TEHRAN – Shazdeh Garden, which is an enigmatic green oasis in the heart of a desert in the southeast Kerman province, reopened on Sunday after being closed for two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Shazdeh Garden has reopened to tourists again… and holidaymakers are allowed to enjoy the exquisiteness of this World Heritage site if they observe public health protocols,” IRNA quoted a provincial tourism official as saying on Sunday.

Many visitors consider Shazdeh Garden as a miracle because of its location. It is claimed to be one of the biggest and most beautiful gardens in the semi-arid country.

For millennia, Iranian gardens have combined the magic of nature with the aesthetic qualities of art and architecture. 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-storey 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 bear 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 to 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.

The genuine concept of the Persian Garden that is deeply rooted in time interweaves natural elements with manmade components to embody an idea of creating a paradise on Earth by the means of artistic, philosophical, figurative, and religious notions.

UNESCO says 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.

AFM