Jameh Mosque of Saveh
Encyclopedia
The Jameh Mosque of Saveh ( – Masjid-e-Jāmeh Sāveh) is a Seljuk-era
mosque, located in Saveh
, Iran. This monument was built in the 12th century, coinciding with the establishment of the city itself.
, a few nocturnal areas, dome and two archaic altars with inscription in Kufic
script. Two altars dating to the Safavid-era are adorned with inscriptions in Thuluth
script. There are also other inscriptions, inscribed with sacred verses, in Kufic and Thuluth scripts. There is an elevated porch between two nocturnal areas in the western front, and at its either sides there exists several chambers.
The mosque has a rectangular open court which is 36x44 meters and is surrounded by columns made of brick. In the west side of the open court, there is a large iwan
; the iwan's height and width are nearly the same. The dome of this mosque is 14 meters in diameter and 16 meters high. Internally the dome has been adorned with tiles.
The mosque, originally, had two minarets but only one minaret remains standing; the minaret is 14 meters in height and 3.5 meters in diameter. The superb, varied bands of raised brick patterns and inscriptions in Kufic and Naskhi
scripts make this minaret the finest of the Seljuk period still standing. The upper section is missing and the lowest section of the remaining shaft has been restored with plain brick bond.
Great Seljuq Empire
The Great Seljuq Empire was a medieval Persianate, Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuq Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf...
mosque, located in Saveh
Saveh
Sāveh is a city in the Markazi Province of Iran. It is located around 100 km southwest of Tehran. As of 2006, the city had a population of 179,009 people.-History:In the 7th century BC it was as stronghold of the Medes...
, Iran. This monument was built in the 12th century, coinciding with the establishment of the city itself.
History
Like so many monuments of central Iran, the Jameh Mosque of Saveh’s core is of the 12th century, and its single surviving minaret is dated in 1110 and 1061. The proportions of its façade are also related to systems of proportion established in the 12th century, although the work itself is, apparently, of the early 16th. Recent discoveries indicate that the mosque might have been constructed on the foundations of an older mosque dating back to the 10th. Several inscriptions found in the mosque date back to the 10th century.Architecture and design
The Jameh Mosque of Saveh comprises a courtyard, porch, a minaretMinaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
, a few nocturnal areas, dome and two archaic altars with inscription in Kufic
Kufic
Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts and consists of a modified form of the old Nabataean script. Its name is derived from the city of Kufa, Iraq, although it was known in Mesopotamia at least 100 years before the foundation of Kufa. At the time of the emergence of...
script. Two altars dating to the Safavid-era are adorned with inscriptions in Thuluth
Thuluth
Thuluth is a script variety of Islamic calligraphy invented by the Persian Ibn Muqlah Shirazi, which made its first appearance in the 11th century CE . The straight angular forms of Kufic were replaced in the new script by curved and oblique lines. In Thuluth, one-third of each letter slopes, from...
script. There are also other inscriptions, inscribed with sacred verses, in Kufic and Thuluth scripts. There is an elevated porch between two nocturnal areas in the western front, and at its either sides there exists several chambers.
The mosque has a rectangular open court which is 36x44 meters and is surrounded by columns made of brick. In the west side of the open court, there is a large iwan
Iwan
An iwan is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called pishtaq, a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and...
; the iwan's height and width are nearly the same. The dome of this mosque is 14 meters in diameter and 16 meters high. Internally the dome has been adorned with tiles.
The mosque, originally, had two minarets but only one minaret remains standing; the minaret is 14 meters in height and 3.5 meters in diameter. The superb, varied bands of raised brick patterns and inscriptions in Kufic and Naskhi
Naskh (script)
Naskh is a specific calligraphic style for writing in the Arabic alphabet, thought to be invented by the Iranian calligrapher Ibn Muqlah Shirazi . The root of this Arabic term means "to copy". It either refers to the fact that it replaced its predecessor, Kufic script, or that this style allows...
scripts make this minaret the finest of the Seljuk period still standing. The upper section is missing and the lowest section of the remaining shaft has been restored with plain brick bond.