subject: Visit Eram Garden While You Visit Shiraz [print this page] When you visit Shiraz, you will be struck by the old-world charm of Eram Garden. Also known as the Bagh-e Eram, it has a huge assortment of plants together with an old building. The garden dates back to the time when the Seljuks were on the throne. Because of their great patronage for greenery, they have constructed quite a few gardens during their rule. Bagh-e Eram was a contribution by Sanjar who was a Seljuk monarch. The place of interest was again restored to its former glory by the Zand kings who ruled between 1750 and 1794.
Beautifying the Garden
When the Zands rule was nearing its end, the charge of Eram Garden was held by Qashqai tribal chiefs. It was an epitome of beauty under the tribal chief Mohammad Qoli Khan, who was responsible for the attractive building which now stands among the plants. It was the early eighteenth century when the Qashqai chief ordered the planting of many varieties of trees including cypress, orange and pine.
From the Qashqai tribes, this place of interest was passed on to the Qajar dynasty. Mirza Hassan Ali Khan Nasir-al Mulk took great interest in the beautification of the garden and included the pavilion as it stands today. The designing was done by Mohammad Hassan, a famous architect, whose achievements you can hear when you visit Shiraz.
Building the Pavilion
The onus of completing the pavilion was passed on to Abol Qassem Khan, who was the son of Hassan Ali Khan. Later on, it further went down the line to Abdullah Qavani who gave it away to the Qashqai tribes and the ownership of the Eram Garden traveled a full circle. There are three stories in the pavilion which has been inspired by the architectural greatness of the Qajar and Safavid times. The bottommost story is beautifully decorated and was used as a summer resort. The atmosphere is cooled by a stream through the center of the structure which empties itself to the large pool in the front.
Beauty in Tiles
The middle and the upper stories are characterized by huge halls and terraces designed and decorated with tiles. There is attractive tile work throughout the building. The Eram Garden looks fabulous during spring and is now under the patronage of the Shiraz University. People coming to visit Shiraz come to Bagh-e Eram which is now part of a museum.
