Nestled within the fragrant gardens of Boulevard Boostan—just steps from Delgosha—Saadi’s Mausoleum offers visitors a rare blend of poetic heritage and architectural splendor.
Overview
Name: Tomb of Saadi (Aramgah-e Saʿdi)
Location: Boulevard Boostan, adjacent to Delgosha Garden, 4 km NE of Shiraz city center
Rating: 4.3 / 5 (based on 5 user reviews)
Suggested Visit Duration: 1–2 hours
Opening Hours: Daily 08:30–22:30 (Closed: 9–10 Muharram, 21 Ramadan, 28 Safar, 14 Khordad, 25 Shawwal)
Contact: +98 71 3730 2300
Admission Fee: 5,000 Toman (Iranian), 50,000 Toman (foreign)
Literary Pilgrimage: Final resting place of Abū-Muḥammad Muṣliḥ al-Dīn “Saʿdi” (c. 1209–1291 CE), whose Gulistān and Būstān shaped Persian literature worldwide.
Garden Ambience: A classic Persian chahar-bāgh (four‑part garden) with flower beds, tall cypresses, and fragrant orange trees.
Architectural Fusion: Designed by Mohsen Foroughi & Ali‑Aṣghar Ṣādiq (1952), blending Safavid, Zand, and modernist elements—octagonal interior, turquoise tiled dome, travertine and marble cladding.
Cultural Continuity: Inscriptions of Saʿdi’s poems and maxims adorn seven exterior panels in scripts by masters such as Ibrāhīm Būdhri and Ali‑Aṣghar Ḥekmat.
Address: Shiraz, Boulevard Boostan, near Delgosha Garden
By Bus: Lines Shahid Dastgheib ↔ Narenjestan, alight at “Saadi Tomb” stop, then 5 min walk
Parking: Limited on‑site; nearby street parking along Boulevard Boostan
Originally Saʿdi’s 13th‑century khanqah (Sufi lodge) where he spent his final years.
First grave marker erected in the Ilkhanid era (c. 13th century), noted by traveler Ibn Baṭṭūṭah ~1350 CE.
Kārīm Khān Zand (1187 AH/1773 CE) built the “royal pavilion” of brick and plaster with two raised halls and a central wooden cenotaph above Saʿdi’s burial spot.
Early Qajar period saw destruction of the tombstone (over sectarian dispute) and its replacement by ʿAlī-Akbar Khān Qavām-Al-Molk (stone inscribed with verses in praise of the Prophet).
1925 CE: “Bureau of National Monuments” in Shiraz plans major restoration.
1931 CE: Architect André Godard surveys; 1952 CE: Mohsen Foroughi & Ali-Aṣghar Ṣādiq complete the current pavilion—octagonal plan beneath a turquoise dome, set in a 7,700 m² garden (expanded post‑revolution to 54,000 m²).
Portico & Iwān: Two perpendicular colonnaded iwāns form an “L,” leading into the octagonal burial chamber.
Materials: Travertine exterior; white marble interior; red granite base columns.
Dome: Azure‑tiled, visible atop the cypress‑lined boulevard.
Inscriptions:
Golistān, Būstān, qaṣāʾid, Badāʾiʿ, Ṭayyibāt across seven facets.
Calligraphers: Ibrāhīm Būdhri (Ṣalṭana Jahan), Ali‑Aṣghar Ḥekmat (construction panel).
Underground spring 10 m below the surface; waters rich in sulfur and trace mercury flow through masonry channels into the “Fish Pond.”
Octagonal basin ~30 m², 28 steps descending from the main courtyard.
Originally stocked with koi; Seljuk‑style tilework added in 1993 (Artisan Tirandāz, overseen by Iran’s Cultural Heritage Org.).
Since the Fish Pond dried up, visitors toss coins into a small adjacent basin before the southern rīvāq (arcade) as a vow‑offering—a practice tracing back to Mithraic water‑worship rituals.^1
Entrance Portal: “From the soil of Saadi of Shiraz blooms the scent of love…”
Western Panel (qaṣīda): “Khosh ast ʿomr, daryghā ke jāvdānī nīst…”
NE Panel (Būstān): “Alā ey ke bar khāk-e mā bogzarī…”
SE Panel (Golistān): “Yād dāram ke bā kārvān…”
SW Panel (from Badāʾiʿ): “Ey ṣūfī‑e sar-gardān…”
NW Panel (Ṭayyibāt): “Be jahān khorram az ānam ke jahān khorram az ūst…”
Established 1972 CE, 105 m² white‑stuccoed building west of the tomb.
Collections: nine sections spanning general works, philosophy, religion, social sciences, languages, pure/applied sciences, arts, literature, and periodicals.
Reading hall and closed‑stack repository—a haven for scholars of Persian language & Sufi thought.
Tea House: Subterranean chāyhāne with indoor seating.
Restrooms: Brick annex near the Fish Pond.
Management Office & Public Library: Two adjacent brick buildings.
Brazilian, Dec 2018: “A peaceful oasis—poetry on walls, koi ponds, and tranquil gardens.”
Iraqi, Nov 2018: “Combine reading Saadi’s verses with garden strolls—exquisite.”
Austrian, Nov 2018: “Less grand than Hafez’s tomb but charming.”
German, Oct 2018: “Worth a detour if you have time in Shiraz.”
Dare-Kordan Waterfall: 950 m
Delgosha Garden: 1.1 km
Seven Tombs Museum: 2.6 km
Qur’anic Gate (Darvazeh Quran): 3.5 km
Dress Respectfully: Modest attire required.
Plan Around Closures: Avoid Muharram & high‑holiday dates.
Allow 90 –120 mins: To fully explore gardens, pavilion, library, and ancillary structures.
Combine Visits: Pair with Delgosha Garden & Narenjestan Qavam for a full‑day Shiraz itinerary.
Local Flavors: Sample saffron‑infused kebabs and icy faloodeh at nearby cafés.
Saadi’s Mausoleum is more than a memorial—it’s a living anthology of Persian heritage. Here, poetry, architecture, water, and gardens converge to offer every visitor an immersive journey through Iran’s cultural soul. Whether you’re a literature enthusiast, an architecture aficionado, or simply seeking serenity, Saadi’s tranquil sanctuary in Shiraz awaits your discovery.
^1 In Zoroastrian Avesta, water (āb) is sacred; deposits in water were viewed as holy offerings.
