Zinatol Molok House

It is another historical house in the old quarter of Shiraz. This has used to be the house of Zinatol Molok, daughter of an eminent governor of the city.

Built during the Qajar dynasty, Zinatol Molok House is a beautiful Persian house with abundant rooms on sides and a garden in the middle. Meanwhile, the house enjoys lots of colorful decorations on the façade and inside.

Today, beside the historical importance and architectural beauty of the house, it is home to a museum known as the Madame Tussauds Museum of Iran.

The museum displays key figures, particularly of the Shiraz history including Cyrus the Great, King Darius I, King Aqa Mohammad Khan, Mansur Hallaj, King Karim Khan, Sadi, Empress Atousa, and great musician Barbad.

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Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

When someone brings up historical architecture, we picture beautiful arches, towering spires, sculptures and stone walls, but most of us probably don’t think of bright and vibrant colors. Nasir al-Molk Mosque, as illustrated by these photographs, is a striking and strong exception to the idea that historical structures might have been somewhat lacking in colors. Not only are its stained-glass windows richly colored, but its walls feature a beautiful and vibrantly colorful array of painted geometric tiles.

Construction on the mosque was begun in 1876 and completed in 1888 in Shiraz, Iran by the order of Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al Molk, a lord of the Qajar dynasty. The stained glass windows capture the morning light and create a glorious play of light on the floor of the mosque, earning it the name of the “Pink Mosque” and inviting these photographers to capture its beauty. Although some of the tiles that decorate it are rose-colored, it seems like the mosque includes almost every color under the sun.

The mosque features many elements of traditional Islamic architecture like iwan arches and a central fountain for ablutions, but stained-glass windows are relatively rare. Only a few other mosques, like the Masjid al-Aqsa and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, feature stained-glass windows.

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Sights of shiraz part6: Vakil mosque

The Vakil Mosque (Persian: مسجد وکیل ‎ - Masjed-e Vakil) is a mosque in Shiraz, southern Iran, situated to the west of the Vakil Bazaar next to its entrance. This mosque was built between 1751 and 1773, during the Zand period; however, it was restored in the 19th century during the Qajar period. Vakil means regent, which was the title used by Karim Khan, the founder of Zand Dynasty. Shiraz was the seat of Karim Khan’s government and he endowed many buildings, including this mosque.^{[1]
Vakil Mosque covers an area of 8,660 square meters. It has only two iwans instead of the usual four, on the northern and southern sides of a large open court. The iwans and court are decorated with typical Shirazi haft rangi tiles, a characteristic feature of the art and industry of Shiraz during the latter half of the 18th century. Its night prayer hall (Shabestan), with an area of approximately 2,700 square meters, contains 48 monolithic pillars carved in spirals, each with a capital of acanthus leaves. The minbar in this hall is cut from a solid piece of green marble with a flight of 14 steps and is considered to be one of the master pieces of the Zand period. The exuberant floral decorative tiles largely date from the Qajar period.}

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sights of shiraz part5: Hammam-e-Vakil

 

Vakil Bath is an old public bath in Shiraz, Iran. It was a part of the royal district constructed during Karim Khan Zand's reign, which includes Arg of Karim Khan, Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Mosque and many administrative buildings.

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sights of shiraz part4: Arg e Karim Khan

The Arg is a rectangular Brick Fortress, built in the 18th Century. Inside the walls is a small museum.
The building served as both a fort, and residence for its builder. Some of the residential rooms have been restored (and in some cases populated by slightly tacky dioramas)
The interior courtyard is filled with shady citrus trees, providing relief form the heat. The smell of orange blossoms pervades the courtyard in springtime. The park benches provide some privacy for couples to meet.

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sights of shiraz part3: Tomb of Hafez

The Tomb of Hafez and its associated memorial hall, the Hāfezieh, are two memorial structures erected in the northern edge of Shiraz, Iran, in memory of the celebrated Persian poet Hafez. The open pavilion structures are situated in the Musalla Gardens on the north bank of a seasonal river and house the marble tomb of Hafez. The present buildings, built in 1935 and designed by the French architect and archaeologist André Godard, are at the site of previous structures, the most well-known of which was built in 1773. The tomb, its gardens, and the surrounding memorials to other great figures are a focus of tourism in Shiraz.

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sights of shiraz part2: Vakil Bazaar

Vakil Bazaar (Persian: بازار وکیل‎) is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.
It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly by the Atabaks of Fars, and only was renamed after Karim Khan Zand in the 18th century.
The Bazaar has beautiful courtyards, caravansarais, bath houses, and old shops which are deemed among the best places in Shiraz to buy all kinds of Persian rugs, spices, copper handicrafts and antiques.
Like other middle eastern Bazaars there are a few numbers of mosques and Imamzadehs constructed adjacent or behind the Bazaar.
The traditional shopping Mall of the old city, the tall brick vaulted domes shelter a plethora of shops, from fabric ('madam can have any colour, so long as it is black...') to spices and herbs, carpets and kitchenware. 

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sights of shiraz part1: The Shah e Cheragh

The Shah e Cheragh contains the elaborate mirror glass mausoleum of the two brothers, who fled to Shiraz during one of many periods of persecution of Shia Muslims by followers of a different version of their imaginary friend.

The once simple toms of Mir Ahmed and Mir Mohammad have been transformed into elaborate structures, topped by beautiful onion shaped domes. This site is an important pilgrimage site, and security is enforced. No photographs are permitted, so we could enjoy the relaxed peace of the wide courtyard of the complex undistracted by the need to seek out the perfect photo. Women must don a chador, which the women in the booth help to affix, but my wife Minuk found that the damn thing kept trying to fall off.

We first entered the Shrine of Mir Mohammad, at the rear of the courtyard, separate entrances provided for ladies and gentlemen. We parted, and wandered inside around the mirrored maze of the interior, finding the tomb at it's centre. It is very relaxed inside, folk sit on the carpets either talking quietly or praying. Everyone wants to touch or be near the tomb itself, inside a metal screen.

Outside again, to the larger shrine of Mir Ahmed, with its twin minarets, where the experience was similar, though busier. The stricture on photos not extending to those taken on mobile phones!

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introduction to shiraz sights

in my next posts i am going to write about the sights of shiraz and  i think it's important because all of them is actually close to Qalat and interesting to visit so lets do this

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