Category: Shiraz

Madrasa-Khan

Madrasa Khan

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1648 0

The Khan Madrasa (theological school) is a peaceful 17th-century Koranic school open to non-Muslim travelers thanks to the tolerant atmosphere Special to Shiraz.

The Khan Madrasa (theological school) is a peaceful 17th-century Koranic school open to non-Muslim travelers thanks to the tolerant atmosphere Special to Shiraz.
A four-Ivan plan and an interior courtyard surrounded by student cells on a double arch structure. The current decoration dates back to the 19th century. Moula -Sadra, the famous philosopher of the Safavid era, taught in this school.
In Koranic schools, apart from theology and Koranic sciences, students learn gnostics and jurisprudence, sharia law, and a preface of Classic philosophy and Platonism besides Islamic philosophy.

Madrasa seems not to be fully active, but you always find some smiling mullah in the courtyard to discuss a subject and ask some questions.

Narenjestan Ghavam

Narenjestan Ghavam

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1603 0

Narenjestan Ghavam (the Orange orchard, Narenj is actually the root for the orange in European languages)

Narenjestan Ghavam (the Orange orchard, Narenj is actually the root for the orange in European languages), the house of Ghavam, governor of Shiraz in the 19th century, was originally the outer part of a residential complex Whose interior, the residence of Zinatol-Molk, interconnected with each other.
We recognize the plan of a garden and the rooms located on the north side that recently transformed into a museum.
Since the 1960s the university of Shiraz has been in charge of the management.
The house is particularly known for its decorations including paintings (the drawings of Glolo-Morgh, the flower, and the bird), marquetry, mirror works, the tiles, and the bas-reliefs whose designs were taken in part from ancient Persia.

Ali-Ebne Hamzeh

Ali-Ebne Hamzeh

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1653 0

The mausoleums normally house the graves of the descendants of
Shiite Imams

The mausoleum of Ali-Ebne Hamzeh
The mausoleums normally house the graves of the descendants of
Shiite Imams. In Shiism the cult of the dead is very present.
Towards the beginning of the 9th century the nephew of Imam Reza, the 8th Imam was martyred and buried in a modest building.
The presence of the Shiites, being in the minority at the time, was not tolerated and they were pursued and persecuted by the agents of Abassiid caliph.
The building was rebuilt under the Safavids around the 17th century.
The current building is very recent, the courtyard is covered with tombstones. Those who can afford it offer themselves a grave near a saint.
The interior is covered with mirror mosaics which is a kind of decoration normally reserved for mausoleums and holy places.
The entry of non-Muslims into the mausoleum is possible, but the wearing of the veil for women is compulsory. A welcome visit service for foreign visitors is offered free of charge.

eram garden

Eram Garden

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1550 0

Eram Garden in Shiraz was originally the palatial residence of a chief of the Qashqai tribe, a turkish-speaking nomad from the Fars region.

Eram Botanical Garden
Eram Garden in Shiraz was originally the palatial residence of a chief of the Qashqai tribe, a turkish-speaking nomad from the Fars region. It is now a property of Shiraz university and its botanical research center.
A pavilion decorated with painted tiles with various designs (motifs).
On the pediment of the facade, we find the representation of the king of the 19th century, Naseredin-Shah, on horseback.
The two other scenes refer to legends, that of Joseph, son of Jacob trapped by the temptation of women, and that of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba giving audience to animals, both of which are famous and popular Quranic stories matching the dreamy ambient of the garden. Streams leave from the large pool in front of the pavilion to irrigate the entire garden.
Take the time to stroll in the garden with its exotic plants and admire the famous cypress trees, the most beautiful of Shiraz, a symbol of feminine beauty in Persian poetry.
A morning visit is recommended to get the best light.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1760 0

One of the architectural gems constructed by master architects in Shiraz is Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque: The Pink Mosque of Shiraz

