Omar Khayyam, best known for his poetry Rubáiyát, was a Persian polymath learned in the ways of astronomy, philosophy, and mathematics. Born in the ancient city of Nishapur, he died in 1131 at 83 and was buried in his hometown.

The poet’s tomb survived the test of time through Mongol invasions and natural disasters, developing into part of a shrine. In 1934, the Iranian government under the Pahlavi dynasty commissioned the reconstruction of his mausoleum, which would be completed 31 years later.

Designed by the architect Hooshang Seyhoun, the new Omar Khayyam Mausoleum is an outstanding beauty many consider a masterpiece of modern Persian architecture. A large marble monument standing in a serene garden, it is decorated with verses from Rubáiyát written in the taʿlīq script, glowing in an oasitic blue shade.