Davazdah Imam Memorial

According to experts, the Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd is the oldest documented building in this city. This building was built during the Seljuk era in the year 1037 AD (428 AH), and its dome, niche, and several inscriptions, have made it one of the unique buildings in Yazd.

History of the Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd

The foundation of this building dates back to the time when the Kakuyids ruled in Yazd. In the inscription that can be seen in this monument, the names of two brothers, Abu Masoud and Abu Yaqub, are mentioned as its founders. It is said that these brothers were two of the generals of the Kakuyid ruler, Al-Din Ala al-Dawlah Muhammad Abu Jafar.

What Inspired the Construction of the Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd

There are different theories about why this tomb was built. In the inscriptions inside the mausoleum, this building is referred to as “Qobbah” (meaning dome). Thus, it so appears that this building was not built as a tomb, and the name “Boq’ah” (meaning shrine or mausoleum) was given to this building because during the Safavid era (1501 to 1736 AD) such buildings were usually called Boq’ah. However, some people believe that the title of “Boq’ah” was given to this building because of the burial of one of the descendants of Imam Sadiq (AS), the sixth Imam of the Shiites. Of course, this assumption is uncertain due to the fact that no burial place has so far been found in this monument.

The architecture used in this work is in the style of a tomb but no graves are seen in it and it is for this reason that some experts consider this building to be a memorial that was created to honor the 12 Shiite Imams (AS).

Architecture of the Davazdah Imam Memorial

This mausoleum is a four-domed building that is open from three sides and blocked from the Qibla (south side). Presently, out of the three entrances of the building, the eastern and western gates are blocked and entry and exit are only possible from the north side.

Upon entering from the northern gate of the mausoleum, a niche can be seen on the southern side, whose tile decorations are very attractive. The tiles of this niche are in azure, turquoise, green, yellow, and white colors, and despite the passage of time and much damage, the niche continues to look beautiful.

The mausoleum has a square-shaped dome, the length of each side of which is 11 meters from the outside and 8.25 meters from the inside. There is a small mesh window in the middle of one of the walls of the dome, through which lighting and air conditioning take place.

The dome of the mausoleum is placed on an octagonal structure and no decoration can be found on it. There are three arches on each of the octagonal sides. A method called “cornering” is used in the construction of the dome stem. In this method, the quadrilateral building turns into an octagon and gradually takes the shape of a circle.

Inscriptions of the Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd

There are four inscriptions in different parts of the mausoleum:

• The inscription on the main door is decorated with a verse in Kufic script.

• The inscription of the eastern gate, which has a verse from the Holy Qur’an engraved on it.

• The oriental color inscription inside the mausoleum on which the names of its builders can be seen in Kufi script.

• The inscription on the dome, which is placed at the foot of the dome ring, and Ayat al-Kursi (the 255th verse of the second chapter of the Holy Qur’an) is written on it. This inscription also contains the names of the architects as well as some other verses of the Holy Qur’an.

This work was registered in the list of national works of Iran in 1934 AD (1313 AD).

Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1943 AD.

According to experts, the Davazdah Imam Memorial of Yazd is the oldest documented building in this city. This building was built during the Seljuk era in the year 1037 AD (428 AH), and its dome, niche, and several inscriptions, have made it one of the unique buildings in Yazd.