Kerman province has many unique sights and attractions to marvel at. From Lut desert and Shahdad Kluts to Shahzadeh garden and its historical bazaar. Among them, there are historical attractions that are less known to the public; such as the Fath-Abad mansion and garden. It is also known as the garden of Bigler Beigi that is its old owner’s name. If you ride on the Kerman train, you can see this historical building shining like a jewel in the middle of the desert. Fath-Abad Garden is a great night tourism attraction that will amaze you with its beauty.
Fath-Abad Garden, An Iranian Masterpiece Of Art And Architecture
The garden is originally located in the Ekhtiarabad village in Kerman, 25 kilometers away from the city center. Fath-Abad Garden was very famous and glorious in its time. And later on, its construction style became a model for building the Shahzadeh Mahan Historical Garden. But unfortunately, Fath-Abad was neglected for a long time. And this prevented it from achieving the fame it deserved. That’s why for many years it remained in the shadow of Shahzadeh Mahan Garden.
This complex dates back to the Qajar period and has been renovated in recent years. Today Fath-Abad Garden is known as one of the top tourist attractions of Kerman, so that in March 2017, it was the top-visited attraction of the city. It is, as well, on Iran’s National Heritage List now.
Make sure to visit the complex during the day and also at night. The Fath-Abad mansion and garden have become very popular for their nights and special lighting decorations. The lighting decorations next to the pool is that huge that some plane passengers on the air mistake it for the runway of Kerman airport.
Architecture Of Fath-Abad Garden
Fath-Abad Garden stands tall on a 13-hectare land with a 1500-meter foundation. This building has a European-Iranian style. Vast agricultural lands and various gardens surround it. When you enter Fath-Abad Garden, the first thing you will see is a large and rectangular pool, 60 meters long and 6 meters wide. The reflection of the main mansion on the pool water adds to the splendor of the building and the garden.
Now let’s get to know the different parts of this stunning attraction site:
The Main Building Of Fath-Abad Garden
Fath-Abad mansion or the main building stands tall on the northern end of the garden. It is a two-floor structure. This building has arches on two sides with three-door and five-door rooms in the middle. The main building is made of raw clay and mud mortar with a layer of plaster on top.
The plasterwork inside the building is amazing. The plaster decorations on the walls, above the entrances, and the arches are spectacular. The rooms in this historical structure have the traditional style of Qajar engineering plus nice lighting decorations. The most famous room in the Fath-Abad mansion is the “Shah-Neshin” room.
Above the main entrance, there are circular holes. In the past, they placed arched magnifying glasses in the holes to reflect the light of the fire lamps to make the front courtyard brighter at night.
Hokkam Museum In Fath-Abad Garden
Hokkam literally means the rulers. There are biography and pictures of the previous rulers of Kerman in this museum which is in the complex.
Naqqashi Room
Naqqashi literally means Painting. The main building has a room known as the Naqqashi room. This room was where the ruler of Kerman lived. Exquisite paintings and murals were all over the place. But unfortunately, some people deliberately tried to destroy the paintings or steal them because of the water gold used in the paintings and the decorations.
Of course, luckily, some of these murals continue to exist still. Currently, this room is not open to the public until they finish the renovation and repainting. Then they will install glass on the paintings to protect them.
Southern Buildings Of Fath-Abad Garden
On the south side of the main building, there is a rectangular courtyard with rooms on either side. Some of these rooms are only accessible from inside the mansion but to enter other rooms you need to go to the courtyard.
Four Seasons Mansion, VIP Room
30 meters to the east of the main building, you can see the four-season mansion. It is a one-floor building, with a central dome and columned porches that give a special view to the Fath-Abad garden.
The brickwork and plasterwork of the structure are so glamorous that you can not stop admiring Iranian traditional art. Today, this room is a VIP, and everyone interested can rent it for various ceremonies and celebrations.
Medicinal Herb Farms
Kerman is very famous for its medicinal herbs. They are also the main souvenirs of the province. During the reconstruction of the Fath-Abad Garden, the authorities tried to dedicate parts of the garden to the cultivation of herbs. They did it not only to use the capacities of the surrounding lands but also to generate income for the complex to cover the renovation expenses. It is good to know that this complex is the largest cultivation complex of medicinal herbs in the country and is number one in the diversity of the herbs.
The Old Trees Of Fath-Abad Garden
While wandering in the garden, you will encounter 5 old tall trees. They are a memory of the early and prosperous days of Fath-Abad. They still look spectacular after all these years.
The History Of Fath-Abad Garden
The cornerstone of the Fath-Abad Garden was laid between 1837 to 1839, during Mohammad Shah Qajar’s reign. This garden is one of the oldest and most beautiful gardens of the Qajar period. Fazl Ali Khan Biglerbegi, the ruler of Kerman, ordered to build this mansion in Ekhtiarabad village. That’s why it is also known as Biglerbegi Mansion. The construction of Fatahabad Garden took 5 years. And then, it was a place for the ruler of Kerman to enjoy his golden days and relax. The surrounding lands were pistachio farms at the time.
Little by little the garden flourished. At the entrance of the garden, there were four boulevards approximately 6 kilometers long and 60 meters wide. The boulevards were decorated with flowers and rows of sycamore trees on each side. The Fath-Abad Qanat was the water supply. It watered the trees and flowers in small streams on both sides of each boulevard, then entered the garden and filled the pool, in front of the main mansion.
The garden passes through the generations until the owner donates it. Because he had five wives and could not find a way to split it among his children so he chose the easy way out and donated it!! 😀 Afterwards, sad to say the garden was left to turn into a ruin. Happily, after years exactly before the garden hits the ground, they started renovations. After one year the Fath-Abad Garden was reborn and open to the public. And today it is one of the top attractions of Kerman.
Location And Final Words
For the directions to Fath-Abad Garden, you can click on the map.
Anyway, teahouses, pubs, traditional pergolas, handicraft stalls, and medicinal herb shops are available in the complex where you can grab something, rest a bit, enjoy watching the traditional artifacts, and maybe drink some rose water or some herbal tea.
Close Attraction Sites
So if you are visiting Fath-Abad Garden and you have more time to explore Kerman, here are the close attractions; Ganj-Ali khan Bazaar, Ganj-Ali khan Bath, Ganj-Ali khan Caravanserai which are almost 21 kilometers away. And also Vakil Bazaar which is about 22 kilometers away are great spots to visit.
Thank you for choosing TapPersia for learning about Iran and its awesome culture. If you enjoyed reading please let us know in the comments. And in case you need more information or want to book a tour, you can use the contact information at the end of this page.
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