This is a Jewish shrine in the city of Hamadan, where, according to Judeo-Persian tradition, Esther and Mordechai are buried.
This is a Jewish shrine in the city of Hamadan, where, according to Judeo-Persian tradition, Esther and Mordechai are buried. Mordechai and Esther lived during the rule of Ahasuerus, a Persian king who is also identified as Artaxerxes (possibly Artaxerxes II, who lived from 435 or 445 to 358 BCE). This site marks the traditional location of the graves of Mordechai and Esther, two cousins who played a pivitol role in the Book of Esther (also known as the Megillah). The saga of Mordechai and Esther form the basis for the Jewish celibration of Purim; hence, the site is of deep historical significance to Iranian Jews and the wider Jewish community.
It is not known if the tomb of Mordechai and Esther is the actual site where they were buried. In any case, the site in Hamadan has been revered for at least eight centuries. Iranian Jews traditionally travel there to read the Megillah each Purim.