Jameh Mosque of Dezful

For similarly named mosques, see List of grand mosques.

Jameh Mosque of Dezful
مسجد جامع دزفول
The 12th-century AH iwan, leading to the mosque's prayer hall, in 2014
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Friday mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Dezful, Khuzestan Province
Country	Iran
Location of the mosque in Iran
Geographic coordinates	32°23′00″N 48°23′58″E
Architecture
Type	Mosque architecture
Style	Sasanian Safavid Qajar
Completed	c. 3rd or 4th century AH (c. 7th or 8th centuries CE)
Specifications
Dome(s)	One (maybe more)
Minaret(s)	Two
Materials	Stone; bricks; ceramic tiles
Iran National Heritage List
Official name	Friday Mosque of Dezful
Type	Built
Designated	20 December 1936
Reference no.	287
Conservation organization	Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran

The Jameh Mosque of Dezful (Persian: مسجد جامع دزفول; Arabic: جامع دزفول), also known as the Great Mosque of Desfool, is a Friday mosque located in Dezful, in the Dezful County of the province of Khuzestan, Iran. Situated on Imam Khomeini Street, the mosque was completed in c. 3rd or 4th century AH (c. 7th or 8th centuries CE) in the Sasanian architecture style, and is the oldest and first mosque in Dezful, and one of the oldest mosques in Iran.

The mosque was added to the Iran National Heritage List on 20 December 1936, administered by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran.

Architecture

The Jameh Mosque of Dezful is one of the oldest mosques in Iran, believed to have been constructed during either the 3rd or 4th centuries of the Islamic calendar, which equates to the 7th or 8th centuries in the Common Era. The mosque was restored and expanded during the 7th, 9th and 11th centuries AH, particularly during the Safavid and Qajar dynasties. More recent renovations have improved ventilation and allow for natural light to illuminate previously dark areas.

The mosque comprises a main iwan, porches, a large sahn, and Shabestans to the south and east. The mosque has four small iwans, three of which are blocked. The north-west façade and minarets date from the 12th century AH and is adorned with arches and ceramic tiles. The main part of the current mosque is its pillared Shabestan to the south, built from stone. The ceiling and brick dome of this Shabestan is erected on stone pillars. The eastern porch was constructed during the Safavid era, while the Shabestan of the mosque is its oldest segment. The northern and western side walls date from the 13th and 14th centuries AH.

The mosque's grand dome is constructed entirely of bricks. The walls are made with a mix of cob coatings and bricks, that provides excellent thermal insulation, especially during hot summers. The tile work is predominantly from the Qajar era, that are adorned with Kufic calligraphy and intricate geometric motifs. The mihrab features stucco decorations that serve religious functions and also highlight the mosque's role as a center of cultural expression and artistic achievement.

Gallery

• 
  Tiled interior of the dome
• 
  Brick interior of the arches, with modern additions
• 
  Brick interior of the Shabestan
• 
  The tiled north-west iwan, with minarets

See also

• Islam in Iran
• List of mosques in Iran
• List of oldest mosques in Iran

Further reading

• Pishvaie, Hamidreza; Khaleeli, Alexander (2018). "Dizfūl, the Great Mosque of". In Madelung, Wilferd; Daftary, Farhad (eds.). Encyclopaedia Islamica Online. Brill Online. ISSN 1875-9831.

External links

Media related to Jameh Mosque of Dezful at Wikimedia Commons