Great Mosque of Herat
Name of Building
Great Mosque of Herat
Town or City, Country where the building was originally established
Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan
Date the building was designed and/or first built
Begun: 13th century (Ghurid period)
Major reconstruction: 15th century (Timurid)
Tile renovation: 20th century
Name of Architect, Builder, or Primary Patron Responsible
Original patron: Ghurid Dynasty
Principal later patronage: Timurid rulers (especially during reign of Shah Rukh)
Architects/Builders: Unknown
Culturally Specific Time Period
Ghurid and Timurid architectural period
Geo-Location
Latitude: 34.3529 N
Longitude: 62.2040 E
Longitude: 62.2040 E
Materials
Glazed tile
Brick
Cut ceramic mosaic
Marble
Size and/or Scale of Building
Large four-iwan mosque surrounding a rectangular courtyard
Architectural Type
Religious
Building Description
The Great Mosque of Herat consists of a four-iwan courtyard design which uses brick construction and blue and turquoise glazed tiles to create star patterns and calligraphic and arabesque designs on its exterior walls. The northern iwan leads visitors to the open courtyard which leads to prayer halls with vaulted roofs and domed chambers that experience changing light effects between outdoor brightness and indoor dimness. The mosque serves religious purposes through mathematical ornamentation which directs worshippers to prayer areas while displaying political and cultural power through its large tile decorations. The mosque maintains its status as a living heritage site through its traditional color scheme and geometric designs which were restored during the twentieth century.
Names(s) and location(s) of the museum holding the object(s)
N/A
Image source
Image 1: https://www.nomadsland.travel/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_zoom/public/2023-01/jami-masjid-of-herat.jpg?itok=gawYtRpA
Image 2: https://www.nomadsland.travel/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_zoom/public/2023-01/jami-masjid-of-herat-right.jpg?itok=qupAQQJR
Creative Commons or other copyright information
Image 1: Creative Commons
Image 2: Creative Commons
Image 2: Creative Commons
Student First and Last Name
Mursal Abdullah
Bibliographic references for the item
Golombek, L. and Wilber, D. (1988) The Timurid Architecture of Iran and Turan. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Kuehn, S. (2005) ‘Timurid Religious Architecture’, Muqarnas, 22, pp. 155–178.
Archnet (n.d.) Great Mosque of Herat. Available at: https://archnet.org/ (Accessed: [December 1, 2025]).
Citation
Original patron: Ghurid Dynasty, Principal later patronage: Timurid rulers (especially during reign of Shah Rukh), and Architects/Builders: Unknown, “Great Mosque of Herat,” World Architecture, accessed June 28, 2026, https://www.worldarchitecture.artinterp2.org/items/show/181.
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