Geometric Patterns Used in the Architecture of Kaboud Mosque in Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Doubts about the architectural style of the Kaboud Mosque in Tabriz are related to the geometry of the plan and its special volumetric composition, which has made this building different from other examples of mosque architecture in Iran. For this reason, some scholars, following the formal origins of this mosque, have traced its roots in the art of the Ottoman region and, as a result, have introduced the architecture of the Kaboud Mosque as an imitation of Ottoman architecture. In the present study, using a descriptive-analytical method, the form of the construction of the Kaboud Mosque of Tabriz and its comparison with the Ottoman mosques have been studied and recognized. Then, the geometry used in the Kaboud Mosque of Tabriz has been analyzed by measuring its degree of compatibility with the resulting rectangles of regular pentagons and hexagons. The results show that the construction of the Kaboud Mosque is similar in form to some Ottoman architectural works. However, structurally, it has been created entirely based on the Iranian engineering style. The architectural style of this building, although it opened a new chapter in the design of the mosque in Iranian architecture, could not arouse the desire of later architects to repeat its form.