Sultaniyeh

The Dome of Sultaniyeh is located some 42 km from the city of Zanjan in the plains of Sultaniyeh and it is the biggest brick dome in the world. The Ilkhan ruler, Sultan Mohammad Khodabaneh (Oljaitu) commissioned the construction of dome in Soltaniyeh city, the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty, from 1302 to 1312.

The dome which was erected in 1312 A.D. is an octagonal building and has the oldest double-shell dome. Turquoise blue tiles cover the outer shell. There is a tall dome on each side of the building. The architectures have constructed rooms and pavilions on the upper part of the building. It is one of the most important architectural examples of the Ilkhanid Mongols with great influence on the building of historical monuments in the world such as the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Flowers in Florence (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore).

The architecture of this fantastic dome decorated the inside ceiling of the rooms with colored bricks and plasterwork. Also, they have decorated the sides of the ceiling with beautiful Quranic inscriptions. Although much of its exterior decoration is missing, the interior retains beautiful mosaics, faience, and murals. People have described the architecture of the building as “anticipating the Taj Mahal”. The Dome of Sultanyieh was the prototype for construction of a more Persian-style cupola in the Muslim world.

To sum up, Sultaniyeh dome is a must-visit if you travel to IRAN.