Shazdeh Garden (Photos, Water Source, Reviews)

One of the largest and most eye-catching cities in Iran is the beautiful city of Mahan in Kerman, situated in the southeast of Iran. Inside the heart of Kerman city is an old lush garden brimming with tall bushy trees belonging to hundreds of years back in history. The magnificent Shazdeh Garden of Kerman is a popular tourist attraction visited by thousands annually and is recognized as the mother of all gardens in both Iran and the world. Here, we will provide you with full information about the elegant Shazdeh Mahan Garden of Kerman.

About Shazdeh Garden Mahan

Shazdeh Garden is a fertile garden set up in a desert in Mahan city in the Kerman Province and is considered as one of the nine Iranian and world-famous gardens. In 2013, Shazdeh Garden was registered as the mother of Iranian gardens. In addition, this grand garden was marked on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

With the city’s pleasant climate, the trees have grown massively with the full care of the local gardeners. Shazdeh Garden is represented as a green gem of Iran, and with the garden erected in the middle of a desert, it makes it stand out and shine brightly like an emerald from afar.

The title of the garden, Shazdeh, translates to Prince in Persian, which is derived from Prince Abdul Hamid Mizra Naser al-Doulah Farmanfarmayan name, who was the grandson of Naser al-Din Shah, who completed the construction of the large garden in Kerman.

Once you walk inside the Shazdeh Garden, you will forget about the outside of this garden, which is a large arid desert of Kerman. The towering trees and ponds full of fresh water with roaring fountains whose streams stretch to the end of the garden will leave you in awe. It is as though you are stepping inside another world with a whole new atmosphere.

Shazdeh Garden History

This historical and green garden is a memory from the Qajar Dynasty, and Mohammad Hasan Khan, Sardar of Irwani, and the ruler of Kerman, ordered its construction. The garden was in the middle of the Bam-Kerman Road, which was a part of the Silk Road of Iran in the past, and this contributed to the prosperity of this city in the old days at the time. Then, the next ruler, Abdul Hamid Mizra Nasir al-Douleh, completed the construction. Between 1919 and 1930, buildings were constructed inside the garden, which then finalized the entire complex.

Shazdeh Garden Iran Architecture

Shahzad Garden Mahan is one of the full-fledged Iranian gardens, as well as being one of the best sloping gardens in the world. The most outstanding characteristic of such sloping gardens is the unique and spectacular display of water flowing downwards in the form of stairs on horizontal and vertical platforms.

The size of this rectangular garden is about 5.5 hectares, which is 407 meters long and 122 meters wide. The garden includes the entrance gate, bathrooms, a mansion, a water supply network, and ponds, which are surrounded by a high fence of trees.

When you first enter the Shazdeh Garden, you will come upon a beautiful two-story entrance that allows you to see the interior and green space of the garden. On the upper floor of the main entrance, some rooms were used for residential purposes, together with a guest room on the upper floor of the main hall. Several sub-entrances are also built along the length of the garden for easier access to the interior part of the garden. After passing through this area, you will then enter the interior of the Shazdeh Garden.

The garden’s stepped surface embraces waterfalls, fountains, and two pools of water surrounded by tall trees on two sides of the garden. The water stream that flows in this place enters from the top of the garden.

At the end of the garden, there is a mansion with an attic, which is 235 meters away from the main entrance. This mansion has an area of ​​487 square meters and was a place for the residence of the owner of the garden and welcoming guests and outsiders.

The mansion is currently a restaurant for visitors. Behind this mansion was a small garden with fruit trees, which was a private garden for the residents.

Some visitors who sightsee the garden may ask why do some areas with ornamentations seem incomplete. This is due to the death of Prince Abdul Hamid Mizra Naser, which caused the workers to leave some areas undone and abandon the project. One of these incomplete parts is the empty space between the tiles that still protrudes from the entrance door.

Shazdeh Garden Water Source

How does Shazdeh Garden get water? The greenness and irrigation of this garden in the middle of the desert may look impossible, but the lush Shazdeh Garden Kerman is actually by the waters of an aqueduct and the river that is supplied by the nearby Chopar Mountains.

Due to the unique architecture of the garden, the water descends through the gutters, creating a pleasant stream flowing near the tall trees to the very end of the garden. The water stream continues its path and pours into a nearby village.

Best Time to Visit Shazdeh Garden Mahan

Due to Iran’s four seasonal climates, the Shazdeh Garden Mahan can be visited throughout the year since each season bears its own grandeur. In spring and summer, the garden is very abundant and green with a fresh blue sky and warm weather. During autumn, the leaves of the trees turn yellow and orange, which changes the aura of the garden into an enchanted forest.

At last, during winter or the cold season, the tall trees and the surface of the garden will be covered in white snow, which will be a new experience even for visitors who have visited the garden in a different season. Taking pictures in all four seasons has its own charm, and you can add these shots to your Shazdeh Garden photo album.

Shazdeh Garden Reviews

Every year, hundreds of people, or even thousands, visit this wonderful garden of Iran. Some of the visitors have written such positive and impressive reviews. They include their thoughts on encountering the magnificence of Persian architecture as well as the remarkable ornamentations on the walls and ceilings of the monument. Not to forget the praise for the Persian cuisine in the Shazdeh Garden Restaurant.

Shazdeh Garden in Iran Mall

Inside the largest Shopping Center in Iran and the world is the smaller Replica of Shazdeh Garden. Iran Mall is not only for shopping but also a place for revisiting the national gems of Iran, such as the splendid Shazdeh Garden of Kerman Province. The Mahan Garden in Iran Mall holds towering trees similar to the original garden with a sloping architecture where the water pours down the stairs by the two sides of the rows of trees.

The roof is made of large glass, which provides enough sunlight for the plants to grow. A small coffee shop is also located by the end of the garden, where visitors can sit by the water stream and enjoy the scenic view of the Shazdeh Mahan garden.

Shazdeh Garden Entrance Fee

Visiting hours: 9 A.M. to 8 P.M

Entrance Fee for Foreigners: 150,000 Iranian Rials

Final Words

Being one of the largest and most popular gardens in Iran, the Shazdeh Garden of Mahan City in Kerman is a must-go for travelers who cherish sightseeing historical monuments as well as tasting the Persian dishes, and, most importantly, strolling around this magnificent garden that shines like a gem amidst the desert dunes of Kerman.

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