First Islamic Mausoleum: Sulaybiya

Sulaybiya Mausoleum in Samarra

The Qubbat al-Sulaybiyya is a small octagonal building 18m. across, located on the top of a hill on the west side of the Tigris. As first discovered, the remains of an inner octagon were standing, without a roof,.  At the centre of the building is a square room. In the centre of each side is an arched doorway, on each side of which is an arched semi-circular niche.  And the central room was surrounded by an ambulatory.

Following restoration by the Iraq Directorate of Antiquities in the 1970s, further excavations revealed an open outer platform with four ramps. (source: Samarra Archeological Survey)

source: ArchNet

source: Samarra Archeological Survey