‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎174v] (353/722)

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founders have stated their wishes regarding- the distribution of the
revenues of this establishment between the attendants of the mosque
of the Imam and poor pilgrims. The last and most ancient caravansarai is
that of the Sultan.
The environs of Mashhad are not rich in ancient monuments. There
are the ruins of the Musallah—an imposing edifice, built during the reign
of Shah Soilman in A.H. 10S7. It is noted for the elegance of its
arcade and the severe harmony of the colours on the enamelled tiles,
which form the arabesques on its front. This edifice, intended for the
celebration of the divine service on the two great Muhammadan festivals,
the feast of Kurban and of Fitr, was built on the plan of the Musallah of
Turuk, and finished in the year A.H. 837. The mosque of Khoja Rabi, the
burial-place of the founder of the Imam Ah Riza, is an hour's march north
of Mashhad. This mosque was built in A.H. 1031 by Shah Abbas on the
ruins of an old chapel. A beautiful carved sarcophagus in wood brought
from India occupies the interior of this temple, and shows the spot where
the Shaikh lies. Not far from this is a marble slab, which marks the place
where they buried Fateh All Khan, Kajar, father of Agha Muhammad Khan,
who was beheaded by Nadir Shah at Mashhad for having incited a revolt
among the nomad tribes of Mazandaran.
In the middle of the city is a large, open space of the shape of a paral
lelogram, 160 yards long by 75 yards broad. Round this are rows of
double-storied cloisters, fronted with mosaic work and paved with grave
stones. This is entered on either side of the short sides by high arched
gateways of exquisite architecture faced with blue enamelled tile. In the
centre of the long sides of the square are two deep-arched porches of the
same height and proportions as the gates. One, of enamelled tilework, leads
into a fine mosque ; the opposite one, covered with broad copper tiles heavily
gilt, forms a high gilded minaret and the golden dome under which the
Imam sleeps.
In the centre of the square is a small octagonal temple, within which stands
a white marble block of great size, hollowed to contain water ; and through
the square, and round this, Shah Abbas made a stone canal, that the Faithful
might have water at hand for their ablutions. A space of some hundred
yards round the shrine is railed off for a sanctuary (‘bast'). Within this are
several houses and shops ; and hither even a murderer may flee and be in
saftey so long as he remains. Some have dwelt here for years, whose lives
would have been forfeited had they put foot without the pale.
Eastwick, who is believed to be the only European who ever entered the
square of the mosque of Imam Riza, thus describes it : “ The quadrangle
of the mosque, in which I was, seemed to be about 150 paces square. It was
paved with large flagstones; and in the centre was a beautiful kiosk, or pavil
ion, covered with gold and raised over the reservoir of water for ablutions.
This pavilion was built by Nadir Shah. All round the northern, western,
and southern sides of the quadrangle ran, at some 10 feet from the ground, a
row of alcoves, similar to that in which 1 was sitting, and filled with mullas
in white turbans and dresses. In each of these sides was a gigantic arch
way, the wall being raised in a square form above the entrance. The height
to the top of this square wall must have been 90 or 100 feet. The alcoves
were white, seemingly of stone or plaster ; but the archways were covered
with blue varnish or blue tiles, with beautiful inscriptions in white and
gold. Over the western archway was a white cage, which seemed to be
made of ivory for the muazzin ; and outside it was a gigantic minaret, about