TEHRAN–Kerman province’s tourism department is to implement development initiatives to improve tourist amenities in the UNESCO-registered Shazdeh Garden.

“200 billion rials (some $690,000) have been allocated to improve the tourism infrastructure in Mahan’s Shazdeh Garden,” CHTN quoted the provincial tourism chief as saying on Saturday.

The project is expected to bring more satisfaction to visitors and help attract further sightseers, Freydoun Fa’ali said.

Shazdeh Garden forms an enigmatic green oasis in the heart of a barren desert. Many visitors consider Shazdeh Garden as a miracle due to its location.

The garden was constructed under the command of Mohammad Hassan Khan, the ruler of Kerman, during the Qajar era (1789–1925). Apart from the beauties of the garden, two-story mansions in the western and eastern parts of the garden perfectly represent Persian architecture. The main material used in them is brick, and the art of tiling is easy to recognize.

In 2011, a selection of nine Iranian gardens, including Shazdeh Garden, which bears important architectural, traditional, and cultural elements, were collectively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list under the title of “The Persian Garden.”

One outstanding feature of Persian gardens is the arrangement of a pond in the center of the structure. The dance of fountains in the middle of Shazdeh Garden has given an admirable view of it that leaves everyone in wonder and appreciation.

For millennia, Iranian gardens have combined the magic of nature with the aesthetic qualities of art and architecture to create a symbolic representation of paradise on Earth.

A typical Persian Garden interweaves natural elements with manmade components to embody the idea of creating a paradise on Earth by the means of artistic, philosophical, figurative, and religious notions.

According to the UN cultural body, the flawless design of the Persian Garden, along with its ability to respond to extreme climatic conditions, is the result of an inspired and intelligent application of different fields of knowledge, i.e. technology, water management, and engineering, architecture, botany, and agriculture.

AM