TEHRAN – On Friday, Tehran hosted a conference on the centuries-old Friday mosque of Meybod, which is named after the oasis city in central Iran.

Organized by the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism, the meeting explored the development of the mosque over time and its relationship with the Meybod’s history, CHTN reported on Saturday.

An archaeological survey conducted in the early 2000s revealed that the mudbrick mosque dates back to the first and the second centuries AH, the report said.

Moreover, the survey showed the mosque was mostly thriving during the seventh and ninth centuries AH.

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

According to UNESCO, Meybod is a remarkable example of the viability and transmission of human beings’ collective thoughts from different generations to the present one. “What is significant in the city of Meybod is the regularity in city planning. The anatomy and spatial structure of the city show original plans which conform with the old Iranian city planning.”

Yazd is usually referred to as a delightful place to stay, or a “don't miss” destination by almost all of its visitors. The city is full of mud-brick houses that are equipped with innovative badgirs (wind catchers), atmospheric alleyways, and many Islamic and Iranian monuments that shape its eye-catching city landscape.

ABU/ AM