Have you ever come across an all-female mosque? The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan, built in the Safavid era, raises questions about the status of women nearly 400 years ago. That it is, moreover, beautiful and important testifies to the undoubtedly eminent status of women in the social sphere and their perhaps empowered access to the realm of the religious. Perhaps influential women played a role in this engagement with religious life. This doesn’t mean that inequality didn’t exist at the time, but it does make for a very interesting investigative reflection on their lives.
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The mosque built for royal ladies in the Safavid era by King Shah Abbas I some 400 years ago, took 16 years to complete. It was the tranquility and climate of this building that made the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque a “safe place for royal ladies”; here they had the opportunity to practice their religion alongside other believing women. The mosque was also a place for the royal ladies to socialize. Thanks to this, they could “be active both religiously and socially”.
Isfahan’s Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque was built at an earlier date than the Shah’s Mosque (Imam, 1611-1629), around 1603. Construction was ordered by one of the greatest figures in Iranian history, citizen Shah Abbas the Great. Having been the fifth monarch of the Safavid dynasty, he is still one of Iran’s most renowned monarchs. Shah Abbas dedicated this mosque to Sheikh Lotfollah al-Maysi, a prominent Lebanese scholar and religious leader who had settled in Isfahan. The sixteen-year project was supervised by architect Mohammed Reza Isfahani.
Unlike the Shah’s mosque, which was intended for the protection of the people, this mosque was reserved for the royal family. In fact, the king’s residence occupied part of the square where the Sheikh Lotfollah mosque stood, at the foot of Ali Qapu’s palace.
That’s why the gates of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque remain closed and guarded, and why passing through as an ordinary citizen has been difficult for centuries. Thus, to avoid crossing the square embracing the crowds, kings and wives accessed the mosque through an underground tunnel, explaining its name of “Women’s Mosque”, as it received Safavid women as well as prayer.
In the 16th century, at the time of the great Safavid empire, women held a valued place in society, especially within the royal court. Safavid women attended major public events and parades. Marriages could also serve as bonds of friendship and alliance with other countries or important figures. Some women of the court exercised considerable influence, even if they did not formally hold government office. Remarkably, 400 years ago, women could still overcome certain social barriers and become influential figures, needlessness to say , young girls from wealthy families could go to school and get an education.
Built as a special mosque for the women of the Safavid royal family, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque has a distinctive architectural style. Leaving Naqsh-e Jahan Square, head south past the Shah Mosque, then east to discover the beautiful Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque designed by architect Mohammad Reza Isfahani. The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is smaller than the Shah Mosque and has no courtyard. There are no minarets in the mosque’s architecture either. Another special architectural feature of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is the entrance that is slightly elevated, emphasizing its exclusivity and separating it from the bustle of the square.
The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, being a private royal mosque, did not need to follow all the traditional features of mosque architecture. Unlike public mosques, it had no minarets, since there was no need for the call to prayer to be proclaimed to the general population. Minarets, usually tall towers attached to mosques for the Adhan, became unnecessary for this secluded and exclusive space.
The Safavid king, sah Abbas I, ensured that the royal ladies could travel between palace and mosque in the safest possible conditions, by building an underground tunnel linking the Ali Qapu palace to the Sheikh Lotfollah mosque. This meant that the royal ladies didn’t have to cross the crowded Naqsh-e Jahan square. This imperative security, between the secure itinerary and the assigned guard personnel, ensured the safety of the Safavid aristocratic ladies.
The splendid Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque makes a beautiful first impression, especially at the entrance level, where the iwan portal is delicately clad in splendid blue mosaics. The portal entrance is accompanied by numerous antique windows. Muqarnas motifs in the form of stalactites hanging from the entrance arch also contribute to the aesthetic effect of the entrance portal. Climbing up the steps to the main portal, you realize that the building stands on a raised platform. Crossing the corridor that connects the entrance portico to the main prayer hall, you gradually enter a corridor of progressive half-light before finding full light.
At noon, when sunlight streams through, the central motif of the dome resembles the tail of a peacock, a masterpiece of Safavid artistry that leaves visitors in awe.
Spring and summer, 9am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 6pm.
In autumn and winter, from 9am to 11.30pm and from 1pm to 4pm.
Every day, except on days of religious mourning.
Naqsh-e Jahan Square gives you access to a number of outstanding tourist attractions. The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and the Ali Qapu Imperial Palace, as well as Sio Se Pol and the Khaju Bridge are fine examples. The Chehel Sotun Palace and the Hasht Behesht building are also well worth a visit.
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