Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

History and Architecture of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, constructed in the 17th century in Imam Square, Isfahan, as a private mosque for the royal court, is now considered one of the masterpieces of Safavid architecture.

The mosque was built by order of Shah Abbas the Great in the 17th century. It was designed to serve as a royal female harem. This explains the absence of a grand staircase and courtyard, which are typically found in many other mosques of that period. Instead, an underground passage was built connecting the Ali Qapu Palace with the mosque, allowing the shah’s wives and concubines to visit the mosque discreetly and remain unnoticed by the public.

It was named in honour of Sheikh Lotfollah, the shah's father-in-law, a respected scholar who was invited to serve at this mosque.

Above the entrance to the building, there is a grand 27-metre-high portico, that is decorated with muqarnas (honeycomb vaulting) intricately painted with Persian patterns and arabesques in stunning shades of blue and emerald green.

While entering the mosque, visitors are greeted by an abundance of patterned, colourful mosaics. A winding corridor leads to the prayer hall, which faces Mecca. One of the most striking features of the mosque's interior is its domed ceiling, which rises in the middle of the hall, reaching a height of 32 metres. In the centre of the dome, visitors can see the silhouette of a peacock with its colourful tail spread across the dome’s surface. Small openings in the dome allow sunlight to come through the building, creating a captivating interplay of light and shadow.