Saadi Memorial

Abu Mohammad Moshref al-din Muslih bin Abdallah, known as Saadi Shirazi, was one of the major Persian poets and literary figures, born in Shiraz in the 12th century. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest poets of the classical Iranian literary tradition around the world. His wisdom is ever-present in the Iranian culture and language as people frequent his tomb, recite his poems, and use his aphorisms in their daily conversations. Gulistan and Bustan are the most notable works of Sheikh Saadi. He has widely emphasized the unity of mankind in his poetries which is the reason why the United Nation adorns its entrance with a carpet bearing this poem of Saadi: Human beings are members of a whole, In the creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you’ve no sympathy for human pain, The name of a human you cannot retain! (translations by M. Aryanpoor) Saadi passed away in 1291 and was buried in the very place where his hermitage used to be. The first mausoleum over the grave of Saadi was built by the order of Shams al-din Mohammad Saheb Divani, the vizier of Abaqa Khan, in the 13th century. Then, in 1590, the governor of Shiraz, Yaqub Zol-Qadr, brought down the mausoleum. Nearly two centuries later, Karim Khan Zand (1751 to 1779) ordered the construction of a new building, known as Emarat-e Molukaneh (Royal Monument) over the relics of Saadi’s mausoleum. This two-story monument of plaster and brick consisted of a stairway connecting the two floors of the building and a hallway with two rooms on either side. Saadi’s tomb was placed in the room on the eastern side. Years later, Shurideh Shirazi, another poet from Shiraz, was buried in the room built on the western side of the hallway. However, in the early days of Qajar dynasty (1785 to 1925), the gravestone of Saadi was broken. After a while, Ali Akbar Khan Qavam al-Molk Shirazi had the gravestone repaired and some poems of Saadi which praised the great Prophet of Islam inscribed on it. This slab of marble stone, placed on Saadi’s grave by Karim Khan, has survived the passage of time and you can have a look at it in Saadi’s tomb. The restoration of the mausoleum was completed in 1952, inspired by the Chehel Sotun Palace in Isfahan, combining modern and classical architectural elements and decorations. It consists of two perpendicular eyvans holding 8 four-sided columns sheathed in layers of red marble. The white marble stones of the building and the turquoise color of the tiles on the dome create a peaceful composition. Saadi’s tombstone is placed inside an octagonal room right under the dome. There are seven manuscripts from his poems on the seven walls of the room. The manuscript of the eighth wall accounts for the construction of the building. Stretching to the left, the eyvan leads visitors to the tomb of Shurideh Shirazi. The entrance to the complex is designed by Andre Godar, a French architect. The building is surrounded by a beautiful garden. In the courtyard, there are two rectangular ponds on either side of the main porch aligned with the north-south direction, and there is a long pool aligned with the east-west direction in front of the main porch of the tomb. There is a small pool in front of the building in which people throw coins for their wishes to come true. There is also an octagonal fish pond on the left side of the building, where people used to wash their clothes, believing they will be blessed. The water filling the fish pond comes from a water qanat.

Gulistan and Bustan are the most notable works of Sheikh Saadi. He has widely emphasized the unity of mankind in his poetries which is the reason why the United Nation adorns its entrance with a carpet bearing this poem of Saadi:

• Human beings are members of a whole,
• In creation of one essence and soul.
• If one member is afflicted with pain,
• Other members uneasy will remain.
• If you’ve no sympathy for human pain,
• The name of a human you cannot retain!

(translations by M. Aryanpoor)

Saadi passed away in 1291 and was buried in the very place where his hermitage used to be. The first mausoleum over the grave of Saadi was built by the order of Shams al-din Mohammad Saheb Divani, the vizier of Abaqa Khan, in the 13th century. Then, in 1590, the governor of Shiraz, Yaqub Zol-Qadr, brought down the mausoleum. Nearly two centuries later, Karim Khan Zand (1751 to 1779) ordered the construction of a new building, known as Emarat-e Molukaneh (Royal Monument) over the relics of Saadi’s mausoleum. This two-story monument of plaster and brick consisted of a stairway connecting the two floors of the building and a hallway with two rooms on either side. Saadi’s tomb was placed in the room on the eastern side. Years later, Shurideh Shirazi, another poet from Shiraz, was buried in the room built on the western side of the hallway. However, in the early days of Qajar dynasty (1785 to 1925), the gravestone of Saadi was broken. After a while, Ali Akbar Khan Qavam al-Molk Shirazi had the gravestone repaired and some poems of Saadi which praised the great Prophet of Islam inscribed on it. This slab of marble stone, placed on Saadi’s grave by Karim Khan, has survived the passage of time and you can have a look at it in Saadi’s tomb.

The restoration of the mausoleum was completed in 1952, inspired by the Chehel Sotun Palace in Isfahan, combining modern and classical architectural elements and decorations. It consists of two perpendicular eyvans holding 8 four-sided columns sheathed in layers of red marble. The white marble stones of the building and the turquoise color of the tiles on the dome create a peaceful composition. Saadi’s tombstone is placed inside an octagonal room right under the dome. There are seven manuscripts from his poems on the seven walls of the room. The manuscript of the eighth wall accounts for the construction of the building. Stretching to the left, the eyvan leads visitors to the tomb of Shurideh Shirazi.

The entrance to the complex is designed by Andre Godar, a French architect. The building is surrounded by a beautiful garden. In the courtyard, there are two rectangular ponds on either side of the main porch aligned with the north-south direction, and there is a long pool aligned with the east-west direction in front of the main porch of the tomb. There is a small pool in front of the building in which people throw coins for their wishes to come true. There is also an octagonal fish pond on the left side of the building, where people used to wash their clothes, believing they will be blessed. The water filling the fish pond comes from a water qanat.