Tomb of Two Kamals

Tabriz is one of the important cities of Iran, which has, in the course of its history, attracted a number of artists, literary personalities, scientists, and political and social figures who have provided great services to the culture and art of Iran. The Maqbarat-o-shoara (Mausoleum of Poets) of Tabriz is known as one of the places where several writers, poets, and artists of Tabriz are buried. Another important monument of this city is the Tomb of Two Kamals where some renowned personalities of the history of this city are buried.

Why Is This Mausoleum Called the Tomb of Two Kamals

This mausoleum takes its name from two of the famous figures buried in it, both of whom had the name “Kamal”, i.e. Kamaluddin Masoud Khujandi and Kamaluddin Behzad.

Kamaluddin Masoud Khujandi

Khujandi was a poet from Tajikistan who, while passing through Tabriz City, on his way back from Hajj, became interested in this city and its people and decided to spend the rest of his life there. The then ruler of Tabriz gave him a small garden in Bilankuh of Tabriz as a sign of honoring his decision. Khujandi built a monastery in this garden and settled in it until his demise in the year 792 or 808 AH (1390 or 1405 AD) and was buried in the same garden.

Due to the cultural and linguistic commonalities between the people of Iran and Tajikistan, Khujandi’s Tomb hosts a large number of cultural people of Tajikistan every year and is considered one of the main centers of cultural exchange between the two countries.

Kamaluddin Behzad

Behzad has been one of the greatest painters of all times. He was born in Herat but settled in Tabriz, which was then the capital of Iran, on the invitation of the Safavid king, Shah Ismail I. Behzad passed away in Tabriz in 1535 AD (942 AH) and was buried next to the grave of Kamaluddin Khujandi.

Historians have written many things about Behzad’s personality and works. According to them, due to his influential personality and managerial skills, Behzad had been vested with the responsibility of managing the royal library of Shah Ismail I. He lived during the period of four Safavid kings and was highly respected by all of them.

Accuracy in patterns and the calligraphy and design fitted in his works, along with paying attention to the real world around him, was the legacy that Behzad left for those who followed his style. Although he is considered and praised as one of the most important artists and intellectuals of his time, Behzad’s influence on other artists has not been elaborated on.

Other Personalities Buried in the Tomb of Two Kamals

Nizamuddin Sultan Mohammad, a painter who lived during the Safavid era and created several important works, such that some people consider his role in the development of the Tabriz School of Art to be very important and place him on par with Kamaluddin Behzad, is also buried in this place mausoleum.

Sultan Mohammad Mujjaled (also Musavver), the master of making book covers in the Safavid era, is another figure buried in this tomb. He contributed a lot to the development of the art of copyediting, but due to his modesty, he did not sign the created volumes in his own name.

Other personalities like Maulana Shirvani and Maulana Toosi are also believed to have been buried in this mausoleum, but except for Kamaluddin Behzad and Kamaluddin Khujandi, the burial place of the rest of these people is not exactly known.

Where Is the Tomb of Two Kamals Located?

This mausoleum is located in the middle of a garden in the Bilankuh neighborhood of Tabriz, which is called “Kamal Garden”. The entrance to the garden is located in the north and the tombs of Kamaluddin Behzad and Kamaluddin Masoud Khujandi are located in the basement of the building.

This place was an old cemetery that had been gradually abandoned. In 1959 AD it caught the attention of some local people and was subjected to restoration following which a memorial inscription was also installed in it. In the 2010s, a traditional complex was founded in this place and it was turned into a painting school. With an area of 6,000 square meters, this place houses several classrooms, some workshops, a specialized library, an exhibition gallery, a specialized museum, and an administrative department.

The Tomb of Two Kamals was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1998.

This mausoleum takes its name from two of the famous figures buried in it, both of whom had the name “Kamal”, i.e. Kamaluddin Masoud Khujandi and Kamaluddin Behzad.