Alavian Dome: a masterclass in Seljuk stucco

Most visitors to Hamedan walk straight past the Alavian Dome on their way to Baba Taher. That is their loss: this squat brick cube holds some of the finest decorative stucco to survive anywhere in Iran.

Start outside

Before going in, walk around the building. The outer walls are worked in patterned brick, and the portal is framed by bands of carved plaster so deep that the shadows do half the drawing.

The portal and the mihrab

Inside, every surface is carved: vines, palmettes and geometric bands layered over one another. The prayer niche, added when the building served as a mosque, is the richest part of all — stand close and you will see four or five planes of carving stacked in a few centimetres.

Down to the crypt

A narrow spiral stair leads under the hall to the crypt, where members of the Alavian family were buried beneath turquoise tiles. It is small, cool and very quiet.

When to go

Late afternoon, when low sunlight rakes across the portal, is the best time for photographs. Combine it with Baba Taher's tomb, a short walk away.