Architectural Reassessment of Masjid i-Kabud at Tabriz; The Missing Iranian Layout

Masjid i-Kabud was built upon the order of Jahan Shah, the ruler of the Kara Koyunlu dynasty, in Tabriz, Northwest Iran. This building is among the most important remains of Islamic architecture and has repeatedly been the object of research by historians of architecture. While the configuration of this building finds a corresponding prototype in Timurid Iran, in the view of a wider audience the construction purpose of this building conceptualizes the theme of Anatolian architecture. Thus, there remain several controversies about the inception of architectural layout that need to be further explored. Using a comparative-analytical method, the aim is to trace back the architectural predecessors of Masjid i-Kabud. Unlike recent studies that attest a Perso-Ottoman interaction in shaping this monument, material evidences confirm beyond any doubt that this was built under the guidance of a master-architect who came from Central Asia a short time before its construction in Tabriz, a grand new capital. According to the results, it is possible to point out a general architectural consistency from the Timurid Empire to the Turkoman era that is largely visible in this building: a tomb in the rear of the central dome aligned with an axial portal, while auxiliary rooms surrounding the main dome on the three sides is a modification of the old traditional Iranian form and might have a close relationship with changes occurring within the religious doctrine in providing adequate space for pilgrimages and educational purposes.