Religious, Spiritual sights in Esfahan
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Imam Mosque
The Imam Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in the world. The richness of its blue-tiled mosaic designs and its perfectly proportioned Safavid-era architecture form a visually stunning monument to the imagination of Shah Abbas I and the ability of his architect. The sumptuous decoration of the mosque perfectly complements the architectural elegance.
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Vank Cathedral
Built between 1606 and 1655 with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers, Vank Cathedral is the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran. The church’s exterior is unexciting, but the interior is richly decorated and shows the curious mixture of styles – Islamic tiles and designs alongside Christian imagery – that characterises most churches in Iran. The frescoes are truly magnificent, and sometimes wonderfully gruesome.
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Jameh Mosque
The Jameh Mosque is a veritable museum of Islamic architecture and still a working mosque. Within a couple of hours you can see and compare 800 years of Islamic design, with each example near to the pinnacle of its age. The range is quite stunning: from the geometric elegance of the Seljuks, through to the Mongol period and on to the refinements of the more baroque Safavid style. At more than 20,000 sq metres, it is also the biggest mosque in Iran.
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Church of Bethlehem
The frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the Church of Bethlehem, built in 1628, are arguably of a higher quality. The interior of the high dome is decorated with swirling black motifs on a golden background, while the base is surrounded by paintings of Biblical scenes.
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Church of St Mary
The Church of St Mary is decorated, though with less flair. If the churches are closed, as they often are, and door-knocking doesn’t work, ask for help at the cathedral.
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