Shiraz is well-known as the city of wine, poetry and fragrant orange groves. It is also famous for its happy, warm-blooded and hospitable people, leading an epicurean way of life. All these cultural characteristics have had a great influence upon various types of artistic and creative endeavors made in this city, giving rise to very unique, vivacious productions. One domain of art in which these cultural influences are apparently reflected is architecture. One of the architectural gems constructed by master architects in this city is Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, which makes one of the top tourist attractions in Shiraz.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque was built as part of a larger complex by a member one of the most influential families in the 19th century Shiraz, during the Qajar period. Nowadays, hundreds of travelers and tourists go to visit this majestically beautiful mosque, mostly because of its unique tile work and the magnificent play of light produced by colorful sash windows in one of its shabestans or prayer halls.  Undoubtedly, doing a simple search on Google leads you to hundreds of photos taken in this very special room, representing people framed by uniquely colorful and mystical patterns of light.

After this brief introduction, let’s delve into some detail and get acquainted with Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, or the Pink Mosque, a must-see attraction in Shiraz, more fully.

A Brief History of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

            Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, a.k.a. the Pink Mosque, the Rainbow Mosque and the Mosque of Colors, was constructed as part of a larger complex, including a house, a bathhouse, a school and a water cistern, by the order of Mirza Hassan Ali Nasir al-Mulk, the son of Ali Akbar Qavam al-Mulk, the Kalāntar or mayor of Shiraz.

The construction of the mosque began in 1876 and ended after almost twelve years in the year 1888. The architects of the mosque were Mohammad Hassan-e Memar, a noted architect who had also built the noted Eram Garden, Mohammad Hosseini Shirazi and Mohammad Reza Kashi-Saz-e Shirazi, a tile-maker whose name appears on the tiles covering the southern iwan (porch) of the mosque.

The Architecture of the Pink Mosque

            Well, the enchanting work of the master architects mentioned above begins just at the entrance gate of the mosque. The main entrance of the mosque is located on the north-western side of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque. This rectangular entrance is beautifully adorned with pink tiles, covering the entrance from top to bottom.  Several lines of poetry by Shurideh Shirazi, a 19th-century poet from Shiraz, are inscribed on a marble stone installed right in the middle of the arched portal of the mosque.

To enter the mosque, you should pass through a majestic wooden door. Passing the door, you will found yourself in a vaulted vestibule leading to the courtyard of the mosque. But wait, do not hurry getting into the mosque. Just at the beginning of the vestibule, in front of the entrance gate, there is a frame made of tiles which bears two lines of poetry by the grand poet of Shiraz, Sa’di. Under these lines we have the name of the architect of the mosque and its completion date.

Well, now you can buy the tickets and enter the courtyard. As with most of the mosques in Iran, the courtyard is rectangular in shape and includes an approximately long, rectangular pond, providing water for making ablutions.

On the northern and southern sides of the pond, there stand two iwans (porches), delicately decorated with pink tiles. The northern porch, which is grander in terms of decorations than the southern porch, is also called Taq-e Morvarid or Pearl Arch. In addition to enchanting tile-work and murqans, you can witness another type of decoration used in Persian architecture called Kāseh-Sāzi, where the decorations take the shape of bowls.

On the eastern and southern sides of the pond, there are two prayers halls. The eastern prayer hall, which decorated with Quranic verses and tiles in floral patterns, is nowadays turned into an exhibition, putting on display the artworks of contemporary Shirazian artists. The ceiling of this prayer hall, supported by seven columns, is decorated with maqeli tiling, a combination of brickwork and tiles. Hidden in one of the rooms in this prayer hall, you can visit the water-well which provided the water needed in the mosque. It is called Gāv-Chāh, literally meaning cow-well, since the water was drawn from the well by means of a cow.

However, the southern porch is much simpler, consisting of six niches organized on two sides of a central niche which incorporates the mihrab. This porch is flanked by two tiled minarets.

But the most dazzling and the most crowded part of the mosque is its western prayer hall. It includes six columns, in the form of tree of life, which direct you toward the mihrab (altar) of the mosque. In addition, the walls of the prayer hall are delicately tiled; especially the central aisle which is covered with Qajar era floral patterns in pink, yellow, blue and white tiles.

