258 
TEHERAN TO TABRIZ. 
JU £j 
/$* 
coo: 
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jects from the base, the whole probably, in its original plan, was 
similarly surrounded by additional buildings. The pr incipal gate 
fro nted the East : it is now in part remaining, but in a s hort time will 
be entirely demolished ; as during our visit there were many workmen 
em ployed in pulling it do wn, to use the mate rials in som e of the King's 
pleasure-houses. The whole structure is of a fine brick admirably put 
together. The cupola and minar e ts were covered w ith a gree n-lac¬ 
quered tile, most of which is now pealed of f. The great architrave 
was of Moresque work of a dark-blue-lacquered tile. The arches of t he 
ga tes were all enriched with curious ornaments in plaster. The 
i nterior is still admirabl e, though it is now converted into a magazine 
of straw . Nothing however intersects the beautifu l symmetr y of the 
dome. The interior diameter is thirty-five p aces, and on a rough 
calculation, the height of the dome must be about on e hund red feet. 
In the c entre of the floor among the straw is a pillar of white marble, 
probably belonging to the tomb of the King, which is said indeed to 
be immedia tely in t hat position below the surface. The people told me 
that there were many fine marbles under the straw; and I saw (without 
being able to find any descent toThem) several a rches under gro und, 
which perhaps, support th e whole floor. Over each gate is a gallery, 
which extends along the base of the dome, and leads into smaller 
galleries within, and into others also on the exterior of the building. 
These are beautifully adorned with the neatest work that I had ever 
seen ; all the cornices of the doors, the segments of the arches and the 
various niches are covered with Arabic sentences; which in some 
places are surmounted in a smaller character by Cujic inscriptions, all 
cither painted in fresco, or raised in plaster. The whole structure looks 
more like a mosque than a tomb, compared at least with those at 
Constantinople; but of any description, and in any place, I do not 
recollect a building which could have surpassed this in its original state. 
j ascended to the top of one of the shattered minarets, and took the fol¬ 
lowing bearings; road to Eamadan S. 50 W.; Teng Ali Acbar , S. 70. E. 
