TEHRAN – Parts of Mirbahaeddin historical mosque in northwestern Zanjan province will undergo urgent rehabilitation works, provincial tourism chief Amir Arjmand announced on Monday, CHTN reported.

The mosque’s walls, arches, and foundation, as well as its electrical installations and insulation, need urgent restoration, which will be done in the near future, he added. 

The Qajar-era (1789-1925) mosque, which is a national cultural heritage, has a cistern and a columnar shabestan (an underground space that can be usually found in Iran’s traditional mosques, houses, and schools).

Zanjan is one of the cities founded by Sassanid King Ardashir I (180-242 CE). The province makes a base for wider explorations with the architectural wonder of Soltaniyeh, the subterranean delights of the Katale-Khor caves, colorful mountains, and the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleiman ruins are nearby.

In late January, Zanjan was designated as a “world city of filigree” by the World Crafts Council after the WCC assessors visited various craft workshops, stores, exhibits, and bazaars of a city in a two-day itinerary in last December.

Filigree consists of curling, twisting, or plaiting fine, pliable metal threads and soldering them at their points of contact with each other with a metal groundwork.

ABU/MG