Jameh Mosque of Urmia: A Historic Friday Mosque in Iran
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.4
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Iran
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Ilkhanate
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Mosque
On this page6 sections
History
Ilkhanate Period
Jameh Mosque of Urmia in Urmia, Iran, is an Islamic Friday mosque, or principal congregational mosque, generally dated to the thirteenth-century Ilkhanate period. The Ilkhanate was the Mongol dynasty that ruled much of Iran and neighboring regions during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The mosque is described as having been completed in 1278, while its prayer niche, known as a mihrab, is associated with Seljuk architectural art. The Seljuks were a Turkic dynasty that ruled large parts of the Middle East, including Iran, during the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
Continuing Religious and Heritage Use
The mosque remains active and continues to serve its religious function. It was added to the Iran National Heritage List on 7 December 1935 under registration number 243. Its heritage administration is associated with Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.
Remains
Bazaar Setting and Building Form
Jameh Mosque of Urmia stands beside the bazaar in the older part of the city. Its position within the bazaar connects the building to public passageways on three sides. The mosque has a single dome and combines stone, brick, plaster, and tile in its construction. Its architectural character is associated with Iranian Ilkhanid, Zand, and Qajar styles. The Zand and Qajar dynasties were successive Iranian ruling houses of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Mihrab
The mosque’s mihrab, the prayer niche that indicates the direction of Mecca, is decorated with stucco work. It is described as one of the finest examples of Seljuk architectural art and forms the principal ornamental feature identified within the building.
