Central Iran - Iran - page 387

NORTH OF THE RIVER

Aramgah-e Hafezظفاح هاگمارآ
(Tomb of Hafez; Golestan Blvd; admission US$0.50; 8am-9.30pm) Iranians have a
saying that every home must have two things: first the Quran, then a collection of the
works of Hafez ( Click here ) . And in reality, many would reverse that order. Hafez the poet
is an Iranian folk hero - loved, revered and as popular as many a modern pop star. Almost
every Iranian can quote his work, bending it to whichever social or political persuasion
they subscribe. And there is no better place to try to understand Hafez's eternal hold on
Iran than here at his tomb.
Set in a charming garden with two pools, the whole scene is restful despite the ever-
present traffic noise. The marble tombstone, engraved with a long verse from the poet,
was placed here by Karim Khan in 1773. In 1935 an octagonal pavilion was put up over it,
supported by eight stone columns beneath a tiled dome. Plan to spend a couple of hours
sitting in a discreet corner of the grounds, at sunset if possible, to watch the way Iranians
react to what is, for many, a pilgrimage site.
You might see people performing the faal-e Hafez, a popular ritual in which you seek
insight into your future by opening a volume of Hafez - the future is apparent in his
words. After sunset, with the tomb floodlit and sung poetry piped over the public-address
system, it is difficult not to feel transported back to the magic of ancient Persia. There's a
teahouse at the front of the garden where you can enjoy a tea, cheap bowl of ash (noodle
soup) or faludeh (a frozen sorbet made with thin starch noodles and rosewater).
To get here from the centre of town you can walk (about 2km) or take a taxi dar baste
(US$2.70).

MAUSOLEUM

MAUSOLEUM

Aramgah-e Sa'diیدعس هاگمارآ
( Tomb of Sa'di; Bustan Blvd; admission US$0.50; 7.30am-8.30pm, to 9pm summer)
While not as popular as Hafez's tomb, the Aramgah-e Sa'di and its generous surrounding
gardens are appropriate for a man who wrote so extensively about gardens and roses. It's a
tranquil place, with the tombstone housed in an open-sided stone colonnade built during
the Pahlavi era. See Click here for more on Sa'di. Nearby is an overpriced underground
teahouse set around a fish pond that is fed by a qanat .
It's easy to visit the tombs of both Hafez and Sa'di in a single afternoon. From Golestan
Blvd, near the tomb of Hafez, take a shuttle taxi four squares southeast (US$0.30) to Sa'di
Sq, then walk about 1.3km uphill to the tomb.