The surfaces of Shah Cheragh, a mosque in the Iranian city of Shiraz, glisten and shimmer as you walk by. Mosaics made of mirror shards and tiles cover each wall. Glittering chandeliers hang from the ceilings and spots of light dance in the domes. As the above video by Great Big Story shows, being inside is like inhabiting a disco ball.
Shah Cheragh, also known as the Emerald Mosque and the Shrine to the King of the Light, was originally built in the 1100s as a funerary monument to Ahmad and Muhammad, brothers who took refuge in Shiraz during the 10th-century persecution of Shia Muslims. Many additions and renovations have taken place over the centuries. Shah Cheragh is now the third most holy Shia shrine in Iran, and draws a substantial crowd for Friday night prayers. It's not unusual to see worshippers kissing the mirrored walls post-prayer.
Every day we track down a Video Wonder: an audiovisual offering that delights, inspires, and entertains. Have you encountered a video we should feature? Email ella@atlasobscura.com