TEHRAN - Photos show interior and exterior views of Jameh Mosque of Hamedan, August 20, 2019.

The Qajar-era (1789-1925) monument is where communal prayers are said five times a day by the faithful. Form another point of view, its culture and architecture have been sources of charm for travelers to the west-central Iranian city.

The mosque is rectangular in shape. It used to have four ivans (porticos) of which three have been remained. The mosque comprises of two areas for communal prayers, a brick dome, and a relatively vast courtyard with a huge pool in the center.

It also has two shabestans, six minarets and three balconies in northern, eastern and southern directions. Shabestan is an underground space that can be usually found in Iran’s traditional mosques, houses, and schools.

The mosque, which is a national cultural heritage, has a double-shell dome, decorated with colorful glazed tiles, it also boasts intricate stuccowork, woodwork, and tilework, many of which embellished with arabesque designs.

The terms “Jameh Mosque” or “Masjed-e Jameh” or “Friday Mosque” is used in Iran for a grand communal mosque where mandatory Friday prayers are performed: the phrase is used in other Muslim countries but only in Iran does it designate this purpose.

Known in classical times as Ecbatana, Hamedan was one of the ancient world’s greatest cities. It was the capital of Media and subsequently a summer residence of the Achaemenian kings who ruled Persia from 553 to 330 BC. Ali Sadr cave, Ganjnameh inscriptions, Avicenna mausoleum, Hegmataneh hill, Alaviyan dome, Jameh mosque, and St. Stephanos Gregorian Church are amongst Hamedan’s attractions to name a few.

(Photos: Tehran Times/Iman Hamikhah) 

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