Resilience

This project is the result of a multi-year effort by two scholars to establish academic cooperation despite the challenges of a global pandemic, political instability, and bureaucratic obstacles (read the latest report). Dr. Lorenzo Vigotti and Prof. Hadi Safaeipour, who first met in 2016, shared the belief that the historic partnership between Italian and Iranian architects—particularly in addressing global issues of architectural techniques and restoration methodologies—could be revitalized.

Their mutual respect for each other’s approaches and methodologies has enabled a productive exchange of ideas and created a dynamic learning environment for both scholars, as well as for students and local communities. We hope this marks the first step in a renewed, long-term academic collaboration aimed at rethinking global architectural history.

Italian-Iranian Relations

“A Persian proverb says: ‘Everything new is good, except friendship.’ The friendship between Iran and Italy has its roots in the ancient history of two great civilizations. Centuries-old roots in which the two civilizations, Persian and Roman, interacted with each other, weaving the warp and woof of history. The relations of these two civilizations mirror human interactions, as well as the history of relations between the West and the East of the world; a history spanning more than twenty centuries. The first cultural pact between the two countries was signed in AD 533 between the Sassanid king Anushirvan and the Roman emperor Justinian“. Hamid Bayāt, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Italy, 1 March 2021.

The image portraits the famous relief showing the Sassanian king Shapur I on horseback, with the Roman Emperor Valerian bowing to him in submission, and Philip the Arab (an earlier emperor who paid Shapur tribute) holding Shapur’s horse. This commemorates the Battle of Edessa in AD 260.

The Project

DOMES explores the shared architectural heritage of Europe and the Middle East by tracing the transmission of architectural knowledge along the Silk Road from Persia to medieval Italy in the 14th century. Challenging traditional stylistic classifications, the project centers on structural techniques—particularly the construction and restoration of double-shell brick domes—to offer a more material-based, site-specific understanding of architectural history.

Methodology

DOMES proposes a new global framework by tracing technological continuity across cultures, using Iranian double-shell brick domes as case studies. It combines on-site scientific data with archival research to analyze historic domes. Using laser scanners, the project records precise dimensions and geometries of architectural elements, creating detailed DWG-based 3D models. Aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry (via RTK drones and DSLR cameras) generates overlapping images to produce realistic, photo-textured digital models of interior and exterior surfaces. Endoscopic photography and video capture otherwise inaccessible construction details between the two dome shells. All collected data will be integrated into comprehensive 3D models and orthophotos, providing a robust digital record of each monument and supporting new insights into historical building techniques and restoration practices.

Global Approach

DOMES is an international project, built upon the scientific partnership of architectural knowledge between Italian and Iranian scholars. The University of Bologna and the University of Tehran share their methodologies in order to achieve a true global approach leading to a new understanding of a history of architecture based on the circulation of technology.

The University of Bologna (established in 1088/480 AH) is one of the largest and most active Italian universities in research and technology transfer in Italy. It offers a unique academic environment for research on Iranian cultural heritage, its recent restoration, and the exchange of knowledge between Persia and Italy.

The University of Tehran (established in 1851/1267 AH) is the oldest and most prestigious public university in Iran. The School of Architecture at the University of Tehran hosts the UNESCO Chair in Islamic Architecture; it has a dedicated Department of Architectural Conservation to the study or restoration of historical monuments; and the Centre of Excellence in Architectural Technology is devoted to the investigation of structures and building techniques.

Piero Sanpaolesi (1904-1980)

Piero Sanpaolesi was a pivotal figure in architectural conservation whose work bridged European and Islamic traditions. Beginning his teaching career in Florence in 1954, he founded the Istituto di Restauro dei Monumenti in 1960, fostering a new generation of restoration architects and pioneering experimental methods for consolidating stone structures. Following WWII, he emphasized preservation of material authenticity through the study of historical building processes. Alongside major restorations in Florence and Naples, his research moved beyond Italy to the Islamic world. Sanpaolesi studied Byzantine and Seljuk architecture, including the Iranian mosques of Qazvin, Saveh, and Soltaniyeh. He was appointed as Director of the newly established Institute for the restoration of historic monuments at iran’s National University and educated a whole generation of Iranian restorers. His investigations into domed structures revealed technical parallels between Iranian double-shell domes and Brunelleschi’s dome in Florence, reframing architectural history within a broader Mediterranean context.

archival research

Archival research for DOMES started at Architectural Documentation Center at Shahid Beheshti University, where the Sanpaolesi historical archive (both in Italian and Farsi) is held. This archive includes more than 1,250 pages written on the Mausoleum of Oljaitu and almost 1,000 photos from the period 1960-79. A similar research has been carried out at the Sanpaolesi Archive at the University of Florence.

Further searches have been carried out at the National Library and Archives of Iran; Library, Museum, and Document Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iranian Parliament); Central Library, Archives, and Museum of Shahid Beheshti University; Library of the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia; Archives and Library of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism; Specialized Library of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Institute for Contemporary Historical Studies; Institute of Archaeology; National Cartographic Center; National Film Archive of Iran; Society for the Appreciation of Cultural Works and Dignitaries; Rasad Surveying Consulting Engineers Company. 

on-site architectural analysis

In order to compare Iranian and Italian domes, an updated campaign of documentation of Iranian domes is the necessary foundation to this project. This is especially the case for Iranian monuments with double-shell domes for which the reduced distance between the two shells prevents from accessing the space in between, which is instead crucial to understand their structural behavior. Our new surveys employ a wide range of techniques—laser-scanning point clouds, drone-based photogrammetry, virtual tours, endoscopy, and archaeological excavations to inspect the structure of the domes. The results will be merged into a CAD software to build final 3D models.

Historical background: A multicultural Middle Ages

Over the past forty years, numerous new publications have shed fresh light on the history of the Ilkhanate Empire and its relationship with Europe. As a result, there is now a wealth of evidence demonstrating the connections between these two worlds, often considered far apart. Both Tabriz and Soltaniyeh were significant trade centers along the main path of the Silk Road, inhabited by a diverse population. The Mongol rulers were open-minded toward different religions, which facilitated the free and constant movement of people and goods. Christians were an integral part of this multicultural society. Since the mid-thirteenth century, documents reveal a permanent presence of Italian friars and merchants at the Mongol court. They were the preferred choice for the Mongol rulers to select their staff for running the empire’s bureaucracy, granting them unprecedented access.

Oral history

Oral history from master masons and builders is vital to architectural history because it preserves practical knowledge often missing from written records. Their testimonies reveal construction techniques, material practices, and cultural values, offering insights into how buildings were designed, adapted, and maintained. This lived expertise enriches scholarship and supports more informed conservation. At Soltaniyeh there is a variety of skillful artisans working on site for the ongoing restoration program of the mausoleum.

Student involvement

One of the key-point of the project is the involvement of students from the architecture school at Shahid Beheshti Univeristy to carry out deep structural analysis, careful surveys, and historical studies of the chosen monuments. This is a on-site, practical teaching and learning experience for faculty members, graduate, and undergraduate students.

Community participation

The conservation of cultural heritage—especially monumental sites like the Dome of Soltanieh—cannot rely solely on technical measures. It requires renewing cultural, historical, and emotional ties between communities and their heritage. Technocratic approaches and lack of participation have distanced people from conservation efforts.

This project aims to build a participatory platform that engages the Soltanieh community through dialogue, memory, and shared perceptions. Rather than treating residents as passive observers, it seeks to empower them as active stakeholders in protecting and redefining their legacy. By combining professional expertise with lived experience, the initiative reframes heritage as a collective socio-cultural concern.