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<A HREF = "portal.gif"> <IMG ALT="Portal of Jorjir" SRC="portal16.gif" WIDTH=256 HEIGHT=175 ALIGN="LEFT"></A><H1 ALIGN="right">Masjed-e-Hakim<BR>The Portal of Jorjir</H1>
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The Masjed-e-Hakim was built by the doctor of <B>Shah Abbas II</B> (Muhamad Daoud Molagheb - other wise known as Toghreb Khan) between 1656 and 1662 according to an inscription over the porch he built nearer the bazaar, but stands partially, at any rate, on the site of a much older mosque built under the <A HREF =
"../glossary/history.html#deylamid">Buyids</A> by <B>Sahib Ismail Ibn Abbad</B>, during the tenth
century. Local legend has it that the Sahib taught in the area which now constitutes the main sanctuary
chamber of the <A HREF = "../../masjomeh/nizam/nizam.html">Masjed-e-Jomeh</A>, and whose lower
half possibly rivals this in antiquity. The original mosque was built predominantly of plaster and little has
survived, although the pleasant ivory tone of the remaining parts stems from the use of this material. This
entrance to the mosque, which is found in a somewhat uninspiring alleyway to the north-east of the main
bazaar, is known as the Portal of Jorjir and is probably the oldest religious building in Isfahan. It shows
the development of a quite unique style of ornamentation under the <A HREF =
"../glossary/history.html#deylamid">Deylamid</A> rulers.<BR>
The <A HREF = "archnet.gif">archnet</A> is particularly attractive with magnificent stucco <A HREF =
"kufic1.gif">kufic</A> set into the simple squinches. Freed of the increasing use of pendentives which was
to characterise later developments of the semi-dome, this has a transparent elegancy that rivals that of the
<A HREF = "../glossary/gonbad/gonbad.html">dome</A> of the <A HREF =
"../lotfall/maslotf.html">Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque</A>, 600 years later.<BR>
The excellent state of the portal stems from the fact that it was covered with mud walls until the
Department of Antiquities uncovered it in 1956.<BR>
<HR>
<A HREF = "hashti.html"> <IMG ALT="Door Icon"SRC ="../wayin16.gif"></A> Visit the Mosque<BR>
<A HREF = "../bazaar/bazaar.html"> <IMG ALT="Up Arrow"SRC ="../up16.gif"></A> South to the
Bazaar<BR>
<A HREF = "../nimavar/nimavar.html"> <IMG ALT="Left Arrow"SRC ="../left16.gif"></A> East to
the Madrasa-ye-Nimawar<BR>
<A HREF = "../massayed/massayed.html"> <IMG ALT="Right Arrow"SRC ="../right16.gif"></A>
West to the Masjed-e-Sayyed<BR>
<A HREF = "../darbimam/darbimam.html"> <IMG ALT="Down Arrow"SRC ="../down16.gif"></A>
North to the Darb-e-Imam<BR>
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<A HREF = "../taxi.html"> <IMG ALT="Taxi"SRC ="../masbtn16.gif"></A> Take a taxi<BR>
<A HREF = "../masjed.html"> <IMG ALT="Mosque Icon"SRC ="../masbtn16.gif"></A> Other
Mosques and Shrines<BR>
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23-January-95
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