The Monar Jonban (; ), is a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

and

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

, located in Esfahan, in the province of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. It was intended as a shrine, built over the grave of the Sufi ascetic Amu Abdullah Suqla. Construction started in the

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

era and it was finished during the

Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

era. The most notable feature of the building are its two

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

s, that both shake and sway when one of them is shaken. The structure was added to the

Iran National Heritage List Iran National Heritage List is a register of nationally significant monuments, places, buildings, events, etc., officially registered under the National Heritage Preservation Act of 1930. According to Article 1 of this law, "All the industrial mon ...

on 10 June 1942, administered by the

Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran () is an educational and research institution overseeing numerous associated museum complexes throughout Iran. It is administered and funded by the Government of Iran. It was f ...

History

A shrine over the grave of the ascetic Abdullah ibn Muhammad was constructed in 1316 CE by

Öljaitü Öljaitü, also known as Mohammad-e Khodabandeh (24 March 1282 – 16 December 1316), was the eighth Ilkhanid dynasty ruler from 1304 to 1316 in Tabriz, Iran. His name 'Öjaitü' means 'blessed' in the Mongolian language and his last name 'Khod ...

. The building was renovated by

Safavid Iran The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

and was ultimately completed by the architect and Twelver Shi'a scholar Baha al-Din al-Amili. The structure had no minarets at first; the twin minarets were added by the Safavids. A cemetery used to surround the building as well.

Architecture

The building is decorated with blue tiles and multi-sided turquoise stones. The general outlook of the building displays the style of Mongolian masonry, but Safavid influence is present in the

iwan An iwan (, , also as ''ivan'' or ''ivān''/''īvān'', , ) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projecting ...

of the building and the minarets. Bricks with higher rates of elasticity were used in the construction. The twin minarets are tall. Each of them are topped with a blue onion dome. They are accessible via a staircase, which is no longer permitted and only the caretaker can access it for shaking them. The graves of Amu Abdullah and another personality are inside the building, at the very end. The Monar Jonban includes two small rooms, that were known as 'Chelah Khanah' during the time of its construction. Both rooms were used by ascetics and mystics to indulge in their rituals and stay in their seclusion.

The shaking minarets

The building's name, Monar Jonban, is derived from the pair of minarets, which shake in harmony with each other when one of them is shook. This gimmick, however, is not available to the public, but they can witness it at certain times.

Gallery

Hoeltzer24.jpg, Monar Jonban in 1873 CE Monar Jonban Isfahan Aarash (22).jpg, Front view Monar Jonban Isfahan Aarash (4).jpg, A near view of the left minaret Monar Jonban Isfahan Aarash (5).jpg, A near view of the right minaret Abdollah Karladani.JPG, The tomb of Amu Abdullah Suqla al-Karladani within the Monar Jonban Sallanan minareler 04 isfahan 2006.JPG, Some old graves, plastered over with cement tombstones, next to the tomb of Amu Abdullah Suqla

References

External links