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Bagh-e Fin Garden (built early 16th century onward)

The Bagh-e Fin Garden likely dates to the early Safavid era, but its current design began to take shape during the reign of Shah Abbas I (1587-1629), and was restored from 1797-1834 by the Qajar Fath Ali Shah. Laid out in the manner of a traditional chahar bagh, the garden comprises a large quadrangle of trees and shrubs surrounded by various pavilions and a high wall.

Although the garden appears lush, the site is surrounded by a largely desert landscape. The water found in the garden originates in the aquifers of the Karkas mountains to the south, and is carried by an underground aquaduct called a 'qanat' to a reservoir about 1.5 kilometers from the garden. From there, the water enters the garden at the Howz Jushan pavilion and is carried forth around the garden in channels lined with blue tiles. There is sufficient pressure from the underground source to allow for small fountains.

As for the planting, each of the parterres have avenues lined with cypruss and plane trees, with varieties of almond, apple, cherry, and plum trees planted as well. Flowers such as lilies, iruses, eglantine, rosebushes, jasmine, amarnth, gillyflower, narcissus, violets, and tulips also are present.

Integral to the original design was a bath house (hammam), which gained infamy in 1849 when Amir Kabir, the great minister under Nasar al-din, was murdered at the Shah's orders.

Plan view

Plan redrawn and adapted from signpost on site. Copyright 2009 Timothy Ciccone.