Shiraz: Gardens, Literature and Historic Architecture

Shiraz can be explored through several distinct cultural themes when planning your trip: botanical and historic gardens, memorial sites dedicated to poets, and buildings with clearly recognizable forms and decorative details. When looking for a hotel in Shiraz, you can first consider which of these themes you want to shape your trip. The sites offer different points of interest, from garden design and history to spatial layout and architecture.

Gardens shaped by botany, history and design

Eram Garden combines a botanical focus with a long institutional history. From 1359 in the Iranian calendar, it was developed into a botanical garden with the support of Shiraz University. In 1387, its conversion into a research center was approved; today it is known as the Eram Research Center for Botanical Horticulture. In its present form, the garden dates to the Qajar period and covers 12.5 hectares.

Its design also has distinctive features: Eram Garden includes Haft Rang tilework, and Shiraz has long been a center of this art form. The garden is in northwest Shiraz, at the intersection of Eram and Daneshjoo Boulevards and on the slope of Kuh-e Asyab-e Se Tayi. This connects its location within the city with a specific landscape setting.

During the Zand period, construction took place in Jahan Nama Garden on the orders of Karim Khan Zand. The walled garden has a Kolah Farangi at its center and four pools. Nazar Garden in Shiraz has a different focus: its octagonal building was originally built as a place to receive guests. These gardens therefore differ in their traditional functions and in the design features at the heart of each.

Literary memorial sites in Shiraz

Hafezieh is the mausoleum of the 8th-century poet Hafez Shirazi and a well-known attraction in Shiraz. The complex consists of a northern and a southern courtyard, separated by a hall. The 20th of Mehr is designated as Hafez Memorial Day; events at the mausoleum are held for the occasion.

The Saadi Mausoleum in Shiraz is also directly connected to the poet’s life: it is located in the khanqah where Saadi lived during his lifetime. In the past, the mausoleum’s fishpond was the site of rites and ceremonies for the people of Shiraz. At Hafezieh, the courtyard layout and memorial day are specific points of interest; at the Saadi Mausoleum, the poet’s former home is connected with a cultural practice from the past.

Recognizing architecture through forms and details

Arg-e Karim Khan is in the center of Shiraz, northeast of Shohada Square. Its clearly identifiable features include four round towers, each 14 meters high. The historic Vakil Bath was built in 1187 AH on the orders of Karim Khan Zand. Its sarbineh is an octagonal room with a domed ceiling supported by eight colored columns. Here, the room’s shape and supporting structure provide an architectural focus distinct from the citadel’s towers.

The main building of the Narenjestan Qavam complex is decorated with paintings, stucco work, carvings, tilework and mirrorwork. The complex also includes a museum with antiques such as tableware, paintings and old coins. At Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, the focus is on the effect of light: sunlight passes through colored glass panes and bathes the prayer hall in red, blue, yellow, orange and green.

The range of themes thus extends from gardens and historic sites to towers, columns, ornaments and colored light.

For the broader travel overview: Fars.