The Great Mosque of Borujerd (Masjed-e Jāme); Aspects of Architectural Design and Contruction in the Seljuk Era

The Great Mosque of Borujerd (Loristan) with its dome hall (dated 533-39 HQ/1139-45 AD) counts among the important monuments of the Saljuq period. It was object to a campaign of architectural documentation during which a complete 3D laser scan of the dome hall was produced. On this basis, exact ground plan and sections of the building were drawn, which depict its true shape without idealizing. Considering the seismic history of the place, the use of laser scanning as a basis for future conservation and restoration issues is obvious. In the present study, the laser scan measures and the drawings were taken as a basis for examining the structure of the dome hall in more detail than hitherto possible. It can be concluded that the original building was erected with considerable tolerances in measures. Nevertheless, measures were examined for a possible underlying module. Conclusions involve a set of very rough proportioning, although it seems clear that the interior has been much altered and even the present shell of the dome has been re-built. The new documentation makes it most likely that the dome hall at Borujerd was never planned with a double-shell dome, as a single-shell dome on the profile of the present inner dome would have presented an aesthetically satisfying profile.