The only 5-story mosque in the world: Agha Bozorg Mosque
There are many mosques with great historical importance in our country. One of them is Agha Bozorg Mosque. This mosque, which has many architectural features and is a combination of Iranian and Islamic culture and art, has features that are worth knowing about them.
Kashan city is rich and unique in terms of the number of historical monuments and buildings. One of the most spectacular monuments of this city is the Agha Bozorg Mosque, which is unparalleled in our country. This beautiful mosque located in the center of the desert is the most magnificent historical monument left from the Qajar period. the building has a huge brick dome and beautifully tiled minarets that have increased its charm a hundredfold. This complex is an example of Traditional-Iranian architecture, which is the most beautiful Islamic building in Kashan.
This mosque was built in 1258 AH by Haj Mohammad Taghi Khanban in memory of the late Mullah Mohammad Mehdi Naraghi known as Agha Bozorg. he was one of the clergies of Kashan who died when his son was born so they named the son the same as his father. This son also became a clergy following his father. People of Kashan, in order to recognize the father and the son better, called the father “Agha Bozorg” and the son “Agha Kouchak”, and named this mosque Agha Bozorg Mosque in appreciation of Mullah Mohammad Mehdi Naraghi’s constructive actions.
According to the evidence, this magnificent building is the last large building that was built during the decline of Iranian architecture and art. In the construction and decoration of the Agha Bozorg Mosque, various arts such as tiling, plastering, painting, and stalactite vaulting (Mogharnas) can be seen. The inscriptions of this mosque were written by prominent calligraphers of Kashan such as Mohammad Ibrahim (ancestor of the Maarefi family) and Mohammad Hossein (ancestor of the Adib family). Agha Bozorg Mosque is the only 5-story mosque in the world and is a combination of Iranian and Islamic architecture, its architecture and designs date back to the Safavid period.
One of the special architectural features of this building is the construction of its dome on 8 huge pillars that have risen like strong columns under the dome and supported it. This is not visible so much in the architecture of other old mosques in Iran and the reason for using it in this mosque is the hot climate of Kashan in summer.
Agha Bozorg Mosque also has a school, which is built in the style of Sadr and Chahar Bagh schools in Isfahan. This mosque has 5 floors, and two courtyards at the top and bottom. In the eastern part of this Mosque, there is a 700-year-old historical monument called the tomb of Khajeh Taj al-din. Agha Bozorg School consists of 12 rooms that can be passed through 4 corridors. These rooms are one step above the lower courtyard and in each of them, there is a closet in the depth of the earth. These closets were considered heating and cooling places for summer and winter. In the middle of the north side of the building, there is a cellar that was used to get away from the heat and keep water and food cool. The temperature of the cellar differs from the yard by 20 to 25 degrees, which is one of its wonders.
Agha Bozorg mosque and school have a beautiful entrance, the roof of which is decorated with suspended gypsum, (Mogharnas) and paintings. The walls of the front house are covered with colorful brick tiles from the inscription above the entrance to the floor on both sides of the door.
In front of Agha Bozorg Mosque and School, there are two large benches which are called “Pir Neshin”. These benches are designed for people to sit and relax to get tired. after entering the school, students’ residence rooms, the two upper and lower courtyards, and the dome and spire of the mosque are visible. When we cross the vestibule, we reach the school after crossing the roofed corridor. Above the door, there are two wind catchers that bring fresh air in the desert’s hot summer.
Another part of this Mosque is the garden pit (Baghchaleh). this garden hole is an important element in traditional Iranian architecture in desert areas. This pit was built in Agha Bozorg Mosque in the center of the courtyard and a floor has sunk into the ground. This space was used to access the water of the aqueduct and take refuge from earthquakes. In fact, the people this region for reasons such as access to aqueduct water that provided water, or to separate the winter and summer living space, build such a hole in their houses.
In the left part of the main courtyard (from the entrance door) we see a tomb belonging to the Naraghi family in which the son and grandson and great-grandson of Mullah Mohammad Mehdi (Shahid Ali) are buried. Mullah Mohammad Mehdi himself is buried in Qom and his father (Mullah Mohammad Mehdi the Great) is buried in the small courtyard of Imam Ali (a.s) in Najaf. In this tomb, “Orosi” doors (open vertically) are used, in which we can see the beautiful Girih tiles.
In addition to the central courtyard, there is a courtyard behind the dome that was used to drain the dome snow. In the middle of this yard is a pit where melted snow is thrown. To remove the snow, a chain was attached to the top of the dome, which turned the snow on the dome and poured it into the snow yard.
Another wonder of Agha Bozorg Mosque is the presence of a number of nails on its entrance door. The number of these nails in the two doors are, 6666, is the number of verses in the Holy Quran. It is said that these nails are installed on the door for two reasons. First, in the past, when different tribes invaded, people took refuge in the mosque, and the presence of nails inside the door strengthened the door, and the attacker could never break the door with an ax and enter. The second reason is the nails inside the wood give the wood a brittle shape by rusting, which prevents termites from eating the door. This has kept it safe for 180 years.
The way to reach this spectacular mosque is through Fazel Naraghi Street and Agha Bozorg Mosque alley. The construction of the Agha Bozorg Mosque and School was registered in the list of national monuments of Iran on the 11th of Azar 1330.
