The Blue Iwan

This MOC was inspired by the Friday Mosque of Isfahan in Iran and the Necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, along with other Persian monuments of Central Asia. The stand was inspired by a 19th-century architectural maquette by Diego Fernández Castro.

The MOC represents an Iwan (a vaulted space opening onto a courtyard). Iwans can be found in many Central Asian buildings, including mosques, tombs and madrasahs. Its ceiling is covered with white muqarnas (niches forming a honeycomb structure) that represent infinity and the cosmos. The rest of the chamber is adorned with geometric patterns made from blue glazed terracotta. There is also a carved wooden door inside a marble arch at the back of the chamber. On the outside, the monumental arch is outlined in turquoise twisting cables. The Iwan is flanked by two minarets topped by golden Alams (decorative crescent moons, most often toping domes and minarets). The minarets are inspired by the Qutb Minar in Delhi, India.

Descending the marble steps of the Iwan, there is a square with a fountain in the middle. Channels direct the water into the sunken gardens containing orange trees. Heading to the left, there is a bazaar where merchants are selling pots, fruits and spices. The Iwan is placed on a wooden stand (it's not actually wood, it's LEGO like the rest) in a Nasrid revival style. Similar stands or cabinets were used to house architectural maquettes (small-scale replicas of buildings) of various monuments.