TEHRAN – The historic Vakil Mosque, part of an 18th-century ensemble in downtown Shiraz, has undergone restoration, a provincial official said.

Sadegh Zare, the deputy cultural heritage director of the province, said the project included flooring, refurbishing the central courtyard and the northeastern private yard, and restoring the mosque’s carpets.

He said the restoration also covered tilework and the installation of infrastructure facilities at the site.

Vakil Mosque is situated adjacent to a bazaar and a bathhouse of the same name, built in the 18th century under Karim Khan Zand, founder of the Zand dynasty, who made Shiraz his capital.

The mosque is connected to the bazaar and separated from the bathhouse by a narrow lane. Its features include a recessed entrance with rose-pink tiles, a large courtyard with a central pool, two iwans, and a 75-by-36-metre vaulted prayer hall supported by 48 carved stone columns.

The Vakil ensemble has long been a popular attraction for domestic and foreign visitors. Shiraz, known as the literary capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty, continues to draw large numbers of tourists to its historic monuments.

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, Shiraz has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed down from generation to generation. The city was occupied, at least intermittently, from the Parthian period (3rd century BC–3rd century CE) to the Muzaffarid period (13th-14th century CE). The major occupation, including the extensive fortress, dates to the Late Sasanian period (6th-7th century CE). It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty from 1751 to 1794. Moreover, Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnificent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking to this provincial capital.

Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign tourists. The ancient city is also home to some magnificent historical gardens such as Bagh-e Narenjestan and Eram Garden, which are top tourist destinations both for domestic and international sightseers.

AM