Shiraz, a city full of alluring gardens | A PIECE OF HEAVEN!

Iran Tour Packages | Shiraz, is one of the most beautiful cities of Iran, located in Zagros mountains and the center of Fars province. َA sightly city, which have been the capital of Iran three times during history. Shiraz is also known as the city of poets, because of the famous poets such as Hafez, Saadi and Forsat -od- Dowleh Shirazi, who have been born and raised in it.

About Shiraz

Shiraz can be considered as a small piece of heaven! The city is full of wonderful gardens, full of fruit trees and alluring flowers. Shiraz is known as the city of poets, literature, flowers, wine and gardens. The city is the fifth populated city of Iran and the favored city of most tourists who visit Iran.

History:

You can see Shiraz’s name on epigraphs from 2000 B.D which archaeologists have found in Elam. According to the epigraphs, the original name of the city was “Tirazis” or “Shirazis”. During Sassanid dynasty, the city was a part of Ardeshirkhore, one of the five important areas of Firouz Abad city.

According to Cambridge university: “Permanent residence in Shiraz goes back to Sassanid era and even before.”
When Estakhr, the previous capital of Fars got disturbed, Shiraz was replaced; and that was the start of flourishing of this city. Shiraz was chosen as capital by Buyids in 968 A.D. but main developing and flourishing of the city started from Salghurids period. Mosques, public baths, schools and etc. were built under the order of the kings of this dynasty. Because of Salghurid’s policies, Shiraz didn’t disturb much during Mongols attack; and that helped a lot to the development of this city.
Buyids and Salghurids were Shitte Muslims, but under their reign, Zoroastrians didn’t have to leave in separate areas or wear different clothes; and in addition to Shitte celebrations, people still celebrated Nowrouz and Mehregan (Zoroastrian festivals) together.

Shiraz in stories and myths:

It is said that in 568 A.D. Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan built a city in the foot of Zagros mountain chain; the city was called “Tirazis” in ancient Iran, a wonderful city that nowadays everyone knows it as “SHIRAZ”.
We also read in Shahnameh (the great Iranian mythology), that the city has gotten it’s name after Tahmuras, the third son of Hushang, the great king of the world.

Shiraz, the city of gardens:

There are a lot of alluring gardens in Shiraz, which is why many people call it the city of gardens. Eram garden, Jahan Nama garden, Delgosha Garden and Afif Abad garden are the most famous gardens of Shiraz. Shiraz is also known as the city of wine, because a considerable scale of it’s gardens are full of grape trees; people used to make wine every year, before Iran being an Islamic republic since 1979.

Dِelgosha Garden

The garden goes back to Sassanid dynasty and it was so flourished in Timur’s period. He was so impressed with Delgosha garden that he built a garden with the same name in Samarqand.
The first pavilion in Iran was built in this garden. The koushk in the garden is built in the style of Bishapur palaces; The building includes a hall with four alcoves. Embellishments are: plaster moulding with the pattern of flowers and bushes, mirrors and oil paintings.

Eram Garden

The garden goes back to Seljuks and Al –e Inju period. It was the residence of Qashqaii tribe during Qajar and Pahlavi periods till it was requisitioned, because of their support from Mohammad Mosaddeq.
Eram garden is one out of 8 gardens in Iran, which are registered in the list of UNESCO HERITAGE SITES.
The main building of Eram, which is now in use of Shiraz university, was built in three floors during Qajar dynasty in style of Zand architecture.

Jahan Nama Garden

Jahan Nama is the oldest garden of Shiraz, located in the north of the city. The garden goes back to Al -e Muzaffar and Al -e Inju period; and the building in the middle of it was built under the order of Karim Khan Zand in 1753 A.D.

Reference: Wikipedia
Cambridge university