Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashad is one of the famous religious shrines in Mashad. Tourists who visit Mashad must also visit Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashad to get a feel of the religious history of Mashad.
Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashad was developed on the site of the eighth Imam’s grave. It was developed at the time of his death in 817 in the small village of Sanabad. In the tenth century the town acquired the name Mashad or the 'Place of Martyrdom and became the most sacred site in Persia.
The shrine had to face periods of alternate destruction and reconstruction. The largest period of construction took place under the Timurids and Safavids. The site received substantial royal patronage from the son of Timur, Shah Rukh, and his wife Gawhar Shad and the Safavid Shahs Tahmasp, Abbas and Nader Shah.
Under the rule of the Islamic Revolution, the shrine has been expanded. It was equipped with new courts, a library and an Islamic university. To include these portions all structures adjacent the shrine complex were cleared to form a large green lawn and circular boulevard. This expansion reversed the beautification project of Pahlavi Shahs Riza and Muhammed Riza on the shrine.
The tomb chamber is located underneath a golden dome, with elements dating back to the twelth century. The chamber is decorated with tile work. The wall surfaces and a muqarnas dome were executed in mirror work in the nineteenth century. Shah Tahmasp gold-plated the tomb dome, which was previously decorated with tile. The gold of the dome was lost to Ozbeg raiders. It was subsequently replaced by Shah Abbas.
Various other chambers surround the tomb. These include the Dar al-Siyada and Dar al-Huffaz. Both of these were commissioned by Gawhar Shad.
Courts and buildings encircle the inner chambers. These include the Mosque of Gawhar Shad, the Madrasa Do Dar, the Sahn-e Engelab or Sahn-e Atiq and the Sahn-e Azade or Sahn-e Jadid.
travel.mapsofworld.com provides complete information on Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashad.
| 
