Razavi Khorasan

Located in the eastern Iranian city of Mashhad, the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH) draws millions of pilgrims each year to the holy city.

The shrine is particularly packed with devout pilgrims on the Imam’s martyrdom anniversary, which falls on November 30 this year.

In 818 AD, Imam Reza (PBUH) was murdered by the Abbasid caliph al-Mamun (ruled 813–833 AD) and was buried in what is today the city of Mashhad.

By the end of the 9th century, a dome was built on the grave of Imam Reza (PBUH) and for the next thousand years many buildings and bazaars started to spring up around it.

Following his burial, the location was called Mashhad al-Reza (meaning the place of martyrdom of al-Reza) and Muslims began visiting his grave on pilgrimages.