Ghadamgah of Imam Reza (AS) in Neyshabur Garden Walk

In different communities, with different cultures, traditions and beliefs, various kind of beliefs stemmed from a mystical knowledge, have a great influence on the formation of man- made space. It seems that Neyshabur Ghadamgah as one of the shrines and holy places, has been influenced by the mystical knowledge and these concepts had a great effect on the formation of the complex. Ghadamgah complex has been constructed in different periods of time. This building is a symbolic memorial. But about this construction , " in his journey in 1020 AH, Sheikh Bahai with Shah Abbas Safavid came from Isfahan to Mashhad, Shah Abbas has ordered the construction of Ghadamgah in this area and this construction has been built base on his design''. Hence, we try to reanalyze the relationship between architecture of this collection and mystical thought and concepts. The research is based on historical, analytical, and interpretive methods and in the meanwhile is a case study. Here we deal with the 8-stage hierarchy which encrypts the station of Imam Reza and his footprint. In investigation conducted in the research we came across the documents related to forecourt of Ghadamgah (the steps area). These documents helped us to study the hierarchy of the garden gate and mausoleum of Ghadamgah. We see hierarchy with forecourt signs, ascending and elevating stairs as joints, walls as limiting stands in first and third courts, tops of the entrances to meaningful places such as barrel vault parts, color, geometry, silence, manifestation of nature and water, light, dome part, and the stone bearing the footnote of Imam Reza (Peace be upon him) at eighth level as a mystery and encryption. It is believed that in the journey of the mystical staircase, there exists eight step of mysticism, by passing the seven step of mysticism, the wayfarer arrives at the stage Fate in allah destruction in god, and in the eighth stage, he goes back from the Right to the Creation.Translate from Persian
This article tries to study the characteristics of each of these mystical stage and their effects on the formation of the Garden ghadamgah and its relationship with mystical thought. At first mystical thought is analyzed .then, ghadamgah garden is introduced and in the next step, the relationship between these fields is studied based on the present evidence. From the studies made on eighth level, one can infer that the eighth Imam is placed at the highest point of mysticism after evolutionary developing from the created to divine truth and then turning back from divine truth to the created. Considering the creative thought of the architect of Ghadamgah, Sheikh Bahai, and proving the world of ideas in Mulla Sadra point of view, it is inferred that Sheikh Bahai has designed the stone bearing the footnote of Imam Reza (Peace be upon him)for this place while he was aware of the place of eighth level. Our understanding from the mausoleum is that the seventh level is annihilation of self and the eighth level is union with divine life.