Saljuq Architecture in Iran; Masjid-i Jam‘of Marand

The study aims to discuss the Saljuq dome chamber of the Masji-i Jami‘at Marand in detail. The building is mainly famous for its Ilkhanid Mihrab. The dome chamber is part of a larger structure that was expanded in various periods. The mosque was examined by previous scholars, who mainly focused on the Mihrab. Sarre, Pope, Siroux and Wilber are well-known scholars of Iranian architecture who have published their survey about the mosque. In his lengthy studies, Robert Hillenbrand categorises the Marand mosque, with other domed mosques of northwest Iran, as the “School of Qazvin”. However, no hard evidence confirmed a Saljuq date for the Marand Jami‘except for architectural similarities. The present study mainly focuses on the dome chamber of the building. The article first introduces the mosque and then examines its dome chamber. The dome chamber is placed in a rectangular structure in the historic part of the city. The building was developed and changed at various times. The building has neither a courtyard nor a historic entrance. Despite its vanishing dome, the dome chamber still preserved its original architectural features. The building’s main features are the square dome chamber, the stunning transition zone that differs from other Saljuq cases, and an inscription band of carved stucco encircles the dome chamber.  Providing a comprehensive reading of the Mihrab’s inscriptions as much as possible based on previous studies and the fieldwork of the writer is a further purpose of the study. The inscription band of the dome chamber has not received enough attention from earlier scholars. The fresh material that was found in the conservation procedures of the building shed light on the mosque’s history.  The founded date confirmed the erection of the dome chamber in the Saljuq period. The study also provides some unpublished drawings of the building.