The Relationship Between Spatial Organization and the Semantic Configuration of Inscriptions in Safavid Period Mosques

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between spatial organization and the semantic
configuration of inscriptions in Safavid mosques through the cases of Sheikh Lotfollah
Mosque, Imam Mosque, and Hakim Mosque in Isfahan. Adopting a qualitative research
framework, it combines comparative case study analysis with plan-based spatial reading. The
locations of inscriptions, their textual content, language preferences, and script characteristics
are mapped onto architectural plans, while the ritual movement from entrance to mihrab is
reconstructed to examine how inscriptions guide perception and structure meaning. The
findings suggest that inscriptions are not merely decorative elements but active components of
spatial hierarchy and religious experience. Their placement, content, and visual emphasis
correspond to different stages of movement and perception within the mosque. The study
argues that Safavid mosque architecture should be interpreted as an integrated semantic
environment in which space, text, and ritual movement operate together. This study, prepared
at the Graduate School of Istanbul Gelişim University, examines ‘The Relationship Between
Spatial Organization And The Semantic Structure Of Inscriptions In Mosques Of The Safavid
Period: A Spatial Analysis of the Sheik Lütfullah, Imam, and Hakim Mosques’.