Blue-tiled madrasas, jewels of Iran in Central Asia

This week, the WordPress photo challenge theme is Masterpiece.

Nothing equals the delicate beauty of a Central Asian madrasa. Those religious buildings, that served as schools and had a strong influence in the 11th to 14th centuries, are fascinating attractions.

Esfahan (Ispahan), Iran

They fill the tourists with wonder, with their deep blue colours that blend into the sky.

They inspire the photographers, with their meticulous geometrical patterns.

They are worthy of all of our admiration, with their stunning overall beauty as much as their unrivalled attention to detail.

Esfahan (Ispahan), Iran

Let me take you on a little voyage in mosques and madrasas; from Iran, where it all started, to the awe-inspiring madrasas of Central Asia.

Still Esfahan (Ispahan), Iran

A detail in Esfahan. Animals are not normally represented in mosques, but in Iran and Central Asia they are, which is a rarity. You will often see birds, or tigers, and a few more animals.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The iwan is the name given to a big gate wall at the entrance of a madrasa.

Chakhrisabz, Uzbekistan. Although the birth place of Timur / Tamerlan, it is not on the typical tourist track, so less money has been raised to renovate it and a lot of the painted tiles are missing.

Yasaui Mausoleum, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Close up on the Yasaui Mausoleum, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

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