Imamzadeh Ja'far, Borujerd

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The outside view of the monument

Imamzadeh Jafar is a spectacular historical mausoleum in Borujerd City, western Iran. The tomb belongs to Abolghāsem Ja’far Ibn Al-Hossain the grandson of the 4th Imam of Shia’s, Zein Al-Ăbedin.

Built in 11th century A.D, Imamzadeh Jafar is one of the few architecture examples of Seljuk and then Ilkhanid eras in Iran. A very similar mausoleum is the Tomb of Daniel in Susa, south western Iran. The building is octagonal with a high dome in the center. The height of the conic-shaped dome is 25 meters from the base (1). The main entrance is in east side and there are two halls decorated with tile work from the Safavid (16th c.) and Qajar (19th c.) times. The intricate carvings on the doors and around the fringes are the masterpieces of the craftsmen of the Safavid era. The interior decoration of the building has changed during different times and lastly, it has been covered with millions of small mirrors (2).

The main gate is wooden with engraved decorations from Safavid era. Below the ground floor, there is a small room containing the main grave which is not accessible for public.

This shrine is located in the middle of a historical graveyard with many old graves and trees. 30 meters far from the main building there is another historical tomb, known as Do Khāharan i.e. The Two Sisters which belongs to two saints (1).

In March 2006, a strong earthquake in Borujerd caused extensive damage to the tomb. The mud-brick parts of the building destroyed up to 50% according to the officials (3) and a big hole appeared on the dome.