Naqsh-e Jahan: the square that was “half the world”
Isfahan’s great Safavid square brings together royal mosques, a palace and a bazaar in one of the world’s grandest urban spaces.
When Shah Abbas I made Isfahan the Safavid capital at the end of the 16th century, he gave the city a monumental centre: Naqsh-e Jahan Square. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Four landmarks, one square
- The Shah Mosque, crowned by a vast tiled dome
- The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, with its cream-coloured dome that changes tone through the day
- The Ali Qapu Palace, with a terrace overlooking the square
- The Qeysarieh Gate, entrance to the Grand Bazaar
The saying “Esfahan nesf-e jahan” — “Isfahan is half the world” — dates from this golden age.
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