Visit the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz – Iran’s Most Colorful Mosque

A mosque so beautiful that when the light shines through its windows you will feel like you are in a rainbow, a kaleidoscope, a dream. The Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque, also nick named the pink mosque due to the use of the pink tiles, creating the warm pink glow, is one of Iran’s most beautiful mosques, and for many their reason to visit Shiraz. Seeing the light shine through the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque is an Iran bucket list worthy experience, something you definitely cannot leave of your Iran itinerary. Intrigued? Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know about visiting the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque, Iran’s most beautiful mosque…

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Where is the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque

The Nasir Al Mulk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, is located in the beautiful city of Shiraz. The city of Shiraz can easily be visited by bus, train or plane from other major cities such as Isfahan or Tehran, and definitely is a city that is worth to be on your Iran itinerary. And while the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque should be enough reason to make a stop in the city of Shiraz, there are many other things to do in Shiraz including visiting the ancient city of Persepolis and seeing the tomb of the famous Hafez. You can find the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque in a central location of Shiraz and a visit to this mosque can be easily combined with some of the other major sights in Shiraz.

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Where to stay in Shiraz to visit the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

As the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque is located in a central location it is within walking distance from many of the more centrally located hostels and hotels in Shiraz. With the rise of tourism in Iran, the amount of hostels and hotels has been on the rise and while it first it wasn’t possible to use booking sites for booking accommodation, now you can easily use websites such as Hostelworld to find the best hostel in Iran for you. Not sure where to start? Here are a couple suggestions of places to stay if you are visiting Iran on a budget.

Taha Hostel – Taha Hostel is currently one of the most popular places to book via Hostelworld and is one of the few places that currently can actually be booked using Hostelworld. Pick from mixed dorms or female only dorms, or even opt to stay in a private room. Taha Hostel is located roughly 1.7km away from the Nasir Al-Molk Mosque, making it an easy 20 min walk in the early morning to wake you up. Check out the latest rating, prices and info on Taha Hostel here!

Golshan Traditional Hostel – Looking to stay a bit closer to the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque instead so you can be sure you are one of the first to arrive? Perhaps the Golshan Traditional Hostel is the place for you. Private rooms and dorm rooms, Golgshan Traditional Hostel has both, with a simple but tasty Iranian breakfast in the morning included. With the hostel being located across the street from the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque, you’ll be at the mosque within a couple of minutes. Check out the latest ratings from other travelers here on Hostelworld!

Luxury Hotels – Not looking to stay in a budget hotel or a dorm room, don’t worry, Shiraz has some beautiful luxury and boutique hotels available as well. In 2018 two of the most popular hotels to stay at in Shiraz were the Zandiyeh Hotel and the Darbe Shazdeh Boutique Hotel. Both hotels are located roughly 2km away from the Nasir Al-Mulk mosque, which will be roughly a 20 to 30 min walk to get to the mosque, or of course you can grab a taxi!

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What to expect at the

Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque

Walk into a kaleidoscope of colors, simply sit down and watch the light show happen. Construction of the mosque started in 1876, under the Qajar ruler Mirza Hasan Ali, and wasn’t completed till the year 1888 but now, over a century later, is still standing and one of Shiraz’s most famous tourist sights. While the stained glass windows are the highlights of most people’s visit, the smaller details should not be forgotten either. Walk around the mosque admiring the detail of the mosaic and painted tiles, the beautiful architecture, and the stunning pink glow of the mosque. Seeing the beauty of the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque is once in a lifetime opportunity. To give you a better idea of what the mosque looks like, check out the photos below!

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Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque –

Know before you Go

To make your visit a little bit easier, we have compiled a short list of things that you should know before you go to the Nasir al Molk Mosque. Visiting the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque was the highlight of our trip to Iran, and our favorite sight to see in Shiraz. So here are a couple of things you should know when planning on visiting the Nasir Al Mulk Mosque:

• Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque entry fee – In March ’17 the entry fee to the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque was 200,000 Rial.
• Opening hours of the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque – Opening hours of the mosque, like many sights in Iran, are dependent on the season and can vary largely and as such it is best to check with your accommodation for the exact opening hours of the mosque. The mosque is closed on Fridays and often is open from 8am – 12.30pm and after lunch from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. However, there are reports of the mosque opening as early as 7am and as closing as early as 4pm during some seasons.
• Dress code for the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque – Women are not required to wear a chador in the mosque. Regular Iranian dress code applies to both men and women visiting the mosque.
• Best time to visit the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque – While it is hard to skip the crowds completely, more on that below, you can try to avoid the busiest parts of the day by visiting the mosque right after opening hours. Sometimes, they keep the curtains of the stained glass windows closed, fully or partially, but the room will still be filled with plenty of colors.

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Taking Photos at the Nasir Al-Mulk Mosque

The photos as seen above and below don’t do the the beauty of the mosque justice, the sight is much more spectacular and magical in real life. However, it is understandable that you want to capture these beautiful and unique moments, so did I, and to be fair, the rainbow of colors and the beauty of the light here is a dream to photograph for many photographers. To get the best shots of the mosque here are a couple of tips:

• Show up early – check with your hostel, hotel or guesthouse what the exact opening hours of the mosque are so you are one of the first to show up at the sight. The morning is also when the light fully hits the windows, creating these rainbow like color patterns inside.
• Don’t wait for the curtains to open – one of the few reasons I managed to get photos of the Nasir Al-Mulk mosque empty, or with just me in the frame, is because I didn’t wait for the curtains to open. Thick curtains are covering the mosaic stained glass windows from the outside to protect the windows and the wood, however, blocking the majority of the light coming in. Upon entering the mosque we found the curtains closed and were informed the curtains would open 45 min later, something we gladly waited for. Many people enjoyed admiring the mosque from the outside, waiting till the curtains fully opened to see the grand spectacle. This meant having the inside of the mosque to ourselves for a short while, creating these empty, but nonetheless beautiful photos, as light was still entering through the top part of the windows. Even after they started opening the curtains, only half of them were opened, so don’t wait, take every opportunity you have.
• Respect other people – as much as you like to take photos, there are 10 if not 20 or 30 people there that would like the same. We live in this day and age that everyone has a camera, albeit on their phone or actually having a camera, and everyone wants a photo. Respect other people taking their photos, wait your turn, and you most likely will have the opportunity to do the same if not, their is always the option to ask politely. Don’t sit in the middle of the hall to simply relax when you are done taking your photos, allow other people to do the same so everyone leaves happy and with their perfect shot. To give you a better idea of how many people will be there, check out the photo below that I took right after the curtains had fully opened.
• Change angles – It will be hard to have the mosque fully to yourself, however, it is not impossible to change angles and create the look that you do. Instead of photographing the whole hall, take a section of windows instead, still getting these beautiful shots with that picture perfect light.

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Travel Iran

And there you have it, everything you need to know about visiting the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, from the best time to visit to how to take the best photos at the beautiful Pink Mosque. But I am quite sure you didn’t visit Iran just to see the Pink Mosque! Looking for some more inspiration on traveling Iran and guides to create your perfect Iran itinerary, check out these posts as well:

• 7 Amazing things to do in Tehran
• The Complete Qeshm Island Travel Guide – Exploring the Persian Gulf
• 11 Fascinating things do in Isfahan
• 9 Amazing things to do in Kashan

From exploring beautiful landscapes and wildlife, to the delicious cuisine and architecture, Iran has it all and Shiraz is just one of the few places to visit. Don’t forget to check out our complete Iran Travel Guide and oh, don’t forget to pin it for later!