Eram botanical garden of Shiraz

One of the beautiful botanical gardens in shiraz city is Eram Garden. The area of this garden is almost 120000 m². This garden was registered as UNESCO world heritage in 1974-11-05.

The mansion, cedar and citrus trees in the middle of the garden has created a magnificent atmosphere for people who come there to visit and has attracted many tourists.

History

This is not defined yet what year Eram Garden of Shiraz has been made but it has been mentioned in several travelogues which date back to 10th or 11th AH. As some archeologists say it’s probable that this garden has been built in Seljuks dynasty. Because the governors at that age made a lot of gardens in Shiraz city and maybe Eram Garden is one of them.

Eram Garden of Shiraz is also mentioned in Hafez Shirazi’s poem. This indicates that Eram Garden was existed in Hafez Shirazi’s age.

Restoration

In Safavid dynasty all gardens had been restored include gardens in Shiraz
In 1345 to 1350 SH when this garden used to be in Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s wife’s possession. Then she gave there it to Shiraz university, after that they restored the house another time.

Architecture of the garden

This rectangle field used to be surrounded by muddy wall but nowadays a wall which is made with metal and brick surrounds there instead. In order to flatten the slop of the garden surface architects created stairs on ground.

a large pool which is 335 m² extensive and 0.5-meter deep is in front of the mansion. Several stone boards have been utilized in that building which date back to Ilkhanate dynasty. Four palm trees on the four corners of the pool have made a great an inspiring atmosphere in front of the mansion.

Architecture of the mansion

But the main part of the garden is the 3-floor-mansion which is the most attractive part the garden. The place where completes the architecture of the garden. Actually, in Iranian architecture, gardens have its own special philosophy and one of these philosophies is the relevance between human and nature, as you can see in every ancient Iranian garden. Many architectural philosophers and scientists have talked and taken part into that in detail.

This great mansion includes 3 floors:

Ground floor: this floor is known as spring hall. The ground here is at the same level of the ground in the yard. Because architects wanted to keep that place cool and make there for rest in hot days of summer. There is a pool and a fountain which water flows through that. Architects made that to keep the place cold. In addition, there is a stone column inside this floor with a beautiful lithography. Ceiling and the walls have been decorated with Moarraq and multi-colored tiles. This type of tiling is a great sample of tiling art which is dedicated to Qajar dynasty.
First floor: this floor includes three main parts such as hall porch and the aisle. On both sides of the porch there are two balconies which the ceiling and the height is as high as one floor, but the main porch is as high as two floors. In front of this porch there are two stone pillars. Plaster decorations and paintings on the wall are dedicated to Qajar age.
Second floor: you can see the exact same architectural plan in this floor as you saw on the first floor. In this floor windows overlook the porch and on both sides of the porch you can find two balconies. One in the right side and another in the left side just like you saw in first floor. The painting on the ceiling is a proof that indicate the art of painting in Qajar age.

Museum

There is little point about this place, but it seems to be fantastic for museum lovers. From 1390 SH or 2011 AD the ground floor of the mansion has been changed to a museum in which more than 140 types of precious sea stone are being exhibited there.