Takht-e Foulad

The exact origins of the cemetery are not known, but some historians have theorised that it may have pre-Islamic origins.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-28 |title=گورستان تخت فولاد؛ تاریخچه + راه های دسترسی - مجله مِستر بلیط |url=https://mrbilit.com/mag/takht-e-foulad/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |language=fa-IR}} During the rule of the Mongol Ilkhanate in the 14th century, the mausoleum of Baba Rokneddin Shirazi was built, and the cemetery was named after him. The cemetery subsequently became a place for Sufi dervishes to have mystical gatherings.

File:Isfahan Panorama by Pascal Coste.jpg, published 1840]]

The cemetery was expanded during the Safavid era, under the rule of Shah Suleiman I. But later on during the rule of the Safavid Shah Soltan Hoseyn, many of the mausoleums from the Ilkhanid era were demolished, under the orders of Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, the Shaykh-ol Islam hired by the ruler. The Sufis and their dervishes were also banned from visiting the cemetery, regardless whether they were Shi'ite or not. During the rule of Nader Shah Afshar, the cemetery was largely ignored, save for a small number of burials.

File:Takht e fulad cemetery by Eugène Flandin.jpg by the French artist Eugène Flandin]]

During the Qajar era, Fath-Ali Shah Qajar built a takyeh in the cemetery, which he dedicated to his mother. In the 20th century, however, Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan, the Qajar prince who governed Isfahan, demolished several Safavid-era structures in the cemetery. Later on, in the 1980s, a sub-cemetery was established around the grave of cleric Abolhassan Shamsabadi, and in the cemetery were buried those who were killed in the Haft-e Tir Bombing and the Iranian Revolution.{{Cite web |title=قطعه های گلستان شهدا |language=fa |url=https://sahebnews.ir/90528/%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%AF%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7.htm |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=sahebnews.ir}}

During the Pahlavi era, the cemetery had become full. Locals were then forbidden from carrying out any further burials. They were still allowed to visit the sites in the cemetery, however.

{{main|Mausoleum of Baba Rokneddin}}

Baba Rukn al-Din, or Baba Rokneddin, was one of the most prominent Persian Sufis of the 14th century. He died in 1367,{{Cite journal |title=Bābā Rukn al-Dīn Shīrāzī |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1875-9831_isla_com_0000009 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Encyclopaedia Islamica|doi=10.1163/1875-9831_isla_com_0000009 }} and the mausoleum was built during the Ilkhanid era. It had fallen into disrepair later on and was restored during the Safavid era under Shah Abbas I.{{Cite book |last=Mahdawi |title=Tadhkirat al-qubūr |pages=153}}Hosseyn Yaghoubi (2004). Arash Beheshti (ed.). Rāhnamā ye Safar be Ostān e Esfāhān (Travel Guide for the Province Isfahan) (in Persian). Rouzane. p. 121. {{ISBN|964-334-218-2}}. It is the only structure from the Ilkhanid era to survive till modern day.

One of the takyeh buildings located in the cemetery. Clerics belonging to the Khatoon Abadi family are buried in there, an example being Mohammed Hossein Khatunabadi, a Shi'ite Hadith scholar.{{cite web|title=قبرستان تخت فولاد |language=fa |url=https://www.kojaro.com/attraction/7466-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF/ |website=Kojaro}} There is a small cellar underneath the tomb, speculated to be a place where the ascetic-inclined Khatunabadi secluded himself and meditated.

The burial place of the famous mystic and scholar in the Safavid era, Mir Fendereski. His grave has a stone tombstone, which bears the date 1640, the year he died. Next to the grave, a ghazal of the poet Hafez, in the Nastaliq script style, made with stucco, by Mir Emad Hassani, is visible on the wall of the place.

Agha Hossein Khansari was a very influential scientist and scholar in the court of the Safavid ruler Suleiman I. His mausoleum is topped with a single cupola dome, and it is the only mausoleum in the cemetery which was built for a scientist or engineer.

{{main|Roknolmolk Mosque}}

It was formerly known as the Aksa Mosque. The mosque was built in the Qajar era, and is at the edge of the Takht-e Foulad cemetery. The mosque has a room that contains the graves of both Roknolmolk and his wife, located near to the entrance, as well as a mausoleum for clerics of the Kalbasi family.

Established by the Qajar viceroy, Roknolmolk, named for the Shi'ite scholar, Mohammad Ja'far Abadei.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rasekhoon.net/Mashahir/Show-534.aspx|title = رکن الملک (سلیمان)}} It is adjacent to the Roknolmolk Mosque.

This smaller sub-cemetery is attached to the cemetery of Takht-e Foulad.{{cite web|title=تاريخچه گلستان شهدا |language=fa |url=http://isfahan.ir/ShowPage.aspx?page_=form&order=show&lang=1&sub=48&PageId=5942&codeV=1&tempname=ISFGolestan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905111445/http://isfahan.ir/ShowPage.aspx?page_=form&order=show&lang=1&sub=48&PageId=5942&codeV=1&tempname=ISFGolestan |archive-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web |date=2013-03-19 |title=خبرگزاری فارس - تخت فولاد؛ قدیمی‌ترین قبرستان بعد از وادی‌السلام+تصاویر |url=https://www.farsnews.ir/news/13911229000325/%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%82%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1 |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=خبرگزاری فارس}} The cemetery is where several martyrs are buried, hence the name Shohada, is a Persianised form of the word Shuhada which means Martyr in Arabic. One of the first burials in the cemetery is that of Abolhassan Shamsabadi. Those killed in the Haft-e Tir Bombing of 1981, and those who lost their lives during the Iranian Revolution are buried here as well.

Within the cemetery, there is also a cenotaph attributed as a grave to the Biblical prophet Joshua{{Cite web |date=2015-05-28 |title=تجمع در اعتراض به ساخت‌وساز در گلستان شهدای اصفهان |url=https://www.eghtesadnews.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-3/118700-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=اقتصادنیوز |language=fa}}{{Cite web |date=2013-03-19 |title=خبرگزاری فارس - تخت فولاد؛ قدیمی‌ترین قبرستان بعد از وادی‌السلام+تصاویر |url=https://www.farsnews.ir/news/13911229000325/%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%82%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%85%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C%E2%80%8C%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1 |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=خبرگزاری فارس}} however there is no evidence that he is buried there.

Baba Rukn al-Din Mausoleum2021 2.jpg|Mausoleum of Baba Rokneddin

Khatoon Abadi Mausoleum, Takht-e Foulad- تکیه خاتون‌آبادی ، تخت فولاد اصفهان.jpg|The mausoleum and takyeh housing the remains of the Khatunabadi family

Agha Hossein Khansari Mausoleum, Takht-e Foulad تکیه آقا حسین خوانساری، تخت فولاد اصفهان-.jpg|Mausoleum of Agha Hossein Khansari

تخت فولاد63.jpg|Roknolmolk Mosque

تخت فولاد56.jpg|Tomb of Roknolmolk inside the mosque

Golestan-e Shohada Cemetery of Isfahan 13990219000229637245384202585026 14562 PhotoT.jpg|Entrance to the Golestan-e Shohada Cemetery

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• List of historical structures in Isfahan
• List of mausoleums in Iran

{{reflist}}

{{Mausoleums in Iran}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Isfahan

Category:Cemeteries in Iran

Category:Mausoleums in Iran

Category:Tourist attractions in Isfahan

Category:Takht-e Foulad