Barda Mausoleum

[1] The mausoleum was built of burnt and green-blue colored glazed bricks, which makes the word “Allah” for more than 200 times.

The diameter of the tower is 10 m. In the southern portal of the mausoleum the inscriptions indicate the date of construction: “Shawwāl (is the tenth month of the lunar based Islamic calendar) second and twentieth and seven hundred years” (that is, 722 AH or 1322).

The entire surface of the tower is covered with the repeating word “Allah”, rotated at an angle of 45 degrees.

The entrances to the mausoleum from the north and the south are underlined by portals that stand out clearly against the general smooth background of the tower.

The northern entrance to the mausoleum is accentuated by a richer finish and protrudes 30 cm from the body of the tower.

Portal profiles, stalactites, archivolts and tympanums were decorated with geometric and vegetative ornaments in accordance with the patterns.

However, due to negligence during restoration, the original appearance of the tomb changed (the inscriptions were erased, and the heavy concrete slab that placed on the roof caused cracks).

Ayatul-Kursi Surah and inscriptions with the Kufi alphabet that placed on the walls of the tomb while construction (in 14th century) were restored.

Due to its architecture, the tomb has attracted the attention of researchers since the 19th century after the invasion of the South Caucasus by the Russian Empire.