Tomb of Hafiz is the beloved place among Shiraz attractions for Persian and Non-Persian tourists while visit Iran. Most of the tourists who want to visit Iran, already know about the tomb of Hafiz as one of the Shiraz attractions.
Most of German tourists know a lot about Hafiz as Persian poet in Shiraz from their countryman as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) who was a German poet and dedicated one part of his book to Hafiz.
His odes are known for his lyrics praising wine, mistress or lover and song style. His poets are translated to several active languages.
He has a widely effects on people around the world such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Nietzsche, Queen Victoria, Johannes Brahms, Daniel Ladinsky, Garcia Lorca, Ralf Waldo Emerson, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and so many others.
Nietzsche wrote a poem about Hafiz with title as “An Hafis. Frage eines Wassertrinkers” its mean “To Hafiz: Questions from a Water Drinker” in English.
Ralf Waldo Emerson said “Hafiz is a poet for poets”, He is fearless. He sees too far, he sees throughout; such is the only man I wish to see or be.”
Hafiz is one of the Persian poets in Shiraz. Also, there is another globalized poet in Shiraz as Saadi (Sa-di سعدی), too.
Biography of Hafiz, The Persian poet in Shiraz
Khaaje Shams-ud-din Mohammad Hafiz-e Shirazi (خواجه شمس الدین محمد حافظ شیرازی) (1320-1389) was born on a religious family in Shiraz.
He memorized whole of Quran during his childhood so called him as Hafiz (in Persian means that who kept something in his/her mind). He lived with his mother after his father pass away in his childhood.
There is also story about his wife as Shakhe Nabat (sha-khe-na-baat شاخ نبات) which her name is repeated a lot in Hafiz’s poems and also, he mentioned in his poem that his son was died.
Most of his famous type of poem is Ode which made his book full of Ode as “Hafiz Diwan” (Di-vaan-e Ha-fez دیوان حافظ).
Hafiz as Persian poet in Shiraz used a lot of metaphor to express his words in his poems. For example, you will find “wine” word in Persian language on his poems a lot.
Mysteries of Hafiz poem
Every Iranian people believe that Hafiz’s poem talks with them about their intention.
Iran tourism suggests to follow bellow steps to talk with Persian poet in Shiraz through his poem inside Tomb of Hafiz:
First step is praying for Hafiz and concentrate on your subject or worry in your mind and ask your remedy from Hafiz.
Second step is open the Hafiz Diwan unintentionally and then read the poem which is into right page. Indeed, you will need a Persian people help you to read poet and also it is feasible to use English version of Hafiz Diwan.
Third step is analyzing poem and find its meaning and also main massage of poem for you, usually, publishers or professional writers add this extra option to have correct meaning of poem which is subtitled on each poem.
Fourth step is linking your prior subject to Hafiz guide.
Usually you will receive positive words in poem and it shows that your answer to your question of Hafiz is positive and also it is same for negative words in poem.
The poems of Persian poet in Shiraz are sustained by the Persians to be mystical and coded!
Tomb of Hafiz’s construction
The tomb of Hafiz is one of the main destinations among Shiraz attractions.
In 1899, the tomb constructed by Zoroastrian sponsor by wood and iron but the famous Islamic priest as Seyed Ali Akbar Fal Asiri (سید علی اکبر فال اسیری) who was lived in Shiraz city ordered to destroy that building.
After that, some people were upset about that event and government decided to rebuild Tomb of Hafiz’s area again by Mozaffar ad-Din Shah (Mo-za-fa-re-din shah مظفرالدین شاه) order.
In 1931, Farajollah Bahrami (فرج اله بهرامی) as great secretary on Pahlavi era extended around tomb by making wall and add garden to tomb area and in 1936, Ali Asghar Hekmat (علی اصغر حکمت) as culture minister completed repairing and new part buildings which started by Bahrami.
This current tomb of Hafiz made on Pahlavi era by Reza Shah (رضا شاه) order.
He ordered to André Godard (1881-1965) on 1937 to design new shape for Tomb of Hafiz.
André Godard is a Parisian archaeologist and designed national Iranian library and university of Tehran, too. He stayed in Iran for 32 years and had a lot of successful projects in Iran such as national Iranian library, set up Iranian archaeology museum, national Iranian museum, design Ferdowsi (Fer-do-si فردوسی) tomb and other research and discoveries about Iran.
