Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk and the art of coloured light

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk in Shiraz is a Qajar-era mosque where coloured glass, pink tiles and carved stone turn morning light into patterned colour across its interior.

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk in Shiraz is a Qajar-era mosque where coloured glass, pink tiles and carved stone turn the morning light into a moving pattern across floors and arches. Completed in 1888 under the patronage of Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al-Mulk, it stands in a modest neighbourhood south of Lotfali Khan Zand Street as one of Iran’s most elaborate exercises in light and colour in mosque architecture.Completed in 1888

Qajar craftsmanship in stone, tile and glass

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk belongs to the architectural tradition of the Qajar period, which shaped many religious buildings in Fars province in the late nineteenth century.Architectural buildings of the Qajar period Construction began in 1876 and continued for twelve years until completion in 1888, giving the builders time to refine the complex interplay of stone, brick, tile and glass that defines the mosque’s interior.Construction between 1876 and 1888

The mosque was commissioned by Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al-Mulk, a Qajar-era lord whose name the building still carries, and the design is attributed to craftsmen such as Muhammad Hasan the Architect and Mirza Riza Kashi.Patron and master craftsmen Within the mosque, stone columns with carved capitals support vaults lined with coloured tiles, while timber frames hold panels of stained glass that filter the daylight into bands and patches of colour across the prayer hall.

The pink tiles and the hall of stained glass

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk is also known as the “Pink Mosque” because of the extensive use of pink-toned tiles in its decoration, especially in the inner surfaces of its arcades and domes.Dubbed the Pink Mosque Floral and geometric motifs in shades of pink, blue and yellow cover the walls and arches, giving the interior a soft but intricate colour palette even when the sun is low.

The most recognised space within Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk is a prayer hall lined on one side with tall panels of stained glass. When the sun shines through these windows, sunlight passes through coloured panes and falls onto the patterned carpets and stone floor as bands of red, blue, green and gold.Play of light through coloured glass The hall’s columns, arches and tilework catch this light so that structural details and ornament shift in appearance over the course of the morning.

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk in its Shiraz neighbourhood

The mosque stands in the Gowd-e Araban district of Shiraz, in Fars province, south of Lotfali Khan Zand Street and close to the shrine complex of Shah Cheragh.Gowd-e Araban district location Its entrance opens from a narrow lane into a courtyard framed by arcades, with views towards the tiled façades and the main prayer halls.

The wider neighbourhood contains other historic sites of Shiraz, including bazaars, madrasahs and gardens from different periods, making Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk part of a larger ensemble of religious and civic architecture in the city.Located close to other attractions Within this setting, the mosque’s combination of coloured glass, carved stone and Qajar tilework stands out as a distinct chapter in Shiraz’s architectural history.

Visiting Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk is in the Gowd-e Araban district of Shiraz in Fars province, south of Lotfali Khan Zand Street and within walking distance of the Shah Cheragh shrine.
• The mosque complex is entered from a lane into a courtyard, and access to the prayer halls involves walking across stone paving and using stairways with steps.
• The wider area around Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk includes other historic structures such as mosques, madrasahs and bazaar buildings, so walks between sites pass along traditional streets with uneven surfaces.
• The official language is Persian and the currency is the Iranian rial.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk

Where is Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk located?

Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk is located in the Gowd-e Araban district of Shiraz, in Fars province in Iran, south of Lotfali Khan Zand Street and near the Shah Cheragh shrine.

What should visitors expect inside the mosque?

Visitors encounter a courtyard leading to prayer halls decorated with pink tiles, carved stone columns and stained glass panels that cast coloured light across the interior surfaces.

What makes Masjed-e Nasir ol-Molk distinctive among mosques in Shiraz?

The mosque’s combination of Qajar-era architecture, extensive pink tilework and the play of coloured light created by its stained glass windows gives it a distinctive character within Shiraz’s religious architecture.