Where Are Esther and Mordechai Buried? The Mystery of Two Ancient Tombs in Persia and the Galilee

In the heart of Hamedan, a city in modern-day Iran (ancient Persia), stands a tall, magnificent structure built above a large underground burial cave. Inside the cave are two large wooden tombs, both draped in richly embroidered curtains.

The right tomb is traditionally identified as the resting place of Queen Esther, bearing an inscription that reads: “This is the coffin in which lies Esther the righteous.”

The left tomb is attributed to Mordechai, and beside a list of his genealogy is inscribed: “This is the holy ark of Mordechai the righteous.”

Between the two tombs lies a stone slab covering a deep pit, which according to local tradition, is believed to connect all the way to Jerusalem.

Local Tradition: The Hidden Tunnel to Jerusalem

According to Yona Azian, a native of Hamedan: “Our city, Hamedan, is what was once the capital city of Shushan. Mordechai and Esther are buried here above the well that contains a tunnel to Jerusalem. Our tradition says that when Mashiach comes, the exiles of Hamedan will ascend to Jerusalem through this underground passage, all the way to the Temple Mount.”

For centuries, this site was considered one of the holiest pilgrimage destinations for Persian Jews, especially on Purim, when thousands would visit the tomb, read the Megillah (Book of Esther), and pray.

“Many miracles were said to have occurred here,” recalls Yona.
“People saw great salvations and their prayers were answered.”

A Site of Pilgrimage and Reverence

The brick structure above the cave dates back to the 15th century and is topped by a rounded dome-shaped tower. Inside, there is a small prayer chamber, as well as a large hall used for celebrations such as bar mitzvahs, brit milah (circumcisions), and for the public reading of Megillat Esther during Purim.

The walls surrounding the tombs are decorated with biblical verses and passages from the Book of Esther.

Remarkably, the site is venerated by Muslims as well, and the Iranian authorities have declared it a protected national heritage site, with government security assigned to guard it.

Even today, the remaining Jews of Iran visit the tomb as a sacred place and consider it a central symbol of their Jewish identity and history.

A Competing Tradition: The Tomb in the Galilee

Not everyone agrees that Hamedan is ancient Shushan. A different and older Jewish tradition places the burial of Mordechai and Esther not in Persia, but in the Western Galilee of Israel.

This second tradition was already recorded by Rabbi Menachem of Hebron in the 13th century, and for generations, local Jews celebrated Purim festivities there.

The site lies deep within a forest near the Zivon stream, not far from Kibbutz Bar’am, in northern Israel. It consists of a simple stone marker affixed to a pile of rocks, inscribed with the words: “Tomb of Mordechai and Esther, of blessed and holy memory.”

The Galilean Tradition: Esther’s Return to the Land of Israel

According to this version, after Queen Esther’s death, her son Cyrus (the same King Cyrus who allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple) brought her remains to the Land of Israel for burial.

Thus, her final resting place — and that of Mordechai, would be in the Galilee, not in distant Persia.

Where Is the True Tomb?

The question remains unresolved. Each site has centuries of tradition, local devotion, and spiritual significance.

Perhaps, as some mystics suggest, both are true — that a spark of their sanctity rests in each place: one in the land where they saved their people, and one in the land they longed to return to.