The muqarnas of the Shah Mosque and Fatima Masumeh Shrine, Iran

[littlemissmartypants]

Muqarnas is a three-dimensional architectural decorative element that flourished in its most complete form mainly during the Islamic period and is most pervasively used in domes and semi-domes. One of the key features of this mesmerizing element is its geometry which still remains a mystery and is a subject that required a deeper study by artists and art historians.
https://www.worldhistory.org/Muqarnas/

The dimensionality is better visualized in this photo of the muqarnas vaulting in the iwan entrance of Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Atabki Sahn, Qom, Iran by the Iranian architectural photographer, Amir Hossein Pashaei, 11 July 2020.

The dimensionality is better visualized in this photo of the muqarnas vaulting in the iwan entrance of Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Atabki Sahn, Qom, Iran by the Iranian architectural photographer, Amir Hossein Pashaei, 11 July 2020.

— (@2diamondeyes.bsky.social) 2026-03-11T05:30:43.559Z

Decorative muqarnas vaulting in the iwan entrance of Fatima Masumeh Shrine in atabki sahn, Qom, Iran. This picture merged from 25 pictures. 5 frames and each frame contain 5 pictures with 5 levels of exposure. HDR + Panorama

Iranian architectural photographer
Amir Hossein Pashaei
11 July 2020

Muqarnas in the St. Petersburg Cathedral Mosque, Russia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Muqarnas/

The muqarnas of the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, are a masterpiece of Islamic architecture.

America and Israel of course are desperate to destroy this intricate beauty. #SolidarityWithIran

— Jenny Difficult-Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithPalestine🍉🍉 (@joneshowdareyou.bsky.social) 2026-03-11T03:59:10.593Z

The muqarnas of the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, are a masterpiece of Islamic architecture.

America and Israel of course are desperate to destroy this intricate beauty. #SolidarityWithIran

Hat Tip

cliffside
https://democraticunderground.com/10143630776
Strikes on Iran Damage Cultural Heritage Sites, Infuriating Iranians
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/world/middleeast/iran-heritage-sites-damaged.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SVA._l3R.7OYvoaHJM6jo&smid=url-share

[NNadir]

1. It is terrible to destroy cultural icons, something for which Americans...

...have some bad habits.

It goes back some years, all the way to Dresden in 1945. (The Brits of course helped in this, courtesy of the imperialust "Bomber Harris." I have recently learned in my reading that he learned his particular bad habits in the colonial era in mandatory Palestine, where he has a habit of leveling villages indiscrimately to suppress Arab revolts.)

When I used to go to Europe often on business, on the off days, I would sometimes visit Cathedrals in whatever city in which I happened to be.

I'm an atheist but nonetheless I would feel some sense of reverence in these structures, even to the extent that I would light a candle to I could tell my very Catholic step mother I had done so in memory of my father.

I certainly remember that of Strasbourg, which until the late 19th century had what was thought to be the most accurate clock in the world. It was a massive thing, constructed with moving figurines and other miniscuptures. I'm very glad that neither the Germans nor the British nor the Americans blew it up.

Bush's Oedipal.war in Iraq destroyed many antiquities from the Mesopotamian era.

On a personal note, it's nice to see you posting again. We were missing you.