Khosrow & Shirin
Persia's most beloved royal romance
The Persian king Khosrow and the Armenian princess Shirin, whose long, turbulent love — with the sculptor Farhad as a tragic third point — Nizami made one of the great poems of the East.
01Why it matters
Alongside Layla and Majnun, it is a pillar of love in Persian literature, depicted in thousands of miniatures.
02The conflict
Power, pride and the unrequited love of the sculptor Farhad.
03The iconic moment
Farhad carving through an entire mountain for his impossible love of Shirin.
04What survived
Nizami's "Khamsa"; Persian and Ottoman painting.
05Frequently asked questions
Why is the story of Khosrow & Shirin famous?
Alongside Layla and Majnun, it is a pillar of love in Persian literature, depicted in thousands of miniatures.
How does the story of Khosrow & Shirin end?
Farhad carving through an entire mountain for his impossible love of Shirin. Nizami's "Khamsa"; Persian and Ottoman painting.
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