Built in 1465 for Jahan Shah, ruler of the Qara Qoyunlu (“Black Sheep”) Turkmen dynasty, the Kabud or Blue Mosque was once one of the most magnificent buildings in the Islamic world. Its walls were covered inside and out with tile mosaic in an unusual palette of deep cobalt, turquoise, white and gold, earning it the name “Turquoise of Islam”.
A powerful earthquake in 1780 brought down most of the domes. Restoration in the 20th century rebuilt the structure in plain brick, leaving the surviving fragments of original tilework to stand out like jewels — around the great portal and inside the main sanctuary, where dark blue hexagonal tiles still cover the lower walls.
Highlights
- Surviving cobalt-and-gold tile mosaic
- The great portal with its inscriptions
- Dark blue hexagonal tiles in the sanctuary
- A powerful story of loss and restoration
Gallery
