Gonbad-e Qabus (tower)
Gonbad-e Qabus or Gonbad-e Qabus Tower (Persian: برج گنبد قابوس) is a monument in Gonbad-e Qabus, Iran, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. It marks the grave of Ziyarid ruler Qabus (r. 978–1012), and was built during his lifetime in 1006/7. It is a cylindrical tomb tower that reaches c. 61 metres (200 feet) and can be seen from some 30 kilometres (19 miles) away. The eponymous city is named after the monument.
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gonbad-e Kavus, Gonbad-e Kavus County, Golestan Province, Iran |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 1398 |
| Inscription | 2012 (36th Session) |
| Area | 1.4754 ha (3.646 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 17.8551 ha (44.121 acres) |
| Coordinates | 37°15′28.9″N 55°10′8.4″E |
Location of Gonbad-e Qabus in Iran Gonbad-e Qabus (tower) (West and Central Asia) | |
Considered to be a masterpiece of Iranian architecture, according to Oleg Grabar, it achieves an "almost perfect balance between a purpose (princely glory beyond death), a form (cylindrical tower transformed into a star), and a single material (brick)". The Gonbad-e Qabus tower is the best known tower tomb in northern Iran and was featured in many publications.