Jameh Mosque of Atigh : A treasure of Iranian-Islamic architecture

The very first mosque of Islam in Medina which was established by Prophet Mohammad peace upon him was very simple, Four walls without even a roof or the gates, no bedding or even a piece of cloth on the land, it is obvious sitting on the earth covered by pebbles was hard for the people to pray. After Islam and during 1400 years after introducing Islam to the world the mosques especially Jameh mosques are so sophisticated and complex which can be compared by complicated complex cathedrals in Christianity and even by very vernacular Buddhist complex temples in far east Asia. Jameh mosques today are a symbol or example of complexity in Islamic world today. Most of the jameh mosques are following the same rule in Islamic world: simplicity, functionality and heavenly beauty brought on the earth by God to resemble paradise in the skies to the Muslims of the world, some jameh mosques are the summit of human science and technology in architecture and forms in Islamic communities. 

History Jameh Atigh Mosque

Jameh Atigh Mosque is one of the oldest and historical masterpieces of art in Shiraz and it was the first Jameh mosque which is located in the southeastern wings of Shahcheragh shrine in Shiraz. This place was established by the order of Amroh Leis from Saffaries dynasty in favor of his victory in the year of 281 hijri  and the main building was established so fast that it was finished in the same year according to the historical documents that remained after 1000 years after Islamic lunar calendar. 

Architecture of Jameh Mosque of Atigh

This mosque is located in a piece of land around 1672 square meters and in the center of the yard a very big and versatile cubic building is located  named “Khodikhaneh” or house of god. We will discuss this building a little later. In four corners of the main building of this jameh mosque you can find 4 low towers. In about all of them there is a blue tablet which teaches about the dating of establishment on the year 281 hijri according to the lunar calendar of Islamic world. This beautiful and sophisticated mosque has 6 different gates; in the eastern part there are two gates , in the west again you can see two different gates and in the north side there is a gate in the name of 12 Imam or leaders of Islam and the last gate is located in the south wing of the main building. In the middle of the north wall of the mosque there is a very tall façade which is named as the pearl and in the inside margin of this façade one of the Quran episodes in name of “Hal Aati” in “Sulth” font calligraphy. In east side of this façade there is a praying hall in size of 17*30 square meters .
In the western and southern lines there is a tablet remained from Shah abbas safavi from safavid dynasty and there is some verses of Quran and in some place the date of repair and  is written on the niche and arches of the south praying hall in “Nasque” calligraphy system. In some of those tablets you can find the name of “Imam voroody beig Khalaf Beigi” who ordered and supported the establishment of this beautiful piece of art and architecture. Neighboring of this praying hall which has 40 pillars and because of this it is known as 40 pillars praying hall and it is about 32*45 square meters. Nearby this old building there's another one which is new and it is about 36*45 sq. meters and it has 12 pillars. There is a beautiful niche or Mihrab which has more than 13 verses and true stories of Islam and Quranic words after Islam.

Khodikhaneh or house of God building

The main and stone building of Khodikhaneh, a huge cubic structure in the exact middle of the main yard of this building has a great position and significance which is unique in form and structure among whole buildings made during the first centuries of Islamic calendar in Shiraz.
Round the this building you can find a continues Ivans in width of around 2 meters deep and the exact size of this cubic structure including Ivans is around 10*12 meters and in the exact center of this building there is a small room in size of 6*8 meters which is very small in form and size.
This building is made and established on 752 hijri in lunar Islamic calendar and it is made by the order of “ king or shah sheikh aboo Ishagh injoo” king and governor of Former Fars province in the same place which dedicated by “Amroo leith of Saffaries dynasty. It is written which this room was a locker and some very special hand written of Qurans and other Islamic philosophy books and verses were kept in khodaykhaneh cubic building. 
Some very special books of Quran verses which were written by hands of Imam Ali the first successor of Shia community and ottoman the calif of Sunnis faction were preserved in this room by the order of king and commanders at that time. Because of this they called this whole building as “Dar-ol- muthhaf “or house of the written book and documents or main library in modern new world. Around all margins of “Khodikhaneh” there is a long and big 3D. Runner which is copied from verses of Quran and you can find the name of “Sheikh abolhasan among the words of this runner.

Historical and cultural significance of Jameh Mosque of Atigh

As mentioned above, Jameh Mosque of Atigh is a very classic and iconic form of Shia mosque in Islam and it is very important because of date and forms and originality between all mosques of Fars province and shiraz and even in whole mosques which made after Islam by the hands of Persian Muslim architects and engineers in old world around 2 centuries to Islamic lunar calendar. Because of the originality and historical life of this mosque many elders and poets and teachers and masters preferred to come to Jameh Mosque of Atigh to pray instead of visiting new mosques which were made after this historical mosque. One of the things which made this mosque unique in form and architecture is the very roots of Persian architecture which mixed with Iranian culture and old history of this territory which is reflected and flourished in the forms of Jameh mosques in the vast plateau of Persia.
There is a big difference between normal and Jameh mosques as Jameh Mosque of Atigh in Shiraz. The normal mosques which are spread in different locations of Islamic cities have very simple and functional design and used normally by local people to pray in daily normal life and in some rare occasions for Jomeh especial prayers. This mosques even if some of them are vast and huge have an ablution center and one or more to four praying halls and normally a main niche and they were open in public for normal prayers in dawn to night but they are not dedicated for special prayers as jomeh or Friday prayers or very special prayers according lunar calendar and special events like “Eid-E-Gorban” or “Eid-E-Fetr” which are very special events in Islamic world and Islamic lunar calendar.
On the other side the jameh mosques had very sophisticated and complicated and versatile structural parts and had very different usage and functionality as the cathedrals and universities in contemporary history of Islamic world and Iran. In Jameh mosque as Jameh Mosque of Atigh you can find library, kitchen, dormitories for religious students who stayed in mosque to educate or have experience in long terms, multiple ablution centers, winter and summer and main yard praying halls, different minarets for calling to pray for local people, in some occasions even you can find residencies for the Imam and control guards and normal administrative religious official employees named as “Motevalli” and all facilities to serve pilgrims and local people to live in the mosque for short or long term of used during the old history of mosques after introducing Islam not just only to Fars province and shiraz but through all parts of Islamic world.
Shia mosques are a little different compared to other Islamic sunnies mosques and Jameh Mosque of Atigh is a very old and classic form among all shia jameh mosques in Iran. Visiting this mosque for all people is attractive and it makes you travel back to the very old and first historic life of Muslims in a very historical, cultural places in middle east and Persian territory and because of this unique and special factors many elders and poets and scientists and cultural people preferred to pray in this mosque and some of them chose this special jameh mosque as a unique and special architecture which made and formed by the hands of first Muslims in historic city of Shiraz. Please do not hesitate to contact us on our official website or on social media in the near future. Our team on sanapersian official site will answer you as soon as possible and arrange your program according to your needs in a short time.