Imam Mosque (Masjid-i Shah / Masjid-i Imam), Isfahan, 1611–1629
The Royal Mosque of Isfahan (now officially the Imam Mosque), commissioned by Shah Abbas I (Safavid). Constructed 1611–1629. Four-iwan plan, 54-meter entrance portal iwan, double-shell turquoise dome, seven-color haft-rangi tile mosaic cladding. Considered the apex of Persian Islamic architecture. UNESCO World Heritage Site (Naqsh-e Jahan Square, 1979). In situ, Isfahan, Iran.
Scholarly Significance
Anchor Safavid architecture in the graph with the Imam Mosque Isfahan — the apex of Persian Islamic architecture and an in-situ UNESCO World Heritage monument under Shah Abbas I's patronage.
Patronage Context
Commissioned by Shah Abbas I as the Friday congregational mosque and royal statement at the south end of the Naqsh-e Jahan (Image of the World) square. Master architect attributed to Ali Akbar Isfahani. Foundation inscription by the calligrapher Ali Reza Abbasi. The mosque replaced the earlier Seljuk mosque on the same axis.