Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque or the Pink Mosque is one of the old mosques of Shiraz and is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Iran. This mosque is located in a neighborhood called “Gaud-e Araban” (lit. Arabs’ Pit) and near the Shah Cheragh Shrine. This building was built at the end of the 19th century over a period of more than 12 years.

History of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Located over an area of 2980 sq. meters, the construction of this mosque started in 1293 AH (1876 AD) and ended in 1305 AH (1888 AD). The reason for naming this mosque “Nasir al-Mulk” was that it was built on the order of a Qajar courtier by the name of Ali Mollabashi, nicknamed Nasir al-Mulk.

Features and Architecture of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is full of eye-catching beauties. A noteworthy point about the architecture of the mosque is the presence of wooden beams in some parts. Based on the experience of Iranian architects, these wooden beams were used as shock absorbers in various buildings to prevent them from collapsing during possible earthquakes. Although these beams are usually not visible, they can be seen in some parts of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque.

The Entrance of the Mosque

The entrance of the mosque has a large archway, the roof of which is decorated with seven-colored tiles. The beautiful muqarnas work of the entrance arch is the first beauty of the mosque that catches the eyes of every viewer. The entrance door of the mosque is a two-leaf wooden door decorated with a poem composed by Shourideh, a Shirazi poet.

The Western Shabestan of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

There are two naves in the west and east of the mosque. The western nave is built with a brick facade and stone columns with spiral designs, in two rows of six. The total number of these columns is 12, equal to the number of Shiite imams. Seven wooden doors can be seen in the western nave, each of which has a separate portal. This nave was used for prayer in winter.

The front porch of this Shabestan, which is six meters wide, has eight arches and is connected to the courtyard. Tiles decorated with flowers and bushes and verses of the Holy Qur’an on the brick walls and above the arches.

The Eastern Shabestan of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

There is a lot of similarity between this Shabestan and that of the Vakil Mosque and the Moshir Mosque. The pillars of Shabestan, which is used as the “Awqaf Museum” today, are made of sandstone and are made in one piece. The vault and walls of the eastern nave are decorated with beautiful tiles. These tiles are embellished with flowers, arabesque designs, and verses of the Holy Qur’an written in thulth script.

The precision exerted in making the decorations is so much that even the floor of this nave is covered with turquoise tiles. The floor of the mihrab (niche) of this Shabestan is made of marble and is placed below the level of the mosque in the style of most Islamic mosques. Due to the fact that the sun shines less on this nave and it usually has a lower temperature than other parts of the mosque, it was used in summer.

There is a door in one corner of the nave that leads to a water well. This well is called “Gav-ro” or “Cow Well” because they could pull out water from the well by using the power of a cow. A pond and a corridor can be seen near the well.

There is a stone inscription in the northern corridor of this Shabestan, on which a poem, the names of the architects, and the date of the beginning and end of the construction of the mosque are inscribed.

The Pearl Arch

There are two north and south porches in the mosque, which are not similar in terms of their architecture. The northern porch is more decorated than the southern one and has three semi-arches on three sides and is connected to the courtyard from the fourth side. The middle arch, which is known as the “Pearl Arch”, is higher and the date 1299 AH (1881 AD) can be seen on its left side.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1979.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque or the Pink Mosque is one of the old mosques of Shiraz and is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Iran.