Burried in the same place of his residence, the great Persian poet Saadi-e Shiraz, also known as Sheikh Moshrefodin bin Muslehedin Saadi Shirazi, rests eternally in his glorious tomb in Shiraz, Iran.
Even as a first time traveler to the mystical land of Iran, it would be almost impossible for Shiraz to be an unheard of destination. The ancient Persian city and its surroundings are absolutely filled with historical monuments, buildings and people (well… their tombs.)
Saadieh is just one of those phenomenal places that must be visited. Throughout the ages, literature, especially poetry, has played an extremely important role in establishing the Persian culture.
All of this attention on poetry and their highly enlightened poets has made Saadieh a top place to visit, when in Shiraz, Iran. Come along with goingIRAN to learn and discover more about this attraction!
The Life of Saadi Shirazi
The “Master of Speech” was born circa 1209 into an impoverished life of hardship in Shiraz, Iran. Losing his father at a young age, he moved to Baghdad to further pursue his education when came the time.
Shortly after, the ravaging Mongolian invasions of Iran and Khwarezm led him to flee; wandering from place to place for thirty years! Through Anatolia , Syria, Egypt, and Iraq he travelled and wrote about all of his extraordinary experiences.
He documented his many experiences of meeting artists, elite leaders and mystical Sufis. In fact, joining a particular group of Sufis, he was caught up in fighting a battle against the Crusaders at Acre and ended up as a slave prisoner, digging trenches for seven years!
Finally being release through a ransom paid out for the captive Muslims by the Mamluks , Saadi went on to further visit different lands through Jerusalem, Mecca and many other parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
Read more about Saadi’s hectic and almost fictitious-sounding life before returning to Shiraz, Iran in 1257 CE (655 AH)!
Ancient Persia and Shiraz (Persian poet Saadi Shirazi) – Saadieh
When roaming around in the culturally rich city of Shiraz, the memories of tourists and visitors are always tied to the architecture. Shiraz is filled with a wide array of some of the finest examples of traditional Persian/Iranian style architecture from different eras.
The tomb of the great moral poet is no exception to this collection! Saadi’s last place of residence and now burial ground is just the place a Sufi poet would desire. The big outer courtyard is filled with many trees and flowers, alongside a couple of small pools.
The building encasing his shrine/tomb is particularly interesting as it showcases many different features in a small area. The front wall is decorated with multiple arches, leading to eight slender columns holding up the ceiling covering the front entrance.
A design truly ahead of its time; beyond the arches and columns, inside the main entrance visitors will come across an octagonal shaped room that is capped with a dome. Although the building seems very rectangular and simple from the outside, jaws fall wide open after the first few steps into the great master’s tomb.
Phenomenal and intricate designs cover the entire spaces from the ground up. Beautifully crafted tilework and stuccos mesmerize and caress the eyes of the eager onlookers that have finally made it to this epic destination.
When you’re in Shiraz, make sure you have Saadieh on your visiting list, grab that camera and go for it! Feel and experience the heavenly poetic energy that lingers all over Saadi’s great garden!
Main photo by Majid Yeganeh
City/Town: Shiraz
Address: Saadi Tomb, Boostan Blvd., Haft Tanan Blvd.
Operating Days: Everyday
Operating Hours: 8 Am. to 6 Pm.
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