Study and Analysis of the Rock Architectural Hill Rasadkhaneh at Maragheh

One of the main rock sites of Maragheh is the rock-cut architectural complex at the west part of the Observatory Hill. Despite being on the National Monuments list; this rock-cut site’s use is not studied comprehensively yet. The structure is located at the end of Pasdaran (former Darayi) Street, below the historical site of the Observatory Hill. This valuable complex includes a number of troglodytic spaces consist of barrel vault and vault revetments on the foundation of limestone. The chronology and use of this site – like many other rock sites in Iran – are the essential questions raised about it. This paper describes the structure and architecture of the rock-cut complex of the Observatory Hill, and seeks to determine its use and relative chronology. Regarding the archaeological data of the site and the history of this architecture in Maragheh, and comparing it with other rock-cut structures, it can be concluded that the site was created during the Islamic era. The structure had a ritualistic use for Christians and Buddhists, and during the Ghazan Khan religious reforms it was enlarged and extended; however, until the Qajar period was used as the monastery of the Assyrian Christians.