Translated by:Samira Hasanzadeh

Source:www.rasekhoon.ent








 

The garden of Eram in Shiraz has truly been in place since the Seljuk era and throughout the time of Al Ingo , Ale Mozaffar and the Gurkani.
feudalism ruled over the society at the time thoroughly and the founders and landlords of the highly-precious garden were then rulers. Perhaps Atabak Gharacheh, appointed as the ruler of Fars governance by Sanjar of the Seljuk , ordered its construction.
After him until the throne of Shah Sheikh Abu Eshagh Ingo perhaps took control over it ,but there is no evidence indicating how many guys took charge of it after. He sat in his throne in 742 AH and was killed in 757 AH.
After the overthrow of Ale Ingo dynasty by Ale Mozaffar, it was owned by their kings and in the reign of Shah Mansur, the last king of the dynasty who was killed by the Gurkan, it was still in great condition.
As of the Safavid era forth, the impressive garden was described in the texts of the world explorers. At the time of Karim Khan of the Zand it was of the distinguished figures of the dynasty and was renovated like other monuments and gardens in Shiraz.
After late Zand era, it was in the hands of the heads of the tribe of Ghashghai for almost over 75 years. The dynasty of Jani Khan Ghashghai who governed the tribe of Ghashghai under the name of Ilkhani and Il Beigi since the reign of Fathali Shah of Ghajar, took it over for many years and used it as its headquarters in the city of Shiraz.
The first Ilkhan of the dynasty , Jani Khan and his son Mohammad Gholi Khan, erected a splendid mansion inside it. In early Ghajar period , some of the big heads of the tribe of Ghashghai , the former owners of the garden , were buried there but currently there is no sign of their graves.
The mansion inside was still remarkable and in good shape in the reign of Naseredin Shah from the Ghajar. In his time Haj Nasirolmolk Shirazi purchased it from the tribe of Ilkhan and replaced it with the current building in the garden but it preserved the base of the former building. After his death the decorations and some of the yet incomplete parts were finished by Abolghasem Nasirolmolk , the landlord of the garden, in 1311AH.

Forsatoddoleh Shirazi has described it this way:

A heaven-like garden with no parallel...It boasts high-rise cedar trees, royal monuments containing a hall standing on two firm pillars and sash windows, rooms, and porticos on the upper and lower floors. Various waterfalls flowing on each turns, the lawn on the bank of its current have created picturesque scenery. The former building was founded by Mohammad Gholi Khan Ilkhani and then the deceased Haji Nasirolmolk purchased it and ordered its current construction. Later on Mohammad Hussein Meemar developed it and added a garden which enjoys fragrant atmosphere thanks to its orangery. They made a palace and court too.

About it, Donald Wilber has written :

For at least 75 years the monument was possessed by the Khan or the heads of the tribe of Ghashghai. It is considered the central part of the garden. They built a wall in the middle and it was then divided into two parts.
It owes its popularity to the citrus orchards and a long street lined with magnificent pruned cedar trees on its two sides and a remarkably built structure with the hospitable tribe of Ghashghai. Every couple of years some of the citrus trees are destroyed due to severe cold; however the cedar trees have retained their charm and beauty.
In its construction plan, the long path has also been considered.
Today the main palace makes up the focal point of the garden, yet the most interesting one.
The rooms on the bottom floor are almost underground and its central hall is designed for resting on the hot days of summer. A stream goes through the hall and fills a pool before it pours into the large pond. Its walls and floor are covered in colorful tiles.
A staircase connects the floor to the upper floor and the corridors leading up to a large hall.
The south view is the continuation of the main path.
The scenery in the north consists of hills on the bank of a river.
In this part, like many other buildings in Shiraz, glossy tiles and chiseled stones are exceptional heritage of the past continuing into the present.
The triangular corner displays a scene of the Sassanid era with colored adorned tiles. On the ground floor there are limestone rocks which showcase the replicas of the reliefs of the Achaemenid in Persepolis.
All the way in this extensive area , you might view few red flowers but in the green house , with wooden step-shaped structure inside, a variety of flowers are kept in pots which are then taken over to the main points in the palace and outside it.
When Abolghasem Khan Nasirolmolk died it was handed over to his son and later it was sold over to the heads of Ghashghai tribe.
It was then occupied by the administration and handed over to the university of Shiraz. It served as its palace for receptions for quite some time. In the years 1345_1350, solar calendar, it was restored to a great extent with the finances from the organization of planning and budget and supervised by then officials of the university and a wide stretch of land was also added on the edge of Eram and Asiyab Setai boulevards.
Today it is still under the supervision and control of the university of Shiraz and truly belongs to the public.

/J