Determine the Function and Design of Architectural and Astronomical Observatory Discovered in the Maragheh

Based on excavations of the destroyed The Maragheh Observatory it appears to be some circular plan foundations with no architectural evidences. It also seen that the Spatial and formal characteristics of The Observatory architectural units are not specified. The function and use of them are neither specified. The aim of the present paper is to find the architectural organization of the Maragheh Observatory and to answer the basic questions about the shape, arrangement and functional aspects of the observatory that the explorers of the Observatory have not responded to. With the reference to the architecture of the existing ancient observatories the hypothesis was that through a comparative study, an architectural algorithm/pattern could be found and used to determine the shape and arrangement of Maragheh Observatory. For this reason, Jaipur Observatory was selected as the main reference for the architectural comparative study due to its planning and construction imitated from the Maragheh Observatory. This paper also presents the evidences of the functional link between the two juxtaposed units that their foot prints are already existed in the site. It is noted that the restoration of this observatory will also be useful with regard to the development of an attractive and unique archeological and culturally based tourism.