Photo Gallery

Alaviyan Dome (built 12th century)

The square building of the Gonbad-e Alavian dates back to the Seljuk period. It was originally built as a mosque by the Alavian family, complete with minarets and a green dome, though it was later transformed into a family mausoleum by adding a crypt to it. The interior decoration includes exquisite carved stucco and brick panels, which the architectural historian Arthur Upham Pope describes as "a tour de fource of opulent imagination". The exterior decoration features inscriptions in Kufic script that were added in the Ilkhanid period.

The crypt is accessible through a narrow staircase at the rear of the building, which leads to a large stone sarcophagus at the center of a vaulted chamber.

Bibliography:

All images copyright 2009 Sanaz Shirshekar. Photographed April 2009.

Curatola, Giovanni & Scarcia, Gianroberto. The Art and Architecture of Persia
  Abbeville Press., 2007. Milan

Hattstein, Markus and Delius, Peter. Islam: Art and Architecture
  George Braziller, Inc., 1965. New York

Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic Architecture: Form, Function, and Meaning
  Columbia University Press., 1994. New York

Pope, Arthur Upham. Persian Architecture.
  Tandem Verlag GmbH., 2007. China

Stierlin, Henri. Islam: From Baghdad to Cordoba
  Taschen GmbH, 2009. China

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saba posted on Wed Mar 10, 2010 4:37 pm:

i want explain of historic place of iran and world

Farid posted on Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:06 am:

It's one old pretty great mosque, fulfilled with long historical cripts in Alaviyan family Spiritual Journey. As known that Alaviya is one of Islamic Spiritualism path.

afrodit posted on Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:03 am:

wery good

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