Nasir al-Mulk

Shiraz, Iran

Mostly known as the ‘Pink Mosque’, Nasir al-Mulk was built by order of one of the lords of the Qajar dynasty, Mirza Hassan Ali Nasir al-Mulk, in 1888 CE. The mosque has a bizarre plan, consisting of two īwāns that lead to nowhere, with their function purely as north and south façades of the courtyard. The southern īwān is not the focal point as is usual, instead it is shallow with two maazaneh. The northern īwān is deeper and covered with beautiful pink ceramics and muqarnases. In addition, the main prayer hall is on the west side of the courtyard instead of the south. It is this that the mosque is famed for, with its wood and coloured-glass doors and their effects on the interior of the hypostyle space. Once the sunlight hits the stained glass, the entire chamber is filled with a rainbow of colours which reflect on the carved-stone columns, brick walls and tiled ceiling, creating a memorable spiritual experience for any visitor. There are 12 monolith stone columns, representing 12 Shia Imams, in the western chamber. The eastern, or winter, chamber is much simpler in its ornamentation, with only seven simple stone columns.