But, the highlight of the western prayer hall includes its stained glass windows. Whenever the light passes through the colorful glasses and reflects on the carpets and tiles covering the prayer hall, surreal patterns of light and color are formed in this unique room in the world. Here, you can stand among these patterns and take distinctive photos. Furthermore, you can get lost in the mystical patterns created by light and color here and have a spiritual journey, away from the painful world of our everyday life. However, you should be aware that if you want to experience this metaphysical world, you should be there in the mosque on time. The best time to attend the Nasir al-Molk is between 8 to 11 a.m., depending on which season you are visiting the Pink Mosque.

What to Do After Visiting Nasir al-Molk Mosque

Having finished visiting Nasir al-Molk Mosque, you would have lots of opportunities to visit some of the great tourist attractions in Shiraz, such as Naranjestan Qavam, Zinat al-Muluk House, Khan theological School, Vakil Bazaar and also the old Friday mosque of Shiraz.

 

 

 

Hafezieh

Hafezieh

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 4106 0

Hafezieh, the tomb of the great 14th-century Persian poet, the undisputed master of lyrics poetry (Ghazal, a poetic style that deals more with themes of love).

The universal poet, the source of inspiration for great philosophers and writers like Goethe and André Gide.

Hafezieh

Hafezieh, the tomb of the great 14th-century Persian poet, the undisputed master of lyrics poetry (Ghazal, a poetic style that deals more with themes of love). The universal poet, the source of inspiration for great philosophers and writers like Goethe and André Gide.
His poetry deals as much with the worldly subjects (material world) and social theme as with the philosophical and mystical themes beyond our human perception. He talks about wine, beauty, and beautiful faces and appreciates the charm of his hometown Shiraz.

He has only one collection of poetry (Divan) which represents his literary style while there is another poet like Sadi (master of speech) mastering several styles, writes more voluminous works in prose as well as in poetry, but after centuries, it is the poetry of Hafez which has welcomed as interlocutor of advantage among Iranians and admirers of Persian poetry.

Perhaps more than literary and aesthetic reasoning, the enigma of Hafez’s poetry is one reason. Hafez’s poem is surreal and reveals several layers of perception that everyone based on their abilities perceives and translates.
This multifaceted quality has created a tradition called Tafaol (bibliomancy).
By opening Divan of Hafez at random, the verses that come, speak of the wish and foresees the fate of the person.
The ideal man for Hafez (Rend) is a person who does not care about this material and deceptive world that reveals the hypocrisy of the religious and deflects from the populism of authorities which has cost him the disgrace of governors.

The tomb is set in a pretty garden under a dome, it is the most comforting place for young lovers, frustrated by the infidelity of the beloved, seeking a cozy corner to spend some time with Hafez relieving verses.

Shiraz city of Wine

Posted By : mehdi rafiei/ 1965 0

Shiraz the city of the wine and the poetry. Its inhabitants are known for their savoir-vivre and their epicureanism.
A soft climate where the winds of the Persian Gulf blow, it is the favorite city of travelers.

Shiraz the city of the wine and the poetry. Its inhabitants are known for their savoir-vivre and their epicureanism.
A soft climate where the winds of the Persian Gulf blow, it is the favorite city of travelers.

The only place on earth where you have to forget the time to earn more and get drunk on the words of its poets in order to appreciate the Persian language.

There are many nomads and cattle in the hinterland of Shiraz, more than anywhere in Iran these days.
Walking in its gardens, the breeze blowning through the slender cypresses, the beautiful voluptuous figure of Hafez’s poems and the rose garden, muse of Saadi, the great sage of moral precepts.
The spring air, perfumed with the scent of citrus trees and jasmine, the young nomade Turk in colorful velvet clothes and silky look.
From shops with vinegar jars and plant juices, to thousands of bottles of beneficial nectar, borage, chicory, Egyptian willow and eglantine.
The Moshir seraglio opens its craft shops and its smiling vendors stock their showcase.
Shiraz Persian beauty, legendary city, eternal capital of epicureans and poets …

eram-garden-shiraz