Soltaniyeh
Encyclopedia
Soltaniyeh is a city in and capital of Soltaniyeh District
of Abhar County
, Zanjan Province
, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,684, in 1,649 families. Soltaniyeh, located some 240 kilometres (149.1 mi) to the north-west of Tehran
, used to be the capital of Mongol Ilkhanid rulers of Persia in the 14th century. Its name translates as "the Imperial". In 2005, UNESCO
listed Soltaniyeh as one of the World Heritage Site
s.
William Dalrymple notes that Öljaitü
intended Soltaniyeh to be "the largest and most magnificent city in the world" but that it "died with him" and is now "a deserted, crumbling spread of ruins."
is the Mausoleum of Il-khan
Öljeitü (Persian
اولجايتو) also known as Muhammad Khodabandeh, traditionally known as the Dome of Soltaniyeh.
The structure, erected from 1302 to 1312 AD, has the oldest double-shell dome
in Iran. Its importance in the Muslim world may be compared to that of Brunelleschi
's cupola
for Christian architecture. It is one of the largest brick domes in the world, just at the theoretical engineering limit for a brick dome and the third largest dome in the world after domes of Florence Cathedral and Hagia Sophia
. The Dome of Soltaniyeh paved the way for more daring Iranian-style cupola constructions in Muslim world, such as the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi
and Taj Mahal
. Much of its exterior decoration has been lost, but the interior retains superb mosaic
s, faience
, and mural
s.
People have described the architecture of the building as “anticipating the Taj Mahal
.”
The estimated 200 ton dome stands 49 meters (161 ft) tall from its base, and is currently undergoing extensive renovation.
Soltaniyeh District
Soltaniyeh District is a district in Abhar County, Zanjan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 28,266, in 7,282 families. The District has one city: Soltaniyeh....
of Abhar County
Abhar County
Abhar County is a county in Zanjan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Abhar. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 158,544, in 41,333 families. The county is divided into two districts: the Central District and Soltaniyeh District. The county has four cities: Abhar,...
, Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Located in the North West of Iran, its capital is Zanjan city. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 964,601 . The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.Zanjan...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,684, in 1,649 families. Soltaniyeh, located some 240 kilometres (149.1 mi) to the north-west of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, used to be the capital of Mongol Ilkhanid rulers of Persia in the 14th century. Its name translates as "the Imperial". In 2005, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
listed Soltaniyeh as one of the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
William Dalrymple notes that Öljaitü
Öljaitü
Öljeitü, Oljeitu, Olcayto or Uljeitu, Öljaitu, Ölziit , born Muhammad Khodabandeh , was the eighth Ilkhanid dynasty ruler in Iran from 1304 to 1316...
intended Soltaniyeh to be "the largest and most magnificent city in the world" but that it "died with him" and is now "a deserted, crumbling spread of ruins."
Dome of Soltaniyeh
The central magnet of Soltaniyeh's several ruinsRuins
Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
is the Mausoleum of Il-khan
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
Öljeitü (Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
اولجايتو) also known as Muhammad Khodabandeh, traditionally known as the Dome of Soltaniyeh.
The structure, erected from 1302 to 1312 AD, has the oldest double-shell dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
in Iran. Its importance in the Muslim world may be compared to that of Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. He is perhaps most famous for inventing linear perspective and designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral, but his accomplishments also included bronze artwork, architecture , mathematics,...
's cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
for Christian architecture. It is one of the largest brick domes in the world, just at the theoretical engineering limit for a brick dome and the third largest dome in the world after domes of Florence Cathedral and Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
. The Dome of Soltaniyeh paved the way for more daring Iranian-style cupola constructions in Muslim world, such as the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi
The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is an unfinished mausoleum in the city of Turkestan, in southern Kazakhstan. The structure was commissioned in 1389 by Timur, who ruled the area as part of the expansive Mongol Empire, to replace a smaller 12th-century mausoleum of the famous Turkic poet and...
and Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
. Much of its exterior decoration has been lost, but the interior retains superb mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s, faience
Faience
Faience or faïence is the conventional name in English for fine tin-glazed pottery on a delicate pale buff earthenware body, originally associated with Faenza in northern Italy. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip...
, and mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s.
People have described the architecture of the building as “anticipating the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
.”
The estimated 200 ton dome stands 49 meters (161 ft) tall from its base, and is currently undergoing extensive renovation.
See also
- Iranian architectureIranian architectureIranian architecture or Persian architecture is the architecture of Iran . It has a continuous history from at least 5000 BCE to the present, with characteristic examples distributed over a vast area from Turkey to North India and the borders of China and from the Caucasus to Zanzibar...
- Ab AnbarAb AnbarAn āb anbār is a traditional reservoir or cistern of drinking water in Persian antiquity. The Persian phrase literally translates as "water reservoir".-The structure:...
- YakhchalYakhchalYakhchāl is an ancient type of refrigerator. The word also means "glacier" in Persian.In 400 BC Persian engineers had already mastered the technique of storing ice in the middle of summer in the desert....
- Traditional water sources of Persian antiquityTraditional water sources of Persian antiquityMost rivers in Iran are seasonal and have traditionally not been able to supply the needs of urban settlements. Major rivers like the Arvand, Aras, Zayandeh, Sefid and Atrak were few and far between in the vast lands of Persian antiquity....
External links
- Official website
- World Heritage profile
- Video of Soltaniyeh
- Farnoush Tehrāni, The Crown of All Domes, in Persian, Jadid Online, 31 December 2009, http://www.jadidonline.com/story/31122009/frnk/soltanieh.
• Audio slideshow: http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_multimedia/Soltanieh_test/sol_high.html (6 min 45 sec).