Tomb of Shaykh Haydar

Tomb of Shaykh Haydar
Religion
Affiliation	Shia Islam
Province	Ardabil Province
Year consecrated	14th century
Location
Location	Meshginshahr, Iran
Shown within Iran
Geographic coordinates	38.4013017°N 47.6803720°E / 38.4013017; 47.6803720
Architecture
Type	mausoleum
Style	Persian architecture
Completed	16th century
Specifications
Width	10.5 metres
Height (max)	18.5 metres
Materials	brick

The Tomb of Shaykh Haydar (Persian: آرامگاه شیخ حیدر) is located in the city of Meshginshahr, Iran.^[1] It was first built in the 14th century during the Ilkhanate period, and later served as a mausoleum for Shaykh Haydar, the father of Shah Ismail I. It is number 184 on the list of Iranian national heritage monuments.^[2]

History

Shaykh Haydar, a leader of the militaristic Safaviyya Sufi movement, was killed in a battle in Tabasaran in the year 1460, and only his severed head was buried in Tabriz. The rest of his remains were buried in Meshginshahr, and a tomb was said to have been built over his grave there.^[2] However, an inscription found during an archeological investigation dates the construction of the tomb to the final years of the reign of the Ilkhani ruler, Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan.^[2][3] This predates the birth of Shaykh Haydar who was born in the year 1459, and by then the Ilkhanate had been dissolved, with only the Aq Qoyunlu ruling Iran at the time. The place was known as an Imamzadeh many years before his burial.^[3][2]

A historical image of Shaykh Haydar's tomb before modern restoration. Note the support structures required to prevent the mausoleum tower from collapsing

Later in the early 16th century, Shaykh Haydar's son, Shah Ismail, transferred his remains to Ardabil, and entombed them in the Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble.^[4][2] Hence, the current tomb in Meshginshahr is only a symbolic monument, and not the actual grave of Shaykh Haydar itself. Tiling works were completed during the Safavid period, while the building was restored in the modern era and there is now a mosque, as well as several houses and facilities built around it.^[3]

Architecture

A closeup of the decorative tiling on the exterior surface of the mausoleum

The mausoleum, made out of brick, is octagonal in shape, and has twelve sides.^[4] It is 18.5 metres tall, with a width of 10.5 metres. Decorative calligraphy on the outside of the mausoleum, dating back to the Safavid period and using tiles, reveals the words Jalal-Allah and an inscribed version of the Al-Fatiha. ^[4] The octagonal mausoleum is built on top of a stone platform which is situated in the center of the courtyard of the remains of a larger complex.^[4]

The crypt, with Shaykh Haydar's tomb in the center of another room

Inside the mausoleum, one has to enter a crypt to access the tomb of Shaykh Haydar. There are seven graves in the crypt.^[4] Six of them are located in the main part of the crypt, but the grave of Shaykh Haydar is in the center of a room attached to the crypt, enclosed by a zarih.^[4]

Some historic rock works at the tomb's crypt

See also

• Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble, the true resting place of Shaykh Haydar.
• List of mausoleums in Iran for a complete list of the many mausoleums in Iran.

References

1. www.sirang.com, Sirang Rasaneh. "Sheikh Heydar Tomb 2023 | Meshgin Shahr, Ardabil | Sights - ITTO". itto.org | Iran Tourism & Touring. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
2. www.irna.ir https://www.irna.ir/amp/85109730/. Retrieved 2023-12-16. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. "بقعه شیخ حیدر Sheikh Heydar Tomb". وب سایت جامع گردشگری مشگین شهر (in Persian). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
4. "بقعه شیخ حیدر" (in Persian). 21 June 1401. Retrieved 2023-12-16.