In the north of the mosque, there is another dome, which is locally known as “Gombad Khaki” or “Khagi”. This dome was built in Razi style and was located outside the mosque area in the past. This dome was used by Malek Shah Seljuqi before Friday prayers and she performed the ceremonies related to this occasion under it. Also, due to the competition between Tajul-Molk and Nizam-ul-Molk, this dome was designed with a Razi architectural style.
Arthur Pope’s words when she visited the dome of Taj al-Mulk
That day, when I watched Isfahan Jame Mosque I went and stood under this dome, I realized that my whole being was in the possession of the dome and the mosque… Since then, I went to the mosque many times and by looking at the dome of this mosque, I opened my tongue in admiration and expressed my love for Isfahan and Iran, I saw more and more… I want my body to be buried in this holy soil.
Taj-ul-Molk Dome has a special position in the field of culture and art of Islamic Iran. The bricks and geometric decorations and motifs that have been worked on this dome are very artistic and beautiful and have a lot of value. This dome changes from a square shape to an octagon and then to a hexagon and is built on a cylinder. Its dimensions are 10.5 meters in diameter and 19.5 meters in height, respectively.
The dome of Taj-ul-Molk has two shells, and its outer shell is covered with beautiful bricks, which adds to the beauty and glory of the building. Inside the dome, there is a historical inscription, the date of its construction goes back to 481 AH/1101 AD, and its founder is introduced as Tajul-Molk. Some archaeologists also believe that this building may have been built as a tomb, canopy, fountain or library. But none of these theories have been definitively confirmed.
The inscription on the dome of Taj-ul-Molk is written in a simple Kufic script and is written with bricks, and it is devoted to the 54th verse of Surah A’raf. The name of the founder of this dome, Abu al-Ghanaim, Marzban bin Khosrow, Firoz Shirazi (nicknamed Tajul-Molk) and the date of its construction in 481 A.H. are highlighted. Also, inside the Taj-ul-Molk dome, there are other inscriptions in simple Kufic script on raised bricks, which have verses from Surah Isra and Al-Imran.
In general, the Taj-ul-Molk dome is considered a unique work of art and cultural value in Islamic Iran, which is very attractive to visitors, with the use of artistic architecture and beautiful decorations.
