Mashhad, the holy shrine of Imam Reza (Photo credit: Arian Zwegers)
Tomb of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni in 1848. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Imam Reza shrine Imam Reza stone grave (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Author: IA Source: Taken at the shrine of Imam Ali Reda in Mashad, Iran, in August, 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Imam Reza shrine is in Mashad ,Iran.It is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam Reza ,the eighth Imam of twelve shiites.It is the largest mosque in the world in dimension.It is the second largest in capacity.Within the the complex there are the Goharshad Mosque,a museum,a library.four seminaries,a cemetary ,the Rezavi university of Islamic Sciences,a dining hall for pilgrims,vast prayer halls and other buildings.
The complex is the centre of tourism in Iran.
In 1818 Imam Reza was murdered by Al-Mamun and was buried beside the grave of Harun.This place was called Mashad al-Rida( the place of martyrdom of Ali al-Rida) Shiias and Sunnis visit this place for pilgrimage.By the end of the 9th century a dome was built on the grave.This place has been devastated and rebuilt a number of times.In 993 the holy shrine was ruined by Saboktakin,who was a Ghaznavid king.His son Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni ordered it to be repaired.The celebrated Muslim traveler Ibn Batuta visited Mashad in 1333.He reported that it was a large town,it had abundant fruit trees,streams and mills.It was a great dome of elegant construction,the walls were decorated with colored tiles.Opposite the tomb of the Imam is the tomb of Caliph Harun al- Rashid.It is surmounted by a platform bearing chandeliers.
In the 15th century during the Shahrokh era ,it became one of the main cities of the Timurid dynasty.In 1418 his wife Goharshad funded the construction of an outstanding mosque beside the shrine. It is known as the Goharshad Mosque.
English: Goharshad mosque, Mashad. Iran. Photo is supplied (taken) by Zereshk. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The dome of Imam Reza holy shrine, covered with gold-coated bricks, (built:1333 AD), Mashhad, Iran. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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