Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque

The Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque in Shiraz, often called the “Pink Mosque,” is a 19th-century Qajar-era mosque noted for its vibrant tilework and stained-glass windows. It is particularly famous for the colored light effects produced inside the prayer hall.

Visitors come to see the interior stained glass and patterned carpets, the tiled mihrab and the delicate muqarnas and tile mosaics. The prayer hall and its rows of columns create framed views that accentuate the coloured light when sun strikes the windows.

Built for a local Qajar patron, the mosques decorative program emphasizes polychrome tiles and carved wood as well as stained glass, making it distinct from many earlier mosques that focus primarily on tilework. It has been maintained and conserved as a functioning mosque and a popular visitor site.

The mosque is located in the historic centre of Shiraz in Fars province and is within walking distance of other major Shiraz landmarks.

• Best time for photos: Morning light through the mosques extensive stained glass windows produces vivid colored patterns on the floor and carpets and is the most photographed time to visit.
• Date and style: Constructed during the late 19th century under a local Qajar-era patron, the mosque combines traditional tilework with large stained-glass panels and carved timber.

The mosque sits in the old city of Shiraz, a short walk from the Vakil Bazaar and the Vakil Mosque. It is about 15-20 minutes on foot from Shiraz’s central bus station; taxis and local rideshares will drop visitors at the entrance to Lotfollah Street.

• Aim for early morning when sunlight streams through the pink tiles onto the prayer carpet - that is the famous photo moment.
• Sit in the arcade for five minutes to watch how locals treat the mosque as a daily living space, not a stage.
• Respect mosque etiquette: modest dress required and remove shoes where instructed.