Tomb of Daniel

Susa, an old city in the southwest of the country which is frequently mentioned in Persia’s history, is a spotlight in Khuzestan Province. One of the oldest cities in the globe, Susa is home to many historic places which shouldn’t be missed once in Iran.

The tomb of Daniel is perhaps Susa’s major tourist attraction. The biblical prophet lived in Babylon in 7th century BC and migrated to Iran with a Jewish group and settled in Susa. Of Jacob’s dynasty, his lifetime is not clear.

The current memorial building was built in 1870 following the command of the Shiite cleric, Ja’efar Shushtari, and by Haj Molla Hussein Me’emar as the original building was to some extent devastated after a flood.

The monument with its centerpiece shrine boasts a two-coated, multi-faceted dome, about 20 m high and a diameter of 5 m. Interestingly, the monument with its remarkable pointed dome is visible almost everywhere in the city. The design of the jagged, pineapple dome, typical in the district, is influenced by indigenous palm trees trunk. The impressive scene of doves nestling on denticulated dome is worth a series of snapshots.

The western part of the pilgrim site is decorated with elaborate, eye-catching Persian, Islamic tiling. On its east there are 2 minarets, as high as 10 m on either side. The internal mirror works are also remarkable, creating a spiritually peaceful place.  The tomb holds 2 courtyards; the main one is decorated with a showpiece pool and surrounding rooms to cater for pilgrims.

Recoded as the national heritage site, Daniel’s Tomb and its nearby hills are annually visited by thousands of national and transnational tourists.