Madrese Khan

The Madrese Khan is identifiable by the elaborate, floral tilework that wraps around its massive arched entrance. Built in the early seventeenth century by the governor of Fars, Imam Qoli Khan, it functioned as a sophisticated center for theological and scientific study. When the philosopher Mulla Sadra fell out of favor with the authorities in Shiraz, he retreated to this complex to teach. He spent years living within these walls, refining his theories on the nature of existence while his students filled the chambers.