Bishapur Palace Area - Overview

See arial photos and mosaics found in Bishapur HERE!

2013-05-17
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Bishapur Palace Area - Overview
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Bishapur Palace Ruin - overview

The Palace complex of Bishapur from the top of one of its four iwans. According to an inscription, the city itself was founded in 266 by Shapur I (241-272), who was the second Sassanid king and inflicted a triple defeat on the Romans, having killed Gordian III, captured Valerian and forced Philip the Arab to surrender. In his native province of Fars, he built a new city that would measure up to his ambitions: Bishapur, Shapur's City. Outside the city, Shapur decorated the sides of the Bishapur River gorge with huge historical reliefs commemorating his triple triumph over Rome.

See arial photos and mosaics found in Bishapur HERE!

2013-05-17
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Bishapur Palace Ruin - overview
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Bishapur Palace Ruin - Hall

The palace of Bishapur, a cross-shaped central room and several smaller halls adjacent to it. the building consisted of four half vaults (iwans) and an open square in the middle, the same building type as the "four iwan mosque", which was designed in the Middle Ages. There are sixty-four niches, which were apparently decorated with statues. Mosaics have been found in several rooms and in several places, stucco decorations were found.

To the west and east of the central, cross-shaped hall, are the rooms that are known as the western and eastern mosaic halls. To the north was the mysterious building that is commonly known as the "temple of Anahita". See arial photos and mosaics found in Bishapur HERE!

2013-05-17
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Bishapur Palace Ruin - Hall
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Naghsh-e Jahan Square - by Night

Naghsh-e Jahan, Naqshe Jahan, Emam or Imam Square (Meydan-e Naghsh-e Jahan) in Esfahan by night. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is now an important historical site, and one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

It is a rectanglar square with a length of 500 meters from north to south with a width of approximately 165 meters. It is completely surrounded by decorated arcades and a bazaar, with the center of each side marked by a monumental building. The entrance to the Grand Bazaar (northern side) and the Imam Mosque are opposite one another on the short ends while the Ali Qapu Palace (western side) and the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque face one another on the longer sides. See a panorama of here in daylight here.

2013-05-17
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Naghsh-e Jahan Square - by Night
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Masjed-e Emam - Northeast Ivan

Masjed-e Emam (or Arabic Masjid-i Imam) (originally named Masjed-e Shah) the Imam's Mosque in Esfahan, Iran was built on the southern side of Naqsh-e Jahan square, under Safavid Shah Abbas around 1600 AC. The mosque's monumental portal iwan is located exactly opposite the portal iwan on the northern arcade of the square, which connects the entrance to the grand bazaar.

Masjid-i Shah has a courtyard (50 by 67 m) surrounded by a two-story arcade on four sides with four iwans, one at the center of each side. Here the Northwest iwan which via a triangular vestibule connects the main portal to the courtyard.

2013-05-17
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Masjed-e Emam - Northeast Ivan
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Masjed-e Emam - Sanctuary

Masjed Emam (previously Masjed-e Shah) The Imam's Mosque. The main dome of the mosque behind the largest of the four iwans in the courtyard opposite to the iwan connected to the main portal.

The dome of the sanctuary (Shabestan) is vast in scale (25 meters across by 52 meters high) and comprises two shells, the bulbous dome being fourteen meters higher than the interior dome. The interior of the dome is ornamented with a sunburst at the apex from which descend tiers of arabesque. The mosque's interior and exterior walls are fully covered with a polychrome, mostly dark blue, glazed tile revetment above a continuous marble dado.

2013-05-17
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Masjed-e Emam - Sanctuary
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Masjed-e Emam - 3

Masjed Emam (previously Masjed-e Shah) The Imam's Mosque. Here a Sangab (litterally a water stone bowl) a stone bowl carved in a one piece of stone as Water is an important element in the design; both the main court and the courts of the madrasas have pools at their center reflecting the architectural splendor of the Masjid-i Shah and here inside the building as this huge fountain.

Throughout the whole mosque, with the exception of the sanctuary dome and portal iwan, Shah Abbas was keen to minimize labor costs and time by introducing a novel technique called "kashi haft-rangi" (seven colored tiles). The haft-rangi is usually a square tile that incorporates various colors in one firing.

2013-05-17
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Masjed-e Emam - 3
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Alighapoo Palace

Alighapoo or Aali Qhapu ("High Porte" or "Great Gate") is a grand palace in Esfahan/Isfahan, Iran. It is located on the western side of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square opposite to Sheikh Lotf-allah mosque, and had been originally designed as a vast portal.

2013-05-17
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Alighapoo Palace
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