'Report on Fars by Captain A T Wilson, Indian Political Department' [‎142v] (289/396)

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The city has 6 gates : viz., Isfahan, Bagh-i-Shah, Kazarun, Shah Da’I/Qassab
Khaneh and Sa’id, and is divided into 11 quarters. The author of Fdrs-
ndmeh-i-Ndsir~, published in 1895, quoting a census stated to have been
taken in 1883, gives the total population of Shiraz at the latter date as
25,284 males, 28,323 females, total 53,607. Further details of this census
are given in Chapter I. The present population is probably not over 40,000.
Public buildings and objects of interest in the neighbourhood. —There are
in Shiraz fifty considerable mosques, besides many others of inferior note
to a total number of fifty,—eleven colleges, fourteen bazaars, thirteen cara-
vansarais and fifty-six baths. Of all the mosques, the Masjid-i-’Ali, built
in the Khalifat of the house of ’Abbas, is the most ancient. The Masjid-
i-Nau, the largest mosque, not only in Shiraz, but also throughout Persia,
was originally the palace of Atabak Shah, who, in a dangerous illness of his
son, consulted the Mullas, and was informed (as the only means of the re
covery of his child) that “ he must devote to the Almighty that which of all
his worldly goods he valued most.” He accordingly converted his palace into
a mosque and the Muhammadans add that his son was in consequence
restored to health. Stack calls this also the most ancient of all the mosques.
The Masjid-i-Juma’ is likewise claimed to be the oldest of the mosques
of Shiraz ; its construction being ascribed to Amr bin Lais Saffar, about
A.D. 891. There are six others of a date previous to that of Karim Khan
Zend. Of the more modern mosques of Shiraz, the Masjid-i-Vakll, the only
one built by the last named Prince, is the most beautiful. Karim Khan
began to build a college, but never finished it; there were already six, one
of the earliest of which (that founded by Imam Qull Khan) is still the most
popular. Another was added by Hashim, father of HajI Ibrahim, the Wazlr
of Path ’AH Shah, and the Pish Namaz and Mujtahid (Chief Priest of the
city and founder of the Hashlmleh family) built another.
The principal caravansarais, in which the better class of merchants and
Sarafs have their offices, either open on the Bazar-i-Vakll or are situated
in close proximity to it. Of the former may be mentioned the caravansara-
i-Gumruk, Raughml (chiefly inhabited by ZardashtI merchants), Fil and
Qawam; among the latter the best known are those of Mushlr-ul-Mulk
(or Gulshan) and of Agha Jan. In former times, there existed the caravan-
sarai of Qaisarleh Khan, built by Imam Qull Khan, of which the name only
now exists ; the ground on which it stood is now used for the tanning of
lambskins. Other caravansarais were the Dabbiighan, or that of the dres
sers of sheepskins; the Rangrlzan or that of the dyers; and the Hinduan,
where the Hindus resided. The very names of these have faded out of
memory.
Karim Khan enriched this capital with three public baths, two within
and one without the town. Four have since been raised, but there were
already before his reign nineteen similar foundations, wliile many later ones
have been built. There are several mausoleums* in Shiraz; the most
*The three most beautiful tombs are (as regards their domes) Shah Chiragh, conspicuous
by its blue dome, Saiyid Nur Muhammad, and Saiyid Allah-ud-din Husain.