Shah Cheragh Shrine

Shah Cheragh Shrine

"Shah Cheragh" in Persian means "King of the Light". According to a legend, Ayatullah Dastaghaib, upon seeing a distant light, decided to investigate its source. He discovered that the light was emanating from a grave in a cemetery. The glowing grave was excavated, revealing an armour-clad body. The body had a ring inscribed with the words "Al-Izzatu Lillah, Ahmad ibn Musa," meaning "Glory belongs to God, Ahmad, son of Musa". So it became known that this was the burial site of the sons of Musa al-Kadhim. A shrine and mosque, named "King of the Light," were subsequently constructed at the site.

Architecture of the Shah Cheragh Shrine

A spacious mosque, flanked by two minarets and crowned by a towering dome, lies in the western wing of the structure. A tall cornice is supported by thick octagonal columns connected by walls. The entrance is safeguarded by a heavy door, adorned with gold and enamel, and a glass panel at its centre. When entering the shrine, pilgrims kiss and touch the door in reverence for the sacred place.

Inside, the huge dome is encrusted with hundreds of thousands of masterfully crafted tile pieces, while the inner walls are covered with countless fragments of dazzling, multicoloured glass. These tiles and glass pieces amplify the monument's luminosity, reinforcing the structure's name, "King of the Light", and filling both the pilgrims and the sacred space with an indescribable sense of awe. The tall, floor-to-ceiling windows are mostly made of mosaic and stained glass, which reflect in the mirrors. Throughout the walls, framed surahs from the Quran that are inscribed on silk paper. The green marble floor is covered with napped red Persian carpets, and magnificent crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling.

At the centre, beneath the dome, lies the Sayyid Mir Ahmad's tomb. The marble tombstone, enclosed by a fence, is covered with silver and glass panels, features verses from the Quran written in gold letters on a blue background. In another corner rests the Mir Muhammad's tomb, which is similar in design but much smaller than that of his elder brother. Amir Ahmad and Mir Muhammad were martyred at this site in 835 AD during the persecution of Shias by the caliphate.

Shahbanu Tash Khatun

The brothers’ tombs were constructed in the 12th century. The mosque wasn't reconstructed for approximately 200 years until the art-loving Shahbanu Tash Khatun undertook further work between 1344 and 1349. She oversaw extensive renovations, adding new structures, a hall for visitors, and a magnificent tomb for herself on the southern side. She ordered the tomb to be adorned with millions of pieces of coloured glass, which shimmer in the light, amplifying its brilliance a thousandfold. She also presented a unique Quran in thirty volumes, written in golden script with ornate decorations, which is now kept in the Pars Museum.