Lajim Tower

The Lajim Tower, 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. The tower was built around 1022 CE during the Bavand dynasty that ruled over the region at the time.

Architecture
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. The entrance to the burial chamber is on the eastern side.

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.

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.

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. The tower was an important monument that drew the attention of North Iranian rulers who valued pre-Islamic art and script.

Current use
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.