TEHRAN – On Tuesday, Russian Consul in Isfahan Andrey Zhiltsov paid a visit to the UNESCO-listed Shazdeh Garden

Zhiltsov, who was in Kerman province to join an offcial meeting, toured various parts of the vast Persian Garden and learned about the history and details of its construction, IRNA reported.

On the sidelines of this visit, he said: that Kerman province is known for its mineral, industrial, and agricultural capacities, but its important tourism sector may have not been introduced properly.

The Russian diplomat said the beauty of Mahan’s Shazdeh Garden is “indescribable”.

Kerman province has the potential to become the tourism capital of Iran considering its high tourism potential, he said.

Zhiltsov also expressed readiness to introduce special historical monuments and tourism capacities of Kerman to Russian tourists.

During the tour, Kerman’s tourism chief who was accompanying the Russian consul, mentioned a proposal for twinning Kerman with one of the provinces of Russia, saying: This province is home to 10 World Heritage sites in historical, tourism, and natural arenas, which are great tourist appeals for and traveler.

Shazdeh Garden meaning “The Prince’s Garden” is located some six km away from Mahan in Kerman province, southern Iran.  The garden forms an enigmatic green oasis in the heart of a barren desert. Many visitors consider Shazdeh Garden 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 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