This forms the axis of the holy
city of
Mashad and is one of the
most important and greatest
‘aggregates’ in the world of
Islam. Its importance is due to
the presence of the shrine of
His Holiness Imam Reza (AS),
148-203 AH, which contains
valuable historical and artistic
monuments from various
centuries.
History of Construction for
Imam Reza holy shrine
In the year 203 AH, or as it is
said, in the year 202 AH, after
the martyrdom of His Holiness
Imam Reza (AS), the sacred body
was laid to rest on the tomb of
Haroon-ol Rashid. It is said
that Moqadasi was the first
person to name the place Mashad
(meaning the place of
martyrdom). Ibn-e-Hogol has also
called it ‘Mashad-ol-Reza’. In
the years 366-387 AH the biased
Sabkat Keen one of the rulers of
the Qaznavi era, brought down
the Holy Shrine to ruins and
forbade pilgrimage to the sacred
place. Thence, Abaidodowleh
Fa'eq endeavored to complete the
task of rebuilding the mausoleum
and has made great efforts in
making the city of Mashad
flourish. Thereafter Sultan
Mohammad Qaznavi built a brick
wall on the former mud caked
wall and erected a minaret as
well.
According to the inscription in
the museum of the shrine it
seems that the building was
repaired again in 516 AH. In the
year 548 AH, the mausoleum was
heavily damaged due to the
attack of the Qazhs. During the
reign of Sultan Sanjar Saljuqi
552-511 AH, the Shrine was once
more repaired, and a dome built
for the same. The daughter of
Sultan Sanjar, (whose name and
date of contribution is on
record on the inscriptions) was
responsible for paving the area
surrounding the Shrine in
geometrical and star (hexa and
octagonal) shaped tiles which
added to their beauty.
The reign of Kharazmshahian has
also brought about various
repairs and artistic measures in
the mausoleum. In the year 612
AH, a beautiful embossed
inscription on a caked tablet,
fixed to the wall on both sides
of the entrance to the Shrine,
which is in the Tholth script
indicates the names of ancestors
of His Holiness Imam Reza (AS),
originating from His Holiness
Hazrat-e-Ali (PBUH).
After the attack of ‘Towli’ the
son of Changis, in the year 618
AH, the mausoleum of Razavi was
shattered once again, and later
on Qazan Khan and Sultan
Mohammad Khodabandeh Oljaito
made efforts for repairs and
artistic works of the Garden or
(Baq) Razavi. In the year 734
AH, Ebn-e-Batooteh a reputed
historian, had made special
mention of the beautiful and
tile worked edifice with the
silver railed shrine in his
records. In the 8th century the
Astan-e-Qodes was composed of
the shrine, the Balasar mosque,
a few smaller buildings attached
to northern wall of a school.
During the reign of Shahrokh and
his spouse Goharshad the
aggregate made great progress
and vast development was noted.
The Goharshad mosque was erected
to the direction of the kiblah
of the shrine. Then buildings
known as Darolhefaz, Darolsiadeh
and Tahvil Khaneh (treasury)
were erected. Three schools by
the names of Parizad, Balasar
and Dodar were also erected
during this epoch. Due to the
endeavors of Amir Alishir Navai
the old courtyard and the basis
of the Evan-e-Tala or golden
portico came into focus. Further
more, in the period of Shah
Abbas I it was extended to a
great deal. Shah Tahmasb Safavid
repaired the minaret near the
dome which was then gold plated.
But unfortunately due to the
attack of the Ozbaks, these
ingots of great value were
plundered, an in the year 1010
AH, Shah Abbas ordered the
repairs of this edifice. This
decree is on one of the carvings
by the famous calligrapher Ali
Reza Abbasi. It should be
brought to attention that the
said mausoleum vastly expanded
due to additions during the
passage of time-such as the
Ravaq or Porch of Towhid Khaneh
(to the north of the shrine) is
by the efforts of Molla Mohsen
Faiz, Ravaq-e-Allahverdi Khan
and Ravaq-e-Hatam Khani are
likewise erected by Allahverdi
Khan and Hatem Bek Ordubadi.
Shah Abbas II was responsible
for the repairs of the Attiq
courtyard which was inlayed with
tiles and Shah Soleiman gave
orders for the repair of the
dome of the holy shrine which
had a crack due to an
earthquake. In addition to
which, many schools were built
during his reign. In the period
of Nader Shah Afshar areas of
the mausoleum, such as the
Golden Porch, the Attiq
Courtyard and the minaret
standing on it were repaired and
gold plated Constitutions of the
new courtyard were began in the
reign of Fathali Shah Qajar and
were completed in the reign of
Naseredin Shah. According to the
orders issued by Naseredin Shah,
the walls were raised to the
height of the Naseri portico,
and the arched ceiling of which
were covered with ingots.
Mozafarudin Shah made his
contributions in having the two
courtyards repaired. In the year
1330 AH, the Russian forces
brought about plenty of
destruction to this aggregate,
but in the year 1307 AH, vital
changes were noted in this
regard. The museum, library and
the hall of protocol were
constructed around the network.
In the year 1350 AH, the old
historical textures were
demolished giving way to parks
and greenery. Presently, changes
and innovations are dominant in
the area. The current
aggregate consists of the shrine
porticos courtyard, schools,
porches, dome, minarets, museum,
library and other relative
assets. Other important factors
of this aggregate are the sacred
shrine, its old courtyards, the
Imam Khomeini courtyard, and
various other courtyards such as
the Qods and Jomhuri-e- Islami.
Porches or Ravaqs such as
Darolsiadeh, Darolziafeh,
Darolzekr and Darolsoroor to
name a few. Towhid Khaneh, Hatam
Khani, Allahverdi Khan and the
Balasar Mosque all come under
this aggregate.
Goharshad Mosque (Mashad)
his mosque
was constructed by Goharshad
(the wife of Shahrokh Teimoori),
in 821 AH. This mosque has a
large courtyard in the center
with four porticos. Beautiful
inscriptions in Thulth script
(the work of Shahrokh’s son)
adorn the walls. The most
important section of this mosque
is its southern portico which
boasts of arches and valuable
inscriptions. Along side this
portico stand solid minarets
with thickness of 6 m., with the
same height of the portico
itself, which help in supporting
the ceiling and prevent the roof
from collapsing. In bombardments
of the Russian forces in 1330
AH, the main dome of this mosque
which was 15m. India sustained
a loss. This dome was demolished
in the year 1339 AH. The current
dome has been constructed (in
keeping with the former
circumference) with concrete.
This mosque has gone under
repair once during the Safavid
reign and the other in the Qajar
era. |
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