The Abbas Mirza Mosque (; ) was a seventeenth-century

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

, that was located in what is modern-day

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. Prior to the mosque's construction, a 17th-century mosque existed on the same site. Rebuilt in in the period of

Qajar Iran The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin,Cyrus G ...

, due to the neglect of first the

Tsarist Tsarist autocracy (), also called Tsarism, was an autocracy, a form of absolute monarchy in the Grand Duchy of Moscow and its successor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire. In it, the Tsar possessed in principle authority and ...

and then the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

authorities, the mosque gradually fell into disrepair, constant looting disfigured the interior and

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

, and the remains of the mosque were finally demolished in the late 1980s.

History

First mosque

The Shah Abbas Mosque, also known as Sardar Mosque, was a 17th-century mosque built in Erivan, during the rule of the Iranian

Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

shah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the leaders of numerous Per ...

Abbas the Great Abbas I (; 27 January 1571 – 19 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the fifth Safavid Iran, Safavid shah of Iran from 1588 to 1629. The third son of Mohammad Khodabanda, Shah Mohammad Khodabanda, he is generally considered ...

. The Shah Abbas Mosque in

Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...

, was built at the same time. Along with the Rajab-Pasha Mosque, a

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

mosque, the Shia Shah Abbas Mosque was one of the two major mosques built inside the walls of the

Erivan Fortress Erivan Fortress or Yerevan Fortress (; ''Yerevani berdë''; , ''Ghaleh-ye Iravân''; ''E'rivanskaya krepost' '') was a 16th-century fortress in Yerevan. History The fortress was built during the Yerevan#Arab, Persian and Ottoman rule, Ottom ...

. The demise of this mosque is not known.

Second mosque

Between 1807 and 1817, the mosque was rebuilt during the reign of the last khan (governor) of the

Erivan Khanate The Erivan Khanate (), also known as , was a Khanates of the Caucasus, khanate (i.e., province) that was established in Afsharid dynasty, Afsharid Iran in the 18th century. It covered an area of roughly 19,500 km2, and corresponded to most o ...

, Huseyn Khan. It was named Abbas Mirza Jami, after the

Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...

crown prince

Abbas Mirza Abbas Mirza (; 26 August 1789 – 25 October 1833) was the Qajar dynasty, Qajar crown prince of Qajar Iran, Iran during the reign of his father Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (). As governor of the vulnerable Azerbaijan (Iran), Azerbaijan province, he played ...

, the son of

Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...

. Abbas Mizra was aged approximately 20 years at the time of the mosque's construction, believed to be . The mosque was also built within the Erivan Fortress grounds. The façade of mosque was covered in green and blue glass, reflecting Persian architectural styles. After the

Capture of Erivan The capture of Erivan (or Erevan/Yerevan; ; ) took place on 1 October 1827, during the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28. The city fell to the Russians after being besieged for a week and opened up the path for the eventual capture of Tabriz, th ...

by the Russians and their victory in the Russo-Persian War, the mosque was used as an arsenal, and barracks.

H. F. B. Lynch Henry Finnis Blosse Lynch, Master of Arts, MA, FRGS (18 April 1862 – 24 November 1913) was a British traveller, businessman, and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of Parliament. Biography Lynch was the only ...

described what he saw of the former mosque in his 1901 book: During the

Soviet era The history of the Soviet Union (USSR) (1922–91) began with the ideals of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War, ...

, the mosque, along with Christian buildings, was derelict. The only preserved item of the former mosque is the frame of the building.

Gallery

File:August Wilhelm Kiesewetter (1811-1865). Ohne Titel (Moschee).jpg, Moschee zu Eriwan by August Wilhelm Kiesewetter (between 1848 and 1849) File:Mosque de la Forteressse Erivan (1843).jpg, Mosquée de la Forteresse Erivan by Frédéric Dubois de Montpéreux (d. 1843) File:Khan's Mosque in Erivan.jpg, The mosque in 1899 File:Mosquée d'Erevan (Germain Bapst).jpg, The mosque in late 19th century File:No-nb bldsa 6d069.jpg, Remains of mosque in 1925 (photo by

Fridtjof Nansen Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (; 10 October 1861 – 13 May 1930) was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and co-founded the ...

)

Notes

References

External links

* 1810s establishments in Iran 1817 establishments in Asia 17th-century mosques in the Safavid Empire 19th-century mosques in Iran Anti-Islam sentiment in Armenia Armenia–Iran relations Qajar mosques Closed mosques in the Soviet Union Demolished buildings and structures in Armenia Former mosques in Armenia Islamic architecture in Iran Monuments and memorials in Armenia Mosques completed in the 1810s Mosques destroyed by communists Persian-Caucasian architecture Religious buildings and structures completed in 1817 Shia mosques in Armenia Twelver Shia mosques {{Asia-mosque-stub