The historical complex of Farahabad (Persian: مچموعه تاریخی فرح آباد, [Farahābad]), with an area of about 40 hectares, is located 28 km from Sari to Farahabad, Mazandaran province and only two kilometers from the Caspian Sea. This complex comprises a mosque, a school, parts of a bridge, a palace, and a bath belonging to the Safavid period (1501-1736). This city was the favorite of the Safavid kings, and Shah Abbas (one of the reputable kings of the Safavid dynasty) spent summertime there.
Farahabad complex included a palace, bridge, mosque, Ab-Anbar (water reservoir), bath, caravanserai, school, bazaar, and several streets built around Tajan river. This area looked like other urban planning projects of the Safavid period such as the cities of Isfahan and Qazvin, and the significant part of the complex was a rectangular square that led to the Jahannama Palace from the north.
Farahabad Mosque is a kind of the Four-Iwan (four-porch) style of mosque architecture. The porch of the mosque with a large brick dome is located in the southern part where the Mihrab is located. There are two Shabestan on either side of the porch, and the courtyard is surrounded by rooms where seminary students lived. The buildings on the north side are more similar to the caravanserai, used for travelers to rest.
The entrance is located on its northern side, decorated with seven-colored tilework. From the minarets of this mosque, only its foundations have remained. There is a pool in front of the mosque, filled by a water stream from the Tajan River. Among the decorations of the mosque, some signs can be mentioned, such as Karbandi (geometric design), Tile working, and Muqarnas.
Jahannama Palace is another part of the Farahabad complex that has exhibited a combination of Eastern and Western art in the form of murals. The remains of this palace are located in the northern part of the Farahabad historical complex, situated in the west of the Tajan River. Towers and fortifications, a two-story building, and a polo field have been among the features of this palace. Finally, Shah Abbasi Bridge is a brick and semi-ruined bridge. This bridge was built on the Tajan River.
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