TEHRAN – Following a full restoration, the historical garden of Rahimabad in Birjand, South Khorasan province, has been reopened to the public, CHTN reported on Saturday.

A budget of 25 billion rials ($84,000) was allocated to the restoration project, the provincial tourism chief said during the opening ceremony on Friday.

Art galleries and handicrafts exhibits are planned to be set up inside the historical structure, Hadi Shahverdi added.

The garden and the mansion in it are from the Zand dynasty (1750–79). The trees in this garden mainly include pine, poplar, and fruit trees such as apricots and barberry.

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

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.

According to UNESCO, 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.

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. UNESCO describes the Persian Garden as an idea that combines natural elements with manmade components to materialize the concept of Eden or Paradise on Earth.

ABU/MG