The Dome

This dome has been justly described as one of the most beautiful in the Islamic world. It's simplicity of design, the mosaic tilework set directly in plain brick, is arresting yet charming in its simplicity. The strength and simplicity of the arabesques on its exterior offer a pleasing contrast to the elaborate tilework below. The drum contains panels set with elaborate Kufic separated from the dome itself by a continuous band of thuluth script.

The construction of the dome is unusual for the period. Unlike other contemporary domes, it is not made of a double shell, but of a single one. Its low profile and great width put considerable outweard pressure on its supports which in turn requires massively thick walls (1.7m). However such is the intrinsic elegance of the design that the massive nature of its construction is not apparent to the onlooker.

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27-January-95