Hamamian Mosque

Hamamian Mosque is a historic Qajar-era building in West Azerbaijan Province, located in the village of Hamamian, about 3 km from Bukan. The mosque was built in 1328 AH (lunar Hijri), equivalent to 1288 in the Solar Hijri calendar and before World War II, through the efforts of Mahmud Agha Ilkhanizadeh, and its architect was the Maragheh-born master builder (Memar-bashi). After more than a century, the building is still regarded as one of the region's valuable works of historic architecture, and on 25 Esfand 1379 (Solar Hijri) it was inscribed on Iran's National Heritage List under registration number 3483. Next to the mosque stand the remains of the village's old school (madrasa), some of whose classrooms still survive; in the past it was a place of study for students of religious sciences.

Hamamian Mosque has a square plan measuring about 14 by 14 metres and is a single-domed mosque; it has no prayer hall (shabestan) or courtyard and was built with an extroverted design. Rubble stone was used in the foundations, square bricks in the walls, vaults and body of the dome, and wood in parts of the building; the mortar and pointing were made from a mixture of lime, gypsum and eggs. One of the mosque's most distinctive features is its double-shell dome, decorated with delicate brickwork and plant-based pigments, with four skylights providing light for the domed chamber. The entrance is on the north side and has a porch (iwan) with wooden columns; inside, the mihrab is on the south side, between two windows. The arches, whose springing points start at the floor of the mosque and rise up to the dome, not only strengthen the structure of the vaults and dome but also give the architecture a distinctive character. Other notable elements of the mosque include the four-columned entrance hall with its wooden ceiling, four brick minarets beneath the roof, and decorative brickwork in various parts of the building.

Hamamian Mosque lies a short distance from the city of Bukan and can be reached by the road leading to the village of Hamamian; its proximity to the remains of the village's old school also offers a good opportunity to learn more about the historic Hamamian complex. Spring and early autumn, thanks to the region's more favourable weather, are the best times to visit and stroll around the village and the area surrounding the mosque. When visiting, travellers should be mindful of the building's religious function and the peaceful atmosphere of the mosque, and avoid touching or damaging the brickwork, old timber and other architectural elements. Keeping the grounds and the school ruins clean, respecting the building's surroundings and avoiding damage to the village's historic fabric are among the most important principles of responsible visits to this historic site.