A detailed plan with map and where to stay and go and eat for traveling to Kashan and around it
Table of Contents
Agha Bozorg Mosque is one of the most important and oldest places in Kashan in political, religious and tourism manners. If you travel to Iran and want to know more about the life style of students in religious schools (Madras) make sure you visit Agha Bozorg Mosque. It is still an active mosque and also you can visit it as a tourist.
History and architect Agha Bozorg Mosque
This most is built in the middle of 19th century (1844 opened). The good point is that they built this mosque in a environmental friendly way. It means they used the material that they extracted from this place itself specially sand. They used local materials which are compatible with this area.
There is a main “Gonbadkhane” which is the tallest and designed ceiling and built on top of 8 giant legs in circle shape.
If you look and the center of the ceiling, you will see a circle painting which called “Toranj“. Toranj means a circle painting which is filled in side. You see this in many other ceiling in all around Iran.
You will also see 40 column in school area which are small rooms for students who live there while they are studding in religious courses and they called “Talabe” means person who want to learn and ask for inquiries.
This is also a beautiful and magnificent protected muqarnas in Agha Bozorg Mosque. When you stand in front of this, you need to hold your breath and just watch and be amazed! I can not explain it for you ether. It’s pour “Hoonar” what in English we called art:
There is a interior area in the yard in rectangle shape with a pool in the middle and student rooms are located around this pool. In side this interior area which is like a whole, is cooler than the surface which is important in a warm city like Kashan.
How to visit a mosque?
It is not a big deal but need to be notices about some ground rules. Most of the old mosques in Iran are museum now but some of them like Agha Bozorg Mosque are museum also an active mosque that people go there and do their religious rituals. So inside this area, just respect what you see and what people do and believe. Remember you are a tourist and you are here to visit and experience another culture. You can ask questions too. Women need to wear Hejab there which are free to wear at the entrance. It is house of god for Islamic people which need to stay clean and respected.