Jame Mosque of Chaleshtar

The Jame Mosque of Chaleshtar is a historic Qajar-era building in the Chaleshtar area of Shahrekord County, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, about 9 kilometres west of Shahrekord. The mosque stands within the old Chaleshtar fortress, beside the remains of the castles of the local khans, and the Bayat House is located in the same historic complex. It was built on the orders of Mohammad Reza Khan Chaleshtari, one of the khans and rulers of Chaharmahal. According to the inscription on the northern iwan and the chronogram on the western portal, its construction is dated to 1267 AH (lunar Hijri), which was probably the year the building was completed. The mosque was registered on Iran's National Heritage List on 12 Azar 1375 (Solar Hijri) under number 1779. Covering an area of about 4,000 square metres, the building has a courtyard, northern and southern iwans, eastern and western porticoes, a winter prayer hall, a spring prayer hall, a pool room (howzkhaneh), an ablution room (tatahir-khaneh) and an entrance portal.

The mosque is built of stone, brick and tile, and its architecture is formed by a combination of four iwans, colonnaded porticoes and prayer halls. Among its most notable features are inscription tilework, varied brickwork, and decoration with Quranic verses, flower-and-vase motifs, and arabesque (eslimi) and khataei designs. The western portal is one of the building's most distinctive parts; its inscription bears the name of Mirza Esmail Kashipaz Esfahani, who made the portal's decoration. The wooden door on the western side was made by Master Naser Chaleshtari on the orders of Mohammad Reza Khan Chaleshtari. The mosque's wooden minbar also carries an inscription with the name of its calligrapher, Abdolrahim, and Quranic verses are carved on parts of it. The mosque lies next to the remains of Chaleshtar's historic castles, so a visit can be part of a cultural tour of the area's historic complex.

To reach the Jame Mosque of Chaleshtar, head from Shahrekord towards the Chaleshtar area west of the city. Once you arrive in the historic part of Chaleshtar, you will find the mosque beside the remains of the old castles of the khans. Spring, especially the month of Ordibehesht (late April to May), is a good time to visit thanks to the area's mild weather, and besides admiring the mosque's architecture you can also see the historic fabric and surviving remains around Chaleshtar. When visiting, remember that this is a religious building: keep quiet, observe proper etiquette and dress modestly, and avoid touching or damaging the tilework, inscriptions and other historic decoration. It is also best to move carefully around the surrounding historic sites so that the architectural remains and the cultural value of the complex are preserved for future visitors.