Dome of Soltaniyeh
Dome of Soltaniyeh
located in Soltaniyeh city, Zanjan province, Iran. It was constructed by order of the Mongol ruler IL-khan Öljeitü, also known as Muhammad Khodabandeh between 1302- 1312 AD. It was registered on the UNESCO world heritage list in 2005.
The Tomb of Öljeitü was one of the largest religious endowments of the 14th century used for multiple functions, such as praying, teaching Islamic lessons, Quran reading and other religious ceremonies. The main building is approximately 125 feet in height. It is crowned by a dome with an average diameter of 80 feet. Eight minarets enclosing the dome above the gallery. As an important principle of Persian Architecture, the complex consists of Four Iwans (Four courtyards) connected by arcades with Muqarnas. Many parts of the building adorned with plastered and paintings, and the courtyard was paved with white marble. As for the interior of the tomb, it is decorated with tile and plaster. The Iwans’ walls possess white inscriptions that stand out against the blue background. The underside of the Iwans is stuccoed with bands of ornamentation and later painted. A garden named Rawda was built around the mausoleum of Öljeitü. Because Oljeitu’s tomb was one of the most significant works of its time, it became an inspiration for many other complexes like Blue Mosque of Tabriz built by Saliha Khanum, Taj Mahal, Saint Mary Church in Florence and Turkey's Hagia Sophia.