The pale tones of the cupola stand in contrast to those around the portal,where you’ll find some of the best surviving Safavid-era mosaics. The exterior panels contain wonderful arabesque and other intricate floral designs; those displaying a vase framed by the tails of two peacocks are superb. The portal itself contains some particularly fine muqarnas with rich concentrations of blue and yellow motifs.

The mosque is unusual because it has neither a minaret nor a courtyard,and because steps lead up to the entrance. This was probably because the mosque was never intended for public use, but rather served as the worship place for the women of the shah’s harem. The sanctuary or prayer hall is reached via a twisting hallway where the eyes become accustomed to the darkness as subtle shifts of light play across deep blue tilework. This hallway is integral to both the design and function of the mosque because it takes the worshipper from the grand square outside into a prayer hall facing Mecca, amd thus on a completely different axis.