Seyyed Mosque (Isfahan)

Seyyed Mosque (Persian: مسجد سید) is a historic 19th-century mosque located in Isfahan, Iran.[1] It was built during the rule of the Qajar dynasty, by the Shi'ite cleric Mohammad Bagher Shafti, one of the first clerics to receive the rank of Hujjatul Islam.[2] The mosque itself is active, but its construction is not entirely complete.[2][3]

Seyyed Mosque
A view of the mosque from the yard outside
Religion
AffiliationTwelver Shi'ite
ProvinceIsfahan Province
Year consecrated1825
StatusSemi-incomplete structure, still active for prayers
Location
LocationIsfahan, Iran
MunicipalityIsfahan
Seyyed Mosque (Isfahan) is located in Iran
Seyyed Mosque (Isfahan)
Shown within Iran
Geographic coordinates32°39′53″N 51°39′50″E / 32.664722°N 51.663889°E / 32.664722; 51.663889
Architecture
Typemosque
General contractorProbably Mohammad Bagher Shafti
Completedlate 19th century or early 20th century
Specifications
Dome(s)2
Materialsbrick, cement, concrete tiling

History

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Inscription of history within the Seyyed Mosque

Construction of the mosque started in the year 1825.[2] It was built over an older plot of land planned for a mosque that was formerly owned by Safavid ruler, Soltan Hoseyn, but a mosque could not be built there until the Qajar era due to the invasion of Nader Shah Afshar and Hotaks.[4][2] After the death of Mohammad Bagher Shafti, only the tiling of the southern part of the mosque had been completed.[5] He was buried in the northeastern section of the mosque as well. The grandson of the cleric and subsequent descendants assisted in continuing the construction of the mosque.[5] Inscriptions date the whole construction process to be around 130 years, divided into four stages.[2][5] In the modern age, the mosque was damaged during the Iran-Iraq war.[2] It was then neglected due to disputes amongst the remaining family of Bagher Shafti.[1] In 2023, restoration and renovation works were planned to be carried out.[1]

Architecture

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The prayer hall of the Seyyed Mosque with its many arched columns visible

The plan and base of the Seyyed Mosque is generally a rectangular shape.[4] The mosque has two domes, the smaller, northeastern one over the mausoleum of Mohammad Bagher Shafti and his family.[5][3] The mosque has four main iwans leading to it, as well as a lot of corridors within the structure.[5][2][3] The exterior of the mosque is enhanced with Qajar-era decorative tiling.[5][4][3]

 
The clock tower of Seyyed Mosque

The mosque does not have a minaret.[2][4][5][3] Instead, it has a tall clock tower, located behind one of the iwans. In general, the architecture of the mosque, especially the window design[2] is student-friendly, so that it could be used as a school or madrasah in the 19th century as well.[2]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Urgent restoration starts on Seyyed Mosque, a lesser-known gem of architecture in Isfahan". Tehran Times. 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Team, IranRoute Technical. "Seyyed Mosque - IranRoute". www.iranroute.com. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  3. ^ a b c d e "مسجد سید اصفهان؛ مسجد بزرگ و تاریخی اصفهان".
  4. ^ a b c d "مسجد سید اصفهان (احداث آخرین بنای معروف قاجار در اصفهان 130 سال به طول انجامید) - آرچی لرن" (in Persian). 2021-12-18. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "مسجد سيد اصفهان؛ بنايي كه ساخت و تزيين آن يك‌صد و 30 سال طول كشيد - ایسنا". www.isna.ir. Retrieved 2023-12-08.