Architecture of Qaen Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque of Qaen, in South Khorasan Province, was built in the 14th century. The mosque is a manifestation of one of the architectural masterpieces that were constructed in the late Ilkhanid era and the beginning of the Timurid period.
Since its establishment, in addition to being a place of worship, the mosque has been an educational, political, social and artistic center. Great decisions were made there because it was a gathering place for Muslims.
Rajabali Labbaf Khaniki, an archeologist and researcher, told ISNA that the architect of this mosque did not follow the customs of the time and built it with a single porch. He said the construction of single-porch mosques pertained to the 11th century.
Citing archaeological excavations, Khaniki said a single-porch mosque in southern Qaen had probably been destroyed following a massive earthquake in the 11th century. He added that the architect of the Grand Mosque of Qaen built it by following the same map and using the construction materials of the demolished mosque. The researcher said that’s why the mosque was built with a single porch, contrary to the two-porch construction pattern which was common in its era.
The porch of the mosque has a height of over 17 meters, a width of 10 meters, and a length of 22.3 meters.
The roof of the porch has four arches and three domes, which are beautifully painted and decorated with very elegant mosaics. The paintings of the porch pertain to the Safavid era.
The Grand Mosque of Qaen has been registered on Iran’s National Heritage List.