Probably dating from the 8th century, Tarikhaneh Mosque is one of the oldest examples of Islamic architecture, located in Damghan, Iran. The structure was built over the ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian fire temple dating from the Sassanid era (226-651 AD). Accordingly, its architecture is a blend of the Arab-Islamic and Sassanid elements. A new mosque replaced the old one between 1026-1029, during the Seljuk period.
Tarikhaneh (“House of God”) is the oldest mosque still in operation in Iran.
The 6-meter-tall brick columns that are 26 in number and the square-shaped courtyard are the remnants of the original mosque. An arcade encloses the central courtyard, getting wider and taller on the qibla side indicating the monumental axis of Persian architecture. The arcade is reminiscent of its Sassanian precedents with its fired brick arches and massive circular brick piers.
The remains of a square minaret of uncertain date and a cylindrical minaret from the Seljuk period (1060-1307) stand together at a short distance from the mosque. The Seljuk minaret comprises six zones of brick ornamentation, and there is a Kufic inscription about 10.5 meters up its length.
