Moshir al Molk Mosque

The beautiful religious building remained from the Qajar era, the Moshir al Molk mosque was built on the initiative of Mirza Abulhasan Moshir al-Molk, the great ruler of the province of Fars during the Qajar period. The construction lasted ten years and was completed in 1858. These dates can be read on the different Evans of the mosque - 1849 in the west and 1858 in the east.

The Moshir al-Molk Mosque is a very solid building, which makes it a pleasant exception among the Qajar structures. The structure entered through a somewhat worn and time-worn portal, with tiles framing a heavy door with metallic thorns. The door leads to an anteroom with a screened stone window in the rear wall, through which we can see the west side of the mosque. Two side corridors connect the anteroom to a rectangular courtyard. The Moshir al-Molk Mosque is unusually built on a three-story plan (with the porches on the north sides 6, west, and east 6), and has along its south side nine arcades, occupied in the past by theology students. The most beautiful in the north of Eivan, surmounted by a pair of tiled minarets. It is abundantly adorned with excellent Qajar earthenware tiles and fine Mogarnas at the bottom of the vault. The West Eivan is also very attractive. It is surmounted by the first clock tower of Shiraz and a Badgir, which improves air circulation in the main prayer hall of the mosque located behind the porch.

The room is supported by two rows of stone columns, similar in shape to the columns of the Vakil Mosque, but less elegant. The Mihrab is covered with carved tiles and stone slabs but is generally commonplace. Its only notable feature is a fine Naskh inscription of verses from the Koran. Another prayer hall of the mosque is located along its south side. It is supported by four columns with spiral trees, which extend in a row opposite the tiled mihrab and two flanking niches, also with beautiful tiles. Today, this room is generally closed and only opens on special occasions. In the past, the mosque was watered by a Qanat, whose stone waterway has survived before the north eivan. This mosque is located inside the city in the Sang-i-siyáh district. The building was started in 1848 and was completed around 1857. Its construction and earthenware are remarkable, and it is one of the beautiful well-preserved mosques in Shiraz. On the north side, there are a small prayer hall, the ceiling, and walls of which have been decorated with earthenware, and part of it is also decorated with pendants. A beautiful faience inscription in the character of Suls adorns the exterior, which is dated 1270 A.H. (1853 A.D.). Above this prayer hall, there are two earthenware-covered domes from which the call to prayer is made.

On the east side, there is a raised arch, the corners of which are filled with earthenware. Below the arch, there is the hanging structure, called "muqarnas", while above some verses from the Koran have been inscribed in a beautiful Suls character. On the west side, there is also a large prayer hall, the roof of which is supported by ten stone columns. Near this mosque is a large house, called Mushir Huseinieh, which was once used to mourn the martyrdom of Imám Husein, and which is now a school. There is a large room on the north side, which is generally well preserved. The interior features inscriptions in Nasta’liq and Suls characters on colored tiles. The ceiling has a painted design, which has suffered damage, and only a small part remains intact. The two large monolithic columns, on which flowers and foliage have been carved, are among the attractive features of these buildings. Above the room is a tiled scene showing the events that took place in Karbalá, when Imám Husein, the third Imám of the Shiah, was martyred in 680 AD The day of the resurrection is also depicted. The walls which surround the deplorable poems inscribed in the character Suls on the faience attract attention. To the east of Huseinieh is a large hall, also decorated with poems in Suls characters on enameled tiles. This Huseinieh was once larger, but some over time has been absorbed by neighboring houses.