Birun Mosque, Abarkuh

🕰️When was it built?

Judging by the shape of its vaults and arches, the first building is attributed to the early Islamic centuries, but the exact date is not known. The mosque was added to Iran's National Heritage List on 8 December 1998 as number 2170.

🏛️What was it built for?

It was built for prayer and worship, and its iwans, courtyard, side rooms and domed chamber all connect. The mosque is also known as a qadamgah of Imam Reza, a place associated with him, and that religious link has long been part of how people know it.

👀What you will see

• The west iwan leads into the domed chamber, which is square inside but semicircular from the outside.
• In places the walls of the domed chamber are more than 1.7 metres thick.
• The east iwan is smaller than the west one and connects to two small rooms on the north side.
• Only the base remains of the minaret north of the domed chamber; it was used to reach the roof.
• Pointed vaults and barrel vaults show different ways of roofing within one building.

🎒Good to know before you go

• To find the entrance, go round to the north side of the building; the way in is on that side, through a room.
• When you look at the roofs, compare the pointed and barrel vaults; these shapes helped date the mosque.