Title on Photograph: MEIDUN (TOWN SQUARE/OPEN SPACE). MASJED-E EMAM MOSQUE.
Material: PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT
Site: IRAN, ISFAHAN
Image Date: 1995
Photographer: BOARDMAN, JOHN
Comments on Photo: 10 X 15.5 CM
Comments on Subject: MASJED-E EMAN IS COMPLETELY COVERED, INSIDE AND OUT, WITH THE PALE BLUE TILES THAT BECAME THE ESFAHAN TRADEMARK. THE MAIN DOME IS DOUBLE-LAYERED AND ALTHOUGH THE ENTRANCE, WITH ITS TWIN MINARETS, FACES SQAURELY OUT ONTO THE SQUARE, THE MOSQUE ITSELF IS AT AN ANGLE TO FACE TOWARDS MECCA. IT WAS BUILT IN 26 YEARS BY SHAH ABBAS I AND WAS COMPLETED IN 1638. THE MAGNIFICENT ENTRANCE PROTAL, SOME 30 METRES TALL, IS A SUPREME EXAMPLE OF SAFAVID ARCHITECTURAL STYLES. (IRAN LONELY PLANT 1992) THE FIRST MOSQUE ON THE SITE WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY EIGHTH CENTURY, ACCORDING TO TRADITION, ON THE SITE OF A FIRE TEMPLE, AND REBUILT ABOUT A.D. 842 IN THE ABBASID PERIOD, BEING ADDED TO IN A.D. 908-932. IT WAS DESIGNED AS FOUR SEPARATE BUILDINGS GROUPED ROUND A COURTYARD ENCLOSED BY ARCADES, WITH TWO-STOREY OPEN GALLERIES. MOST OF THE WOODEN SUPERSTRUCTURE WAS DESTROYED DURING TUGHRIL BEG'S SIEGE AND USED FOR FIREWOOD; THE SALJUQS REBUILT THE MOSQUE KEEPING TO THE OLD PLAN, AND THE OLDEST SURVIVING PORTIONS ARE THE MIHRAB ROOM, BUILT BY NIZAM AL-MULK PERHAPS C. 1080 ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE COURTYARD.(PERSIA AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDE BY SYLVIA A. MATHESON, 1972)
