Āmol

Amol stands beside the Haraz River in the fertile lowlands south of the Caspian Sea. A major town of medieval Tabaristan, it was known for its mosques and markets among the trees by the river. Its surviving monuments include the characteristic tomb towers of Mazandaran, small round or many-sided structures crowned by steep roofs.

In 1359 Mir Qewam al-Din established a Shiite principality based at Amol. Timur sacked the city in 1393, massacred its inhabitants and deported the ruling sayyids to Samarqand. Under Shah Abbas I, the shrine of Mir Bozorg was rebuilt as an elaborate domed complex, decorated inside with painted tiles. Bridges built in his reign crossed the rivers of Mazandaran, including a twelve-arched bridge linking Amol to its eastern suburb.