Lajim Tower

Lajim Tower
برج لاجیم
Lajim Tower in Savadkuh County, Mazandaran Province, Iran
Location of Lajim Tower in Iran
General information
Type	Tomb tower
Architectural style	Islamic architecture
Town or city	Lajim, Mazandaran
Country	Iran
Coordinates	36°15′20″N 53°06′21″E / 36.255667°N 53.105833°E / 36.255667; 53.105833
Completed	c. 1022 AD
Height	14 metres (46 ft)
Dimensions
Diameter	9 metres (30 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	2
Designations	National Monument

The Lajim Tower (Persian: برج لاجیم, also known as Tomb Tower of Lajim) is a tall cylindrical tower used as a tomb, and located in the village of Lajim near Savadkuh in Mazandaran Province, Iran. ^[1] The tower was built around 1022 CE during the Bavand dynasty that ruled over the region at the time.^[2]

The tower has a cylindrical burial chamber crowned by a double dome, though the outer dome has not survived. It is likely the outer dome was originally conical in shape, typical for tomb towers in the region from the same period.^[3] The entrance to the burial chamber is on the eastern side.^[1]

Decorative features are concentrated below the dome surrounding the entrance. Directly below the dome is a row of shallow arched niches. Below this is a narrow band of geometric patterns, separating it from two inscriptive bands. The upper band is written in Pahlavi, the language of the pre-Islamic Sasanian Empire, and the lower band is in Arabic using the Kufic calligraphic style. The Pahlavi inscription is largely damaged and has not yet been deciphered. The Arabic inscription contains the name of the person buried in the tomb – Abu'l Favaris Shahriyar bin Abbas bin Shahriyar.^[3]

The entranceway is crowned by a pointed arch and set inside a shallow niche with a second pointed arch. Its tympanum features a brick honeycomb pattern. The plain cylindrical interior chamber is lit solely by the entrance.^[3]

The Lajim Tower inscriptions represent the first known use of the word "qubba" referring to the domed structure of the building, demonstrating the architectural influence of Islam in the region.^[1] The tower was an important monument that drew the attention of North Iranian rulers who valued pre-Islamic art and script.^[2]

After restorations, the tower is now a pilgrimage site for residents of the Lajim village and surrounding rural areas of Savadkuh. The ornately carved inscriptions under the dome make this brick structure an artistically significant example of ancient Iranian architecture and design.^[1]