Isfahan--one of Iran's most beautiful cities

tiled courtyard of Jame Abbasi Mosque in Isfahan

Isfahan is one of Iran’s most beautiful cities.  Its Jame Abbasi Mosque rivals Uzbekistan’s gorgeous Registan and Timur’s Tomb with its brilliant tile work, also from Timur’s time.  The mosque is an interesting one, as it has an entry that is at an angle to the mosque itself.  It stands at one end of the enormous Imam Square, the second largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in China.  When it was time to build the mosque, the direction of the preexisting square was not towards Mecca, which is essential for a mosque.  So, the architect made a jog in the entry to the mosque so that it could face Mecca.  You don't realize that unless someone points it out because you walk through a dark, tiled corridor to the mosque's main entrance, making the jog without really thinking about it.  Clever.

mihrab of Jame Abbasi mosque

interior dome of Jame Abbasi mosque

Inside the mosque is gorgeous tile and plaster work.  The dome is huge, and is also an interesting architectural feature.  The tiled dome inside the mosque has another dome above it on the outside, which it supports.  At the highest point of both domes, the difference is 56 feet.

dates and coconuts in the bazaar

All along the outside of the Imam Square is Isfahan's bazaar, which extends way beyond the square, meandering in alleyways in all directions.  You can buy just about anything in the bazaar, from chadors to men's suits to spices to food and cooking utensils and carpets.  It is a busy place with women in black chadors shopping, men pushing carts of goods through the crowds and hawkers trying to get you into their shops.

On one side of the mosque is a medrassa, a religious school.  While most imams preach moderation and peace, the government prefers to have radicals teach in the medrassas.  Given all the kind people we've met, that message appears to be reaching a narrow audience.

mihrab in the Jame Abbasi medrassa

About halfway down the rectangular square is the most beautiful mosque, called the Women's Mosque, which is for everyone, not just women.  I could have sat there for a long time just enjoying the mosaics of tiles and the peacefulness.  It is smaller than the Jame Abbasi Mosque, but perfect in all its details.  I'll add some photos below.

Across from the Women's Mosque is one of the royal palaces.  On one side, it looks like it is 3 stories high; on the other, 4 stories, and it is actually 6 stories.  There are unusual frescoes of European women in flowing, low-cut dresses, which is a bit surprising in a Muslim palace.

Armenian Orthodox Cathedral

One of the highlights of Isfahan is the Armenian Orthodox Cathedral, a small building completely covered on the inside with paintings from the Old and New Testaments.  Next door is a museum dedicated to the Turkish genocide of the Armenian population in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire. a genocide that Turkey refuses to recognize.  Among the many documents, photos and films about the genocide is an order from the Ottoman Sultan to kill all the Armenians in one city, without sparing anyone, old, sick, women, children--kill them all.

Shah's palace 

Amidst all the beauty of this part of the world, there remains the terrible history of conquest and slaughter, as waves of invaders swept across Central Asia and the Middle East over and over and as empires fought one another for gain and glory.  There was not much mercy during these wars.  But, the killing wasn't done in the name of Islam, which preached peace in these parts, but with the goal of conquest and power.  After all the destruction was done, many of the conquerors then built incredible monuments to themselves, many still standing today for us to admire.

Women's Mosque tiled alcove

tile detail in Women's Mosque