| Jāmeh Mosque of Yazd | |
|---|---|
مسجد جامع یزد | |
 Entrance portal of the mosque, withminarets and main dome, in 2016 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shia Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Friday mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Yazd,Yazd Province |
| Country | Iran |
  Location of the mosque inIran | |
| Coordinates | 31°54′5″N54°22′7″E / 31.90139°N 54.36861°E /31.90139; 54.36861 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | |
| Founder |
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| Completed | |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Two |
| Minaret | Two |
| Minaret height | 52 m (171 ft) |
| Materials | Bricks; mortar; tiles |
| Website | |
| mosque | |
| Official name | Jāmeh Mosque of Yazd |
| Type | Built |
| Designated | 22 July 1934 |
| Reference no. | 206 |
| Conservation organization | Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran |
TheJāmeh Mosque of Yazd (Persian:مسجد جامع یزد,romanized: Masjid-e-Jāmeh Yazd;Arabic:جامع يزد) is aFriday mosque (jāmeh) located in the city ofYazd, in the province ofYazd,Iran. Built on the site of a 9th-centuryCEfire temple, the mosque was completed during the 14th and 15th century CE and renovated in subsequent years. Between 1982 and 2005 the mosque was depicted on theobverse of the Iranian 200rial banknote.[1]
The mosque was added to theIran National Heritage List on 22 July 1934, administered by theCultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran.[citation needed]
According to historians, the mosque was constructed on the site of aSasanian erafire temple and Ala'oddoleh Garshasb commenced building the mosque. The previous mosque was constructed by order of Ala'oddoleh Kalanjar in 6th centuryAH, however the main construction of the present building was done by order of Rukn al-Din Muhammad during the 14th century CE.[2]
The mosque is a fine specimen ofPersian architecture, in theAzari style, which thrived from the late 13th century to the appearance of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century.
The complex of the mosque was initially founded in the 12th century, but nothing remains. The "new mosque" (masjid-i jadid) which is visible today was built by theIl Khanids in 1324-28, during the reign ofAbu Sa'id Bahadur Khan, including the entrance portal, the main iwan and the dome.[3][a] The tallsoutheastern entrance iwan in particular is characteristic ofIlkhanid architecture.[3] The mosque was further expanded in 1365 under theMuzaffarids.[3] A second phase after 1334 included the completion of theiwan and possibly some revetments.[4]
Within is a longarcadedcourtyard where, behind a deep-set south-eastiwan, is thesanctuary chamber. The constructions of the second period (1364-1376) include the south prayer hall, vestibule and galleries, the tile-mosaicmihrab, and some of the revetments of the dome chamber.[b] The chamber, under a squat tiled dome, is exquisitely decorated with tile mosaic: its tall tiledmihrab, dated 1365 CE to theMuzaffarids,[3] is one of the finest of its kind in existence. The name of the craftsman and the date of construction of the mihrab are depicted on two star-shapedsgraffito tiles. The dome itself, with a design of geometric arabesque of blue and black tile mosaics on a beige background, was completed in 1375.[3] One of the amazing attributes of the Jameh Mosque of Yazd is that the lighting system is obtained indirectly by the reflection of light from the white plaster of the dome and the walls.[5]
The magnificentmo'araq tile-mosaicmihrab is also dated to 1375-76. It has the particularity of using large-sized tile fragments, whether Timurid tile-mosaics tended to use smaller fragments.[4]
The third main period under the Timurids included the construction of the north prayer hall and some galleries, some revetments and the marbleminbar.[c]
TheQara Qoyunlu rulerJahan Shah (r.1438–1467) is known for renovation work on theEastern entrance iwan of the Jameh Mosque of Yazd in 1457. The portal hasa central dedication in the name of Jahanshah:"the structure of this lofty arch (taf) was restored during the reign of . . . Abu’l-Muzaffar Sultan Jahanshah, Nizam al Dawlah wa’l-Din al-Hajj Qanbar, in Dhu’l-Hijjah 861." It is thought that the contribution was specifically related to themuqarnas of the portal.[d][7] The entrance is decorated from top to bottom in tilework.
The entrance to the mosque is crowned by a pair ofminarets, the highest in Iran, dating from theSafavid era (possiblyShah Tahmasp) and are 52 metres (171 ft) high and 6 metres (20 ft) in diameter.[e]
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Situated adjacent to the center of the town of Yazd, the complex of the Friday mosque of Yazd was founded in the twelfth century; however, what stands on the site today is the new mosque (masjid-i jadid) built in 1324 under the Il Khanids, and later augmented in 1365 under the Muzaffarids.
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