SHAH'S MOTHER MADRASAH

Along the avenue des Quatre Jardins, lined with plane trees, there are several buildings, simple booths or small palaces like that of the Eight Paradis (Hacht Behecht), or public buildings like la of the Mother of the King:

Hacht Behecht (or the pavilion of the Eight Paradis). Open from 8 a. m. to 17 p. m. in winter; extension until 19 pm in summer. Dating back to 1669, this small octagonal palace built in a garden is relatively well preserved. His name, Eight Paradis, comes from the eight small pieces, octagonal and symmetrical, structured around a marble basin. The pavilion has an amazing ceiling-vaulted ceiling to pendants with mirrors and beautiful murals. Climb to the upper floors to discover the windows set of precious Venice glasses. Protected at the time by an avant-garde seismic system, the building focused on specific areas of stone wood, the first best resistant to seismic vibrations. The gardens of Rossignol encircling the Palace are a tribute to the bird revered by the King who particularly appreciated their singing.

Madrasas Madar-e Shah (or the College of the King's Mother), avenue Chahâr Bâgh Abassi. Open on Thursdays from 8 am to 20 pm. School of Koranic theology erected between 1704 and 1714 under the reign of the last safavide king. The entrance gate, with its splendid vaulted voûte dome and its door covered with silver plates, stands out on the austere facade. Note the beautiful interior courtyard with a garden and trees framed around a central marble pool.

The étages, student cells and corbel balconies are first order. See also the beautiful figurative mosaics with vivid shades and linger on the elegance of floral panels. Here again, the portals of the iwan covered with jade mosaics and turquoise on gold give a little more relief to the whole. In addition, emphasis is placed on the southern iwan with two richly decorated minarets. The great prayer room also has the most beautiful Minbar (Chair to preach) of Isfahan. At this level, lift your eyes to the floral high-dome dome highlighted by a bandeau calligraphed at its base. The caravanserai of the adjoining Mother of King (Khan-é Madar-é Shah), whose revenus earned her income, is now transformed into a luxury establishment, the famous Abbasi Hotel.