Day 6 - Shirāz: Khan Theological School - looking from vestibule to courtyard

so bright on the street... so shady in the vestibule... then back to sunlight in the courtyard but you're entering a different world..

Khan Theological School (Imam Gholi Khan Madrasa or Madrasa-i-Khan) was built in 1627. I am not sure if there are additional buildings (I assume there are). We only saw an impressively muqarna*-covered entrance gate, a beautifully domed vestibule, and a lovely courtyard. The courtyard is a classic four-iwan** plan, apparently square, with shallow iwans covered in gorgeous tilework (apparently the same on each side). and was graced with palms, pines, roses, and citrus trees, and a reflecting pool in the center.

I loved that the plantings gave attention to all the senses... the sound of a breeze in pines and palms is a delight, even as their shade refreshes the skin; the scent of roses fills the air and the citrus trees made my mouth water.

To see what the courtyard looked like in 1933, visit ArchNet site at . Be sure to view the large photos - it's quite fascinating! The reflecting pool is there but most of the garden is not.


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*Muqarnas are used in many ways in Islamic architecutre... see this page on Archnet for a full description, history, and references.

**An iwan is a large arched opening in the wall of a courtyard. Usually there are four; sometimes one leads to an interior hall of a mosque. The architectural theme apparently dates from ancient Assyria but became common in Islaimc architecture. The four-iwan plan is commonly used in domestic, religious, and public architecture in Iran and the region.

Read more about iwans, and see examples across time and space, here on Archnet.