Soltaniyeh in Iran was the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Soltaniyeh Dome, built as a mausoleum for Oljaytu, is a marvel of contemporary architecture and the world’s first double-shell dome. The interior boasts Islamic geometric art, and recent repairs have been made to preserve the structure.
Soltaniyeh is a large ancient city in modern day Iran. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been since 2005. Soltaniyeh simply means ‘imperial’ and served for many years as the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty during the 14th century.
The structure itself was built as a mausoleum for Oljaytu, in the early 14th century. Oljaytu was the fourth of the Ilkhanid dynastic family to rule the region. He crossed over a number of faiths in his youth, being baptized a Christian, converting to Buddhism, then Sunni Islam and finally Shia Islam. Many people believe that Olijaytu’s conversion to Shia helped strengthen faith and laid the foundation for the Shia majority in Iran today.
The building consists of a huge domed building, surrounded by six tall minarets. It is the Soltaniyeh Dome that makes this site so important and so impressive. The dome is over 160 feet (50 m) tall and weighs approximately 400,000 pounds (180,000 kg). The Soltaniyeh Dome was the world’s first double-shell dome and was a marvel of contemporary architecture. The construction of the Soltaniyeh Dome set the stage for other domes of similar design in the Muslim world, paving the way for future wonders such as the Khoja Mausoleum and the Taj Mahal.
Soltaniyeh Dome is a thing of wondrous beauty. At one point the entire exterior was covered in ornate Islamic-style patterns, but time and weather have worn away much of this design. Some motifs remain, however, as does the blue tile inlay on the structure’s upper levels. The deep blue contrasting with the deep red of the stone creates a beautiful contrast that stands out against the sky.
The interior of the Soltaniyeh Dome is quite well preserved. The interior is rather sparse, but the beautiful texture that covers many of the surfaces gives the building a quiet beauty that evokes many of Iran’s oldest mosques and some contemporary mausoleums in the Christian world. Due to the ban on carved images, there are no narrative murals or friezes inside, but instead the walls and niches boast a huge collection of Islamic geometric art.
Over the centuries the Soltaniyeh Dome has suffered extensive damage, mostly simply due to neglect. In recent years, however, the Iranian government has begun investing resources in repairing the Soltaniyeh Dome. Its inclusion in the 2005 World Heritage Sites list helped bring further attention to the structure, and work continues to repair the damage and ensure the dome will last well into the future.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
