Gonbad-e Kaboud (The Blue Dome) of Maragheh

The Blue Dome of Maragheh is one of the historical monuments of this city, which according to some local people, is the tomb of the mother of Hulegu Khan, the founder of the Ilkhanate Mongol Dynasty in 1256 AD. There is, however, no solid evidence that this place is the tomb of Mother Hulegu’s mother.

History of the Blue Dome of Maragheh

Maragheh, which is the second most populous city in the East Azarbaijan Province of Iran, has a rich history and commendable culture. This city, which was quite prosperous before the advent of Islam in Iran, reached its peak of prosperity between the 12th and 14th centuries. It was during this period that after conquering Baghdad and returning to Iran - due to its pleasant climate - Hulegu Khan made Maragheh his capital and some historical monuments like the Maragheh Observatory were built in this city. During this time, Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi, who had been appointed as the advisor to Huleuu Khan, managed to render countless services to the scientific community of that time and turn Maragheh into a place of interest to scientists from different nationalities.

It seems the Blue Dome of Maragheh was also built during this era. There are, however, different opinions about the exact date of the construction of the Blue Dome. While some archeological experts believe that it was created sometime between 1186 and 1258 AD, some other experts are of the opinion that it was built in the year 1196 AD. The blue dome is located a few meters away from Maragheh Round Tower, a tower whose structure is cylindrical and according to the inscription installed in it, it was built in the year 1167 AD. It seems that the longevity of the Round Tower is longer than the Blue Dome. However, it is certain that the Blue Dome of Maragheh was built around the 13th century AD and is more than 700 years old.

Architectural Features of the Blue Dome of Maragheh

Blue Dome of Maragheh is built in a 10-sided shape. All sides of the building have beautiful arches, borderworks, dents, and a colorful and glazed appearance. The three-row muqarnas works of the façades have doubled the beauty of all 10 sides. The turquoise color of the tiles used in the façade, along with the dark ocher color of its bricks, stands out as a charming and remarkable combination.

Like many mausoleum towers, the Blue Dome of Maragheh has two floors. There is a cellar on the lower floor, which some people believe is the burial place of Hulegu Khan’s mother. Even though the inscription in this cellar shows that this building is a tomb, it is not possible to comment with certainty about the person buried in this grave. Several decorative elements can be seen on the walls of the cellar, including words such as “Allah” and “Al-Hamd” that have been written in Kufic script.

There is a shabestan (nave) decorated with plaster works and tiling on the upper floor. This floor covers the entire space located below the dome of the building. The dome has, due to the damage received over time, been almost destroyed but its lower parts are still standing. There is an inscription on the stem of the dome, written in Rayhani script on a wide white strip of chalk. It seems that there were also some paintings inside the dome drawn with turquoise color paint, which have vanished over time, and no trace of them can be seen.

One of the reasons that convince some researchers to accept that place is the tomb of Hulegu Khan’s mother is the abundant use of decorations, denoting the importance of the building and the person buried in it.

Blue Dome of Maragheh was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1931.

There are different opinions about the exact date of the construction of the Blue Dome. While some archeological experts believe that it was created sometime between 1186 and 1258 AD, some other experts are of the opinion that it was built in the year 1196 AD.