blue mosque of tabriz

The Blue Mosque of Tabriz is one of the most prominent examples of Islamic architecture in East Azerbaijan Province. This historical monument is of interest to many architecture lovers in the world. Although, many parts of Blue Mosque of Tabriz have been destroyed in recent years, the art of Iranian architects is still visible. Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency invites you to read this article about this masterpiece.

Introduction of Blue Mosque of Tabriz

Iran has many magnificent mosques, each of which is a masterpiece of art and architecture. One of the historical and magnificent mosques of Iran is Blue Mosque of Tabriz. It has well displayed the post-Islamic architecture of Iran and is one of the few blue mosques in the world.
What makes it known as the Blue Mosque is the presence of azure tiles. It is one of the most spectacular attractions of Tabriz and many tourists visit it when traveling to this city. Art lovers love this place because of its turquoise and azure mosaic tiles. Exquisite lines and innovative geometric and Islamic designs of it have created an unparalleled example of architecture.

This beautiful mosque was built in the fifteenth century. Expert architects placed various tiles next to delicate and beautiful patterns and drawings so that harmonious colors are formed. This place has other names such as Goy Masjid, Shah Jahan Mosque, Emarat and Mozaffariyeh Mosque.

In the earthquake that occurred in 1779, this building severely damaged and even its dome collapsed. Today only one entrance and a few pedestals are left, but these few remains are also very glorious. This structure was built in 1466 by the order of Abu al-Muzaffar Jahanshah ibn Qarayusuf.

If you look at the inscription above the Tabriz Mosque’s entrance you will see the construction information of it. It is a representative of ancient Iranian architecture of Qaraquyunlu dynasty in their capital, Tabriz. It is so beautiful and attractive that despite all the damage, it still amazes art lovers. What makes it so famous is the use of mosaic tiles and detailed engravings in its interior and exterior design.

Architecture of Blue Mosque of Tabriz

This mosque is one of the masterpieces of Iranian architecture in the fifteenth century. It can be compared to Goharshad Mosque in Mashhad in terms of architecture and decorations. Both of these mosques belong to a same historical period.

In the construction of this Mosque, the architects paid a lot attention to the climate of Tabriz. So, it is in full accordance with the climate of this city. For example, the courtyard and nave of it can be used in all seasons. Most parts of it are made of bricks and some parts are made of marble. The bricks of this building are plastered and the main building is square. There is a pool in the middle of the square courtyard of it and there are naves on both sides of the courtyard. Throughout the building, a combination of bricks and mosaic tiles are visible. On the exterior surfaces, beautiful patterns are visible as well.

The main building of the Tabriz Mosque is located right in front of the courtyard and facing the qibla. The pillars of the mosque are 12 meters apart which are located on all four sides of it. The brick dome on it was destroyed after the earthquake and there is no trace of the old dome.
Today, the main parts of this building have been restored. Azure tiles are visible in different parts of it, most of which are hexagonal in shape. The architectural grandeur of this mosque attracts the attention of domestic and foreign tourists.

Unique features of Blue Mosque of Tabriz

This mosque has three distinctive features in comparison with buildings built in its period. The first case is the tiling and color combination of tiles and bricks in it. Each and every corner of it, is made of bricks. Each of brick stacked with the effort and art of Iranian architects. The artistic placement of the bricks together beautifies the lower columns, the inscriptions around the dome and the walls of this Mosque.

There are only four blue mosques in the world, one of which is the Mosque of Tabriz with blue and turquoise tiles. Another feature of this monument is the special architecture which is in accordance with the climate and weather conditions. 600 years ago, the architect thought about the climate and knew the solution of the climate problems of Tabriz. This fact that the architect knew how to use this solution while building this structure, is a great masterpiece. That should be encouraged. So, the people inside of mosque are protected from the cold weather of this city.

Considering a special design for the windows is another amazing feature of this mosque. This windows direct light and heat inside the Mosque. There are closets for placing shoes in the mosque which are the delicacies envisaged in the building. The third feature is the plan to build this monument. It does not have a side porch. After passing through the entrance of the mosque and the porches, you enter the main courtyard. Parallel columns and square scenes are one of the recurring features in the architecture of this place. The fact that the four pillars can hold such a large dome, is a masterpiece.

Decorations of the Blue Mosque of Tabriz

The most prominent interior decoration in this masterpiece is turquoise tiling. Most of the tiles of it are octagonal in shape but there are other forms among them. Inside this Mosque, turquoise stones are visible and the roof is painted with gold. The floor of the nave was built by marble stone. Moreover, the remaining columns in the nave are parallel. The artifacts inside the domes show the bricks decorate this building in the style of Azeri architecture. The large courtyard of the mosque used to be the location of the school, bath, monastery and library. The altar of it, is covered with tiles and inscriptions with verses from the Qur’an. Unfortunately, many parts of the altar decorations have been lost today.

In different parts of the Mosque, beautiful calligraphy decorates its walls. Geometric and Islamic designs are also engraved on the walls. The tiled inscription at the entrance of it states the date of construction of the mosque. But according to experts, this date is related to the time of completion of the interior decorations and tiles of this building.

The entrance area of ​​the mosque is also covered with beautiful flowers and turquoise tiles. The entrance of it considers as an identity card. Pieces of tiles on this entrance have been lost or missing over time. However, there is still an inscription and the name of Mozaffariyeh mansion is visible on it. The name of the calligrapher and interior designer of this monument is also engraved on this inscription. This place known as the “Turquoise of the Islamic World” because of the color of its tiles.

The Blue Mosque is an attraction that cannot be missed on your trip to the city of Tabriz. Seeing a photo of the Blue Mosque of Tabriz is enough to tempt you to see the azure tiles of this building. Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency offers you great tours to visit this amazing city and its attractions.