Tomb of Saadi (Saadieh)

🕰️When was it built?

Saadi's khanqah (Sufi lodge) once stood here, followed by tombs from different periods. The present building, designed by Mohsen Foroughi with Ali Sadegh, replaced the Zand-era building. It was finished in early 1952 and opened on 1 May 1952.

🏛️What was it built for?

Saadi spent the last years of his life here and was buried here afterwards. Today's building was made to protect his grave and honour the poet. Some other notable figures chose to be buried around it.

👀What you will see

• Eight stone columns stand in front of the tomb, and the light-coloured building is crowned with a tiled dome.
• From outside the building looks square, but inside it is octagonal, with the gravestone in the middle.
• The inscriptions on the walls are chosen from the Golestan, the Bustan and Saadi's poems, most of them in the hand of Ebrahim Bouzari.
• A portico of seven arches on the left, with a dark floor, leads to the tomb chamber of Shourideh Shirazi.
• The fish pool lies at a lower level to the left of the tomb, lit by an octagonal skylight and two square ones.

💡Something interesting

Pieces of a broken stone inscription from the time of Karim Khan were found again when the street was being dug, and they are now kept at the tomb. Part of a poem by Saadi is carved on them in thuluth script.

🎒Good to know before you go