Iran - Andrew Burke [221]
Masjed-e Jameh-ye Atigh
Walking through the southeastern (back) entrance to the Shah-e Cheragh courtyard and turning right after about 50m leads to the ancient Jameh-ye Atigh Mosque (Masjed-e Jameh-ye Atigh; variable). Dating from 894 this is Shiraz’s oldest Islamic structure, though most of what you see is from the late Safavid period onwards.
While the dome of the north iwan and the hypostyle columns in the ancient prayer hall in the southeast corner are impressive, the highlight is the rare turreted Khodakhaneh (House of God). It was built in the mid-14th century (or perhaps earlier) to preserve valuable Qurans; poet Hafez is believed to have worked here. The Khodakhaneh bears an uncanny likeness to the Kaaba at Mecca, and bears a unique Sassanid-style Tholth inscription in raised stone characters on a tiled background.
Madraseh-ye Khan
In 1615, Imam Gholi Khan, governor of Fars, founded the serene Madraseh-ye Khan (Dastqeib St; knock on the door) theological college for about 100 students. The original building has been extensively damaged by earthquakes and only the impressive portal at its entrance has survived; watch for the unusual type of stalactite moulding inside the outer arch and some intricate mosaic tiling with much use of red, in contrast to the tiles used in Yazd and Esfahan. The college (still in use) has a fine stone-walled inner courtyard and garden.
The building can be reached via a lane off Lotfali Khan St. The doors are usually closed but if you get lucky the caretaker will open it; a tip is appreciated. If you get in, ask to be shown to the roof for panoramic views over the bazaar.
Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque
Down the road from the Madraseh-ye Khan, Masjed-e Nasir-ol-Molk (Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque; off Lotfali Khan St; admission IR15,000; 8am-1pm & 3.30-5pm, to 6pm summer) is one of the most elegant and photographed mosques in southern Iran. Built at the end of the 19th century, its coloured tiling (an unusually deep shade of blue) is exquisite. There is some particularly fine stalactite moulding in the smallish outer portal and in the northern iwan, but it is the stunning stained glass, exquisitely carved pillars and polychrome faience of the winter prayer hall that are most eye-catching. Photographers should come as early as possible in the morning for shots of the hall lit up through the glass (you might have to tip the caretaker to open the curtains). A museum in the opposite prayer hall opens into the Gav Cha (Cow Well), in which cows walked downhill to raise water. The structure has survived numerous earthquakes, due in part to its construction using flexible wood as struts within the walls – look for the wooden bricks in the iwan columns.
BAGH-E NARANJESTAN & KHAN-E ZINAT OL-MOLK
Bagh-e Naranjestan (Orange Garden; Lotfali Khan St; admission IR30,000; 7.30am-6pm, 8am-7.30pm in summer) is Shiraz’s smallest garden and is famous as the setting for the opulently decorated Naranjestan-e Ghavam pavilion, built between 1879 and 1886, as part of a complex owned by one of Shiraz’s wealthiest Qajar-era families. The pavilion’s mirrored entrance hall opens onto rooms covered in a breathtaking combination of intricate tiles, inlaid wooden panels and stained-glass windows. Ceilings in the upstairs rooms are particularly interesting, with the beams painted with European-style motifs, including Alpine churches and busty German frauleins.
Down a small lane beside the garden is the Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk (Fars History Museum; 224 0035; 9am-7pm), which was originally the private, andaruni area of the complex and is named after its last owner, the daughter of the builder Qavam. Today most of the finely decorated rooms are stuffed with exhibits in the Fars History Museum, while others serve as galleries for young Shirazi artists. The gardens are in a walled compound