Il-Khan - Dome of Soltaniyeh
Dome of soltaniyeh or il Khan oljeitu tomb is the most famous monument of Solyaniyeh city in Zanjan province (capital of the Il-Khan dynasty). The structure, erected from 1302 to 1312 AD, has the oldest double-shell dome in Iran. Soltaniyeh is one of the outstanding examples of the achievements of Persian architecture and the key monument in the development of its Islamic architecture. The octagonal building is crowned with a 50m tall dome covered in turquoise- blue faience and surrounded by eight slender minarets. It is the earliest existing example of the double-shelled dome in Iran.
This dome contains 8 thick walls which endurance 1600 tones weight of the dome. The monument consists of eight minarets in each angle of the walls. The height of the dome is about 5.5 m and diameter of 30.6 m. The thickness of this dome is about 160cm, and the false distance between two domes is 60cm. the secret of the durability of this dome is the double- shell characteristic if it. This dome was even resistant to earthquakes.
Carpet (Rug)
The sample carpets of Il-Khan Era were great and precious carpets of Qazan Khan Palace and carpets in Imam Reza holy shrine in Mashhad province. The most famous carpets of that era were small, were formed by small geometrical shapes, and imitated natural pictures.