Semnan
Semnan

Semnan

Jaame' (Congregational) Mosque of Semnan
The Jaame' mosque of Semnan which is counted among the oldest Islamic monuments, has been built, like
many other mosques on the ruins of a fire temple. On the building of the mosque the works of the Mongols
(1219) and Timurids (1404-1505 A.H.) era are traced.
The building is composed of the portico, platform and the courtyard. The 21 meter long portico of the mosque
is brick-made and is located in the west of the courtyard. Above the portico on its three components is an
inscription made of tile which starts from the northern side of the portico and extends to the rear south. The
mouth of the portico is 10.4 meters and behind it there is a prayers chamber which is 14 steps long, 14 steps
wide and 14.5 meters high. The tiling ornamentations of the portico are specific to the abovementioned
inscription and the small portions on the sides of the portico.
This mosque has two northern and southern chambers each supported by 16 round columns on which rest
the southern ceilings of the chambers. In the northeastern section of the chamber is the Seljuk brick minaret
which is 31.2 meters high. The Seljuk minaret was constructed during the Ghaznavids era 1026 -1074 on the
order of Amir Ajal Bakhtiari.