Shah Mosque

About this place

The Shah Mosque, officially known today as the Imam Mosque, stands on the south side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan. It is regarded as a masterpiece of Iranian architecture of the Islamic era and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List with the square. Blue tiles cover nearly every surface, so from afar it looks like a mountain of blue. Work began in 1611 by order of Shah Abbas the Great, in the Safavid era, and finished about 1630. It joined the Iran National Heritage List on 6 January 1932. It appears on the Iranian 20,000-rial note. The building turns away from the axis of the square to face the qibla, and the entrance passages handle this turn cleverly. You enter by a tall gateway with blue muqarnas, then turn into a broad courtyard with a central pool and four iwans. Under the great dome, sounds return in a clear echo. In the domes flowers and script in blue and gold interlace in fine patterns, so allow time to look up. This is a place of worship, so keep quiet and avoid prayer times. It is about 200 m from the middle of the square and about 300 m from Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Dress modestly, and women should cover their hair. Restoration may at times cover parts of the dome. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran and warns that British nationals risk detention, so check official guidance before making any plans. We could not confirm the current state of this site.