Actually, the first design of tomb belonging to 65 years later after Hafiz was died.
The tomb of Hafiz has repaired on Safavid, Afsharid and Zandiyeh era and it shows that Persian poet in Shiraz and tomb of Hafiz are very honorable for Iranian people in different dynasties.
The outside form of dome in the Tomb of Hafiz is like a Persian dervish (Dar-vish درویش) hat (Dervish is a member of a Muslim -specifically Sufi).
The tomb of Hafiz has 8 columns which are holding its dome and each column is symbol of heaven door because according Islamic stories, heaven has eight doors.
Moreover, eight columns also represent the date which hafiz was lived and it is around 8th Anno Hegirae.
On the tomb of Hafiz covered by marble stone which originally came from Yazd City and over the stone some poem of Hafiz was carved by Agha Si Beyg Afshar (A-ghaa-si beyg af-shar آقاسی بیگ افشار) during Afsharid dynasty.
The foundation of Tomb of Hafiz especially the dome is belonging to Mozaffarids (Mo-za-fa-ri-ds مظفریان) dynasty.
The inside of dome is designed with various mystical colors such as blue as paradise, purple red as wine color, black and white as night symbols and day and brown as soil symbols.
The south tomb of Hafiz was built a beautiful garden and a Narenjestan (naa-ren-jes-taan نارنجستان) (garden of oranges) and two basins which makes this Shiraz attractions more magnificent.
Garden divided in two north and south part and there is a Hall between two mentioned gardens.
The Hall is upper than two gardens with 18 stairs from north side and 5 stairs on south side and also Hall has 20 columns in two sides of hall.
There are also two rooms in the east and west of Hall which are used as office now.
Moreover, the tiles of Tomb of Hafiz refer to the art of Khatam (khaa-Tam خاتم) which is proper application for Persian poet in Shiraz.
We prepare this information as part of Iran Travel Guide Center for foreign tourists who would like to visit Tomb of Hafiz in Shiraz.
Accessibility to the Hafiz Tomb
If you decided to come to Tomb of Hafiz as one the Shiraz attractions from Tehran city, you should come through Mehrabad Airport to Shiraz or take a bus from South terminal of Tehran to Shiraz but traveling by bus is long way and it is not recommend for tourist. The price for flight ticket price is about 7,000,000 Rial per person for return ticket.
Bus ticket price is about 800,000 Rials per person. The distance between Tehran and most Shiraz attractions in Shiraz City is about 935 km.
Furthermore, it is feasible to come Shiraz through Shiraz international airport directly from abroad.
The other option could be using train from Tehran to Shiraz, it would be better than bus because it has bed and W.C even physician for train passengers. Train ticket price is about 1,000,000 Rial per person.
First option is taking a walk from Darvaze Qoran (dar-vaa-ze Ghor-aan دروازه قرآن) (one of the Shiraz attractions) to Tomb of Hafiz via Hafez St to the south then after about 13 min turn east to Azadi Blv. So, you will reach to destination in 5 min later.
Second option is going straight from Azadi (A-zaa-di آزادی) square with local name as Gas Square (Fa-la-ke Gazu – فلکه گاز) about 8 min by taxi or Snapp and 35 min by walking.
Third option is going straight from Ghaem (gha-em قائم) square to tomb of Hafiz about 10 min by walking.
Final option is using metro station, the nearest metro station around tomb of Hafiz is Zandiye (zan-di-ye زندیه) station with 2.6 km distance to tomb of Hafiz. The metro ticket price is about 10,000 Rial for one way.
Opening days and hours: All days between 8:00 AM to 22:00 PM
Entrance Ticket price: 200,000 RLS for each visitor and usually the price is different for foreign tourist on each Shiraz attractions.
Summary
Best time to visit Iran especially Shiraz attractions are spring (from April to May) because on March and April you will find a lot of Iranian tourist from other cities and it will be very crowded.
We also strongly recommend that visit tomb of Hafiz at night due to beautiful lighting design around tomb and also the Tomb of Hafiz is not belonging to particular group of people or specific religion. So, Tomb of Hafiz is popular destination among Shiraz attractions for most of people around the world.
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