Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maraqehهغارم
0421 / POP 173,000 / ELEV 1440M
While briefly capital of Ilkhanid Iran (from 1255), Maraqeh (Maragheh, Maraga) once
boasted the medieval world's greatest observatory. Here brilliant mathematician Nasrud-
din Tusi (Nasir al-Tusi) accurately calculated the diameter of the earth, centuries before
the Western world even guessed it was round. On a windswept hill 3km northwest of
town, a modern
observatory
(rasad-khana; closed to public)
occupies the site where
the original was destroyed during Tamerlane's ravages.
Sights
Gonbad-e Sorkh
Of several fine tomb towers scattered around town this is the most interesting form, with a
square-plan topped by a squinch-pinched octagon. An upper window- hole is positioned
such that sunlight shines directly onto the inner doorway at spring equinox.
In nearby gardens, is
Gonbad-e Arqala
(Arg-tomb; Khayyam St; admission free;
8am-2pm & 4-6pm, till 7.30pm summer)
an attractive, domed, stone building housing a
fine collection of gravestones and pre-Islamic totems.
MAUSOLEUM
Gonbad-e Kabul
The lovely
Gonbad-e Kabul
(Dark Dome) is thought to be the tomb of Hulagu Khan's
mum. It's attractively dotted with blue-tiled inlay but let down by its backdrop of school
buildings and a shopping centre.
The squat, ugly sister of the tomb-towers,
Gonbad-e Qaffariyeh
(Dezhban St)
sits for-
lornly in a riverside garden with a tacky trio of concrete dolphins for company.
MAUSOLEUM
Sleeping
Mosaferkhaneh Tehran Noh$
( 222 7368; Taleqani St; dm/tw/tr US$4/7/9, showers US$1)
This
mosaferkhaneh
is ba-
sic but survivable with hospital-style beds and bare light bulbs.
MOSAFERKHANEH
Darya Hotel$
HOTEL
