Persian Tiled Minaret of the Blue Mosque
Why is it significant?
You stand at the southern corner of the courtyard beneath the graceful twenty-four-meter minaret of the Blue Mosque. Before the twentieth century, the mosque complex was framed by four towering minarets positioned at each corner.
Key Facts
| Place | Persian Tiled Minaret of the Blue Mosque |
|---|---|
| Address | Blue Mosque Complex, Yerevan, Armenia |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.17820, 44.50480 |
| Part of Walk | Kond, Blue Mosque, and Saryan Wine Street: Hidden Yerevan |
| Generated | Generated |
You stand at the southern corner of the courtyard beneath the graceful twenty-four-meter minaret of the Blue Mosque. Before the twentieth century, the mosque complex was framed by four towering minarets positioned at each corner. Three were dismantled during Soviet urban redevelopment in the 1930s, leaving this slender brick tower as the sole surviving Islamic minaret in all of Yerevan. Its circular silhouette rises elegantly against the azure Caucasian sky.
Examine the extraordinary ceramic tilework cladding the upper third of the minaret and its octagonal muezzin balcony. Thousands of glazed earthenware tiles in radiant shades of turquoise, lapis lazuli, saffron yellow, and cream form complex geometric strapwork, stylized floral medallions, and elegant Persian calligraphic inscriptions. Restored with authentic techniques by artisans from Isfahan in the late 1990s, the tiles catch the golden sunlight and gleam like polished gemstones against the warm red-brick masonry.
Adjacent to the minaret stands the main prayer hall, topped by an elliptical dome twenty meters in height. The interior sanctuary is carpeted with hand-woven Persian rugs and lit by ornate chandeliers, maintaining a solemn, reverent atmosphere. The mosque stands as a living symbol of the enduring cultural and diplomatic bonds connecting Armenia and Iran, two ancient neighbors who have shared borders, trade routes, and literary exchanges for millennia.
Looking up at the gleaming turquoise dome of the minaret framed by the boughs of walnut trees, you are reminded of Yerevan's layered cosmopolitan past as a crucial crossroad on the historic Silk Road. The exquisite Persian craftsmanship offers an unforgettable visual feast for lovers of historic decorative arts. Standing at the foot of this elegant tower, you are captivated by how the turquoise enamel reflects the shifting hues of the Caucasian sky. The minaret remains a cherished jewel of historic decorative art in the heart of Yerevan.
Exit through the southern portal onto Mashtots Avenue and walk a short distance south to the monumental Pak Shuka market hall.