Chaharbagh School: A 16-17th century cultural compound in Isfahan
During the Safavid era, magnificent mosques were built which were all are great examples of Iranian art and architecture. The Madresseh (school) Chaharbagh is one of them. It is a glorious masterpiece.
Actually the great complex was built during the reign of Shah Sultan Hossein. A bazaar and caravansary as well as a theological school were constructed in the neighborhood of this mosque. The bazaar is known as the ‘Bazaar of Arts’ while the caravansary has been converted to a beautiful hotel (The Abbasi Hotel). In fact the shah’s mother paid the expenses for the construction of this marvelous complex, Tasnim News Agency reported.
The school was built in 1706 and its decoration was completed in 1714. Revenues collected from the bazaar and the caravansary were allocated for preserving and meeting other expenses of the schools.
The ornamentation of Chaharbagh School is the zenith of Iranian art, especially in tile and tile-mosaic work. The courtyard was planned beautifully. The school was used as a prominent school while the mosque was used by local citizens and travelers who stayed in the caravansary. It maintains the same purposes and even today, the main entrance opens to Chaharbagh Avenue. The entrance shows the most beautiful tile-mosaic in geometrics style. Different parts of mosque and school were repaired.
Historic monuments demand constant maintenance and restoration. The entrance door is made of wood covered with silver plates.
Behind the lofty door there is an octagonal anteroom. Originally a branch of Maddi passed through the mosque.
The courtyard is surrounded by arcades of two storied rooms, as residential chambers for students of theology. Walls of courtyard are adorned with tile and tile-mosaics.
On the south part, there is the sanctuary. A lofty iwan and beautiful dome. On the top of iwan there are two minarets which are ornamented with the best mosaic designs. The dome is two shelled dome, just as in other Safavid mosques.
Colors harmony, delicacy of decorations and calligraphies and structure of Madresseh shows how Iranian artists and architects were advanced. There are two Minbars located under the dome. One is a wooden artistic work while the other is made single piece of marble stone.
There is a prayer hall to the east of dome which shows beautiful inlaid works. Chaharbagh School is a must-to-visit for travelers and hundreds of pages can be written about various artistic magnificence of the mosque.