Next to the great dome of Soltaniyeh stands a smaller building that tells another story, the tomb of Chelebi Oghlu. The name is Turkish and echoes the title Chelebi, which was used for the leaders of the Mevlevi order, the whirling dervishes who follow the poet Rumi, and Oghlu means son of. A tomb in the shadow of the mausoleum was a mark of status for a holy man.
The building is a modest one, a square chamber topped by a dome, with a pointed entrance arch and some remains of glazed tilework in turquoise and dark blue. Brick is the main material, as everywhere on this plain, and the way it has been laid in patterns, in bands and diamonds, is a pleasure in itself. The surroundings are quiet, and you may find the doors locked and need to ask a local caretaker. Remember that this is a shrine, so dress modestly and take your shoes off if you go inside.
The plain here is high, flat and windy, and the horizon is huge. Roads between the tombs and the main highway are narrow, sometimes sandy at the edges, with the odd farm tractor or flock of sheep. You can ride a loop of the area in an hour, stopping for photographs, but the better way is to walk between the sites, since many are within sight of each other. Late afternoon gives the best light, with long shadows and the dome turning gold. In midsummer the sun is fierce, and by October the nights are already cold.
Fuel and meals are in Abhar or Zanjan, each about thirty-five kilometres away, and you should have a full tank before you come out. The village near the dome sells tea and simple snacks, and the owners may invite you to sit for a while. Carry water and a hat. If you have a spare hour, climb the stairs of the great mausoleum, and from the gallery look down on the little tomb and the patchwork of fields beyond.