The Glittering Mausoleum of Shah-e-Cheragh

Sep 22, 2014 4 comments

Shah-e-Cheragh is a funerary monument and mosque located in the city of Shiraz, in Iran, where lies the tomb of Amir Ahmad and his brother Mir Muhammad, sons of the seventh Imam and brothers of Imam Reza. Amir Ahmad and Mir Muhammad were hunted down and killed by the caliphate on this site in AD 835 during the Abbasid persecution of the Shi'ite sect. The brothers' tombs, originally only simple mausoleums, became celebrated pilgrimage destinations in the 14th century when the pious and art-loving Queen Tashi Khatun erected a mosque and theological school by the tombs. After carrying out essential repairs, the queen ordered the tomb to be covered with millions of pieces of colored glass that glitter in the light and magnify its brilliance a thousand times. Shah-e-Cheragh is one of the most beautiful mosques and an important pilgrimage center of the city of Shiraz.

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The glittering interior of Shah-e-Cheragh. A still from the movie Baraka.

The wide mosque is flanked by two minarets and dominated by a dome is located in the west wing. The high eaves are supported by thick octagonal columns connected by a wall of green marble, carved entirely of wood. The entrance is guarded by a heavy door, plated with gold and enamel with a glass panel at its center. The pilgrims kiss and fondle the door as you enter.

Inside, the enormous dome above the shrine is inlaid with hundreds of thousands of pieces of finely crafted tiles, and the interior walls are covered with myriad pieces of dazzling glass intermixed with multi-colored tiles – green, yellow, red and blue, interspersed with glasses of paler shades sometimes. High and large windows down to the ground are largely made up of mosaics of stained glass which are reflected in the mosaics of mirrors. Embedded in the walls everywhere are verses from the Quran written on silk paper and framed. The green marble floor is covered with thick red Iranian carpets and magnificent crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling above.

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The glittering interior of Shah-e-Cheragh. A still from the movie Baraka.

In the center, under the dome, lies the tomb of Syed Mir Ahmad. The marble tombstone, topped with a wide, low lacquer box inlaid structure is surrounded by a finely engraved silver with glass openings showing the inside. Verses from the Quran are written in gold letters on a blue background, and flowers are inlaid or carved into the metal. In another corner lies the tomb of Mir Muhammad that looks the same but much smaller than the tomb of his elder brother.

The brothers’ tombs were built in the 12th century by the chief minister to the monarch Atabeg Abū Sa'id Zangi, who also built the tomb chamber, the dome, as well as a colonnaded porch. The mosque remained this way for roughly 200 years before further work was initiated by Queen Tash Khātūn during the years 1344-1349 AD. She carried out essential repairs, constructed an edifice, a hall of audience, a fine college, and a tomb for herself on the south side. She also presented a unique Qur'an of thirty volumes, written in golden Sols characters with gold decoration, which is now preserved in the Pars Museum.

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Sources: Wikipedia / Iran View / Ontheroad-again.com

Comments

  1. I think the only appropriate word to cover this place is "wow". Talk about beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it is extraordinary to clothe a place of devotion in light.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know this isn't going to be a popular comment. I'm sure to see it in person would be jaw dropping, but to me, it's tacky and butt ugly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Obviously you haven't seen it in person or you wouldn't be making this rude comment.

      Delete

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