"Covering approximately 2 hectares, the Jame' ('Atiq) Mosque of Esfahan constitutes the supreme living testimony of the evolution of Iranian architecture in the Islamic period from its origins to the present." This quote is from a nomination of this building to the United Nations World Heritage List. Construction of this mosque began 1,236 years ago. It is a sprawling complex that takes hours to explore. We did not spend nearly enough time.