Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
History
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is one of the most famous mosques in Isfahan. It was the first structure to be built in the Naqsh-i Jahan Square. The construction of this mosque started in 1603 and was finished in 1619. Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty built this mosque for his personal use. Creation of the calligraphy and tiles was overseen by Master calligrapher Ali Reza Abbasi. The ladies of the royal harem would pray in this mosque.
The entrance of the mosque is on right side, to the left is the door of Isfahan Grand Bazaar. One things which sets this mosque apart from others is that it doesn’t have minarets or the courtyard. One reason for that was that it was a royal mosque.
Interior of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Inside the prayer hall, walls are covered with blue, yellow, turquoise and white tiles with intricate arabesque patterns. Once inside, one can marvel at the complexity of the mosaics that adorn the walls and the extraordinarily beauty. The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is viewed by historians and visitors as one of the most important architectural projects built on Isfahan’s square, prominent for its location, scale, design, and ornament.
The dome of the mosque is 13 m in diameter and it is richly decorated. If one stands at the entrance gate of the inner hall and look at the center of the dome it resembles to a peacock. The shafts of sunlight that filter in through the few high, latticed windows produce a constantly changing interplay of light and shadows.
