. Each row of columns that hold up the roof and domes was built in a different style. It is possible to see all the column examples used in historical buildings in the region here.
When some of the columns could not resist time and bent due to the settlement of the ground, earthquakes and the limited lifespan of the materials used, they were allowed to stand by building walls between them during the reign of Safavid Shah Tehmaseb.
Pointing out that the small bay window-like slots on the columns were built during the reign of Shah Ismail I, Shahsevendi said that lighting was provided by burning oil and candles in them.
The historical building, which gives the feeling of entering more than one place while walking around, has a special place in architecture due to the columns of different shapes, the different arrangement of bricks on the ceiling and the variety of embroideries.
THE NAMES OF SULTAN MELİKŞAH AND NİZAMÜLMÜLK ARE WRITTEN UNDER THE DOME.
Şahsevendi stated that fine workmanship was done on the large dome named after Nizamülmülk, and that the color of the illumination was originally blue, and this color faded over time, and some parts were plastered.
A tile mihrab was built during the Safavid period in front of the 900-year-old Seljuk mihrab just below the dome, and a two-meter section of the walls from the ground is covered with marble.
While it is seen that the names of Sultan Melikşah and Nizamülmülk are written in Kufic calligraphy under the dome circle, verses from the Surah Isra are engraved on the arch of the dome.
Kufic, Thuluth, Nestalic, Arabic architectural and Persian architectural lines used in the decorations of the mosque take the aesthetic appearance one step further.
OLCAYTU ALTRACTOR
Another section that attracts the most attention from visitors is the large mihrab placed in the western iwan by the Ilkhanid Khan Olcaytu in 1310.
Blue and green colors were used in the finely crafted mihrab, known as the „Olcaytu mihrab“ or „Ilkhanid mihrab“, but the colors have now turned into muted tones.
The wooden pulpit right next to the mihrab also has embroideries that match the mihrab. The inscription engraved on the pulpit states that it belongs to the Grand Mosque and cannot be used in any other mosque.
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The Grand Mosque in Isfahan, built during the Seljuk period, is a remarkable architectural structure that reflects centuries of history. The city of Isfahan, which served as the capital for several Iranian states, is a popular destination for tourists due to its historical sites. Many of the city’s architectural structures are part of Turkish art history and provide insight into the different periods and states that have shaped the region.
The Grand Mosque, also known as the Isfahan Friday Mosque, is one of the oldest and most significant structures in the city. It was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 2012. The mosque underwent various additions and restorations over the centuries, reflecting the architectural characteristics of the Seljuk and Safavid periods.
The mosque features two important inscriptions, one dedicated to Nizamülmülk and the other to his political rival, Tacülmülk. The architectural details, including the columns, domes, and courtyard, highlight the unique aesthetic and historical significance of the mosque. The building also houses a marble-covered mihrab and a wooden pulpit with intricate embroideries.
With its rich history and architectural beauty, the Grand Mosque of Isfahan stands as a testament to the region’s cultural heritage and continues to captivate visitors from around the world.
