The Baba Tahir Mausoleum َ(; ), also known as the Tomb of Baba Taher, is a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

, located in Baba Tahir Square in the city of

Hamadan Hamadan ( ; , ) is a mountainous city in western Iran. It is located in the Central District of Hamadan County in Hamadan province, serving as the capital of the province, county, and district. As of the 2016 Iranian census, it had a po ...

, in the province of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. The complex is the resting place of

Baba Tahir Baba Tahir or Baba Taher Oryan Hamadani () was an 11th-century dervish poet from Hamadan, Iran who lived during the reign of Tugril of the Seljuk dynasty over Iran. This is almost all that is known of him as he lived a mysterious lifestyle. Alth ...

, a Sufi mystic. Designed by the architect,

Mohsen Foroughi Mohsen Foroughi (Persian: محسن فروغی; May 14, 1907 – October 6, 1983)مح� ...

, the building was completed in 1970, during the

Pahlavi era The Imperial State of Iran, officially known as the Imperial State of Persia until 1935, and commonly referred to as Pahlavi Iran, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty. The Pahlavi dynasty was created in 1925 and lasted ...

History

The first structure on the site was completed in the 12th13th century, during the

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...

era. Built with a square floorpan, the original brick domed mausoleum had a tower added in the 1950s, built on a

dodecagon In geometry, a dodecagon, or 12-gon, is any twelve-sided polygon. Regular dodecagon A regular polygon, regular dodecagon is a figure with sides of the same length and internal angles of the same size. It has twelve lines of reflective symmetry ...

and

octagonal In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a hex ...

plan. This tower was destroyed in the early 20th century. In 1938, the tomb was repaired and renovated, and again in the early 1950s. Baba Taher is mostly celebrated for his profound and mystical Do-beyti (quatrains), which have left an indelible mark on Persian poetry. His works are renowned for their simplicity, emotional depth, and spiritual insight, reflecting the essence of

Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

that emphasizes love, unity, and the search for truth. Living during the Tugril and the

Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to: * Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia * Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities * S ...

eras, Baba Taher is believed to have penned his quatrains in the local Hamadani dialect, offering a unique glimpse into the linguistic diversity of ancient Persia. Construction of a new mausoleum was commissioned by

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the ...

in 1967 and completed in 1970, designed in a modern Persian architectural style by Mohsen Foroughi, an architecture and engineer.

Architecture

The mausoleum stands on a site with an expansive garden. The structure's octagonal base, a common motif in Islamic architecture symbolizing balance and harmony, rises to , creating a striking silhouette against the skyline. In the construction of the eight pillars of the tower, the tombstone, the floor covering as well as the stairs around the tomb tower, excellent carved granite stone has been used and the exterior of the building is made of high quality white stone. The mausoleum contains a series of prisms with cleverly designed entrances and light holes, allowing natural light to illuminate the interior in a play of shadows and brightness, creating an ethereal atmosphere. Baba Taher’s

quatrain A quatrain is a type of stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four Line (poetry), lines. Existing in a variety of forms, the quatrain appears in poems from the poetic traditions of various ancient civilizations including Persia, Ancient India ...

s are inscribed throughout the mausoleum, allowing visitors to engage with his work in a deeply personal way. These inscriptions, on 24 marble stones, serve not only as an artistic embellishment but also as a testament to the enduring influence of Baba Taher’s poetry, which continues to resonate with those who seek wisdom and enlightenment.

Gallery

Baba Taher First Tomb.JPG, Original 13th-century tomb, since destroyed

References

External links

{{Mausoleums in Iran Buildings and structures in Hamadan province Domes in Iran Mausoleums in Iran Mausoleums, shrines and tombs on the Iran National Heritage List Octagonal buildings in Iran Pahlavi architecture Religious buildings and structures completed in 1970 Religious buildings and structures with domes Sufism in Iran Towers in Iran

History

Architecture

Gallery

See also

References

External links