5/5 Adib Asgar R. 4 years ago on Google
It
was
built
by
the
order
of
Empress Goharshad,
the
wife
of Shah
Rukh of
the Timurid
dynasty in
1418
CE.
The
architect
of
the
edifice
was
Ghavameddin
Shirazi,
who
is
responsible
for
so
many
of
Shah
Rukh's
great
buildings,
with
the
architectural
and
decorative
manpower
supplied
from Shirazand Isfahan.
The
mosque
underwent
some
renovations
during
the Safavid and Qajar eras.
It
has
four iwans and
a
courtyard
measuring
50 m
× 55 m
(164 ft
× 180 ft),
as
well
as
several shabestans.
The
double
layered
dome
of
the
mosque
was
severely
damaged
in
1911
in
bombings
by
troops
of
the Russian
Empire.
The
first
and
the
greatest
surviving, Persian
monument of
the
fifteenth
century
is
the
beautiful
mosque
of
Gawhar
Shad
(1418)
now
abutting
the
shrine
of
the
Imam
Reza
in
Mashhad.
Its
portal
continues
the Samarkandstyle
of
arch
within
arch,
enriched
by
a
succession
of bevels and
reveals
that
give
it
depth
and
power.
The
thick,
tower-like minarets,
merging
with
the
outer
corners
of
the
portal
screen,
extend
to
the
ground
and,
together
with
the
high
foundation revetment of
marble,
give
the
ensemble
the
impression
of
solidity
necessary
to
support
its
exuberant
color.
The
entire
court facade is
faced
with
enamel
brick
and mosaicfaience of
the
finest
quality.
The
full
scale
of
colors
includes
a
dominant
cobalt
blue
and
turquoise,
white,
a
transparent
green,
yellow,
saffron,
aubergine
and
mirrorblack
-
all
tones
fluctuating
through
several
shades.
The patterns lucid
and
vigorous,
are
artfully
adapted
to
their
decorative
role,
whether
for
eye-panels,
or
dome
ornament
meant
to
be
effective
at
a
thousand
feet.
Monotony,
difficult
to
avoid
in
such
a
large
area,
and
a
distracting
intricacy
that
might
compete
with
the
essential
architectural
forms
are
both
forestalled.
This
is
accomplished
by
the
energy
of
the
faience
floral
patterns
and
brick geometrical
schemes;
by
the
emphatic
rhythm
of
the
arcades,
open
galleries
and
deep
recesses;
and
especially
by
the
contrast
of
the
ivans.
— Arthur
Pope,
Persian
Architecture:
The
Triumph
of
Form
and
Color[1
