Shah Abbas made his capital, Isfahan, into the queen of Persian cities and one of the most precious jewels of urban architectural development anywhere in the world: its inhabitants still boast that “Isfahan is half the world.”  Abbas concentrated markets, the palace, and the royal mosque around a vast polo field and public square.  Broad, shaded avenues and magnificent bridges linked the central city to its suburbs.  Safavid architects made use of monumental entryways, vast arcades, spacious courtyards, and intricate, colorful decoration. Isfahan contained 162 mosques, 48 schools where future members of the ulama learned the sacred Muslim sciences, 273 and public baths in addition to the imperial palace.