Jameh Mosque of Lar: A Safavid Friday Mosque in Iran
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.5
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Iran
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Ilkhanate, Safavid
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Mosque
On this page5 sections
History
Jameh Mosque of Lar is an active Friday mosque in the old city of Lar, Iran. A Friday mosque is a congregational mosque intended for communal Friday prayers. The mosque has a multi-period history, with an initial structure dated to 1317 and an architectural character associated with both the Ilkhanid and Safavid periods. The Safavid period refers to the rule of the dynasty that governed Iran from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.
Construction and rebuilding
The mosque’s chronology is not certain, and it is also described as having been built during the Safavid period. Its history was repeatedly altered by earthquakes, which destroyed the building four times. After each destruction, the mosque was rebuilt, producing a structure shaped by successive periods of construction and repair.
Renovations
A renovation took place in 1619, while another was carried out in 2003. The later work destroyed the original mihrab, the recessed feature that marks the direction of prayer toward Mecca. The mosque remains affiliated with Islam and continues to serve as a Friday mosque in Lar’s historic old city, also known as Shahr-e Qadim.
Remains
The surviving mosque is centered on a four-arched main structure built by a stonemason. Its materials include tile, mortar, and stone, giving the building a character associated especially with Safavid architecture while also retaining an Ilkhanid connection. The principal form is accompanied by one dome and two minarets.
Main prayer structure
The main structure includes a stone-carved mihrab. Although the original mihrab was destroyed during the 2003 renovation, the mosque’s prayer space remains defined by the four-arched form and its combination of masonry, tile, and mortar. The dome and two minarets complete the principal architectural group.