Tomb of Hafez

The Tomb of Hafez is a mausoleum in Shiraz, Iran, consisting of an octagonal pavilion with slender columns beneath a dome of greenish copper. The polished marble sarcophagus stands in the open air, surrounded by shallow reflecting pools and rows of flowering orange trees in Musalla Garden.

The first monument appeared about 60 years after the poet died in 1389, when a small structure marked his resting place. French architect André Godard designed the current pavilion during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi in the 1930s.

The shrine displays Persian verses on its walls, which visitors often read aloud or sing with family at sunset. Locals use the poet's volumes as an oracle by opening a page at random and interpreting its meaning for their lives.

Access leads through an entrance at the garden edge, where paths between flowerbeds guide visitors to the central pavilion. Most people come during early evening hours, when light softens and families gather for walks.

A collection of roughly ten thousand books fills the rooms of an adjacent library devoted entirely to the life and verses of the poet. The shrine sits only a short walk from the tomb of poet Saadi, so many visitors see both in a single day.

Location: Shiraz County

Location: Shiraz

Inception: 1935

Architects: André Godard

Architectural style: Pahlavi architecture

Fee: Yes

GPS coordinates: 29.62581,52.55844

Latest update: December 22, 2025 12:27