Abbas Abad Garden (), also known as Abbas Abad Historical Complex and referred to by UNESCO as Bagh-e Abas Abad, is a Persian garden and historical complex near Behshahr, in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. The complex is located approximately southeast of Behshahr, near the village of Al Tappeh, on the southern slopes of the Alborz mountain range. It consists of a formal garden, an artificial lake, the Abbas Abad Dam, the Chahar Bagh complex, a palace, a bathhouse, a water mill, two brick towers, stone-paved paths, and an extensive water-management system.
The garden was constructed around 1613 during the reign of Shah Abbas I, as part of the Safavid royal landscape around Behshahr, then known as Ashraf. In 2011, Abbas Abad Garden was inscribed as one of nine gardens comprising the World Heritage Site no. 1372, The Persian Garden.
Garden The garden is laid out on the slope of the Alborz mountains, with its architecture adapted to the natural gradient of the terrain. Its central platform contains a basin into which water from the Chahar Bagh enters as a fountain. From this central basin, water flows through ceramic pipes to basins on all sides of the platform. These basins supplied water to the garden's flower beds and other parts of the complex.
The garden's layout includes paved passages and irrigated garden beds arranged around the central platform. Archaeological investigations have uncovered parts of the eastern, northern and southern roads, as well as Safavid-period stone paving and other garden structures.
Chahar Bagh The Chahar Bagh complex is located southeast of the main garden, on the southeastern slope of the mountain overlooking the lake. It covers approximately . During the Safavid period, the mountain slope was cut and levelled to create a flat area measuring . Because the Chahar Bagh is higher than the main garden, it served as a point for distributing water to the main garden.
Water from the Sarcheshmeh spring was brought to the Chahar Bagh through an open canal or interconnected ceramic pipes called tanbusheh. From there, the water was distributed throughout the garden complex for a variety of uses.
Lake and waterworks The artificial lake and reservoir form the central feature of the complex. The lake covers approximately and reaches a maximum depth of about . The Abbas Abad Dam was constructed across a deep valley and controlled the discharge of water from the lake for agricultural irrigation, including the cultivation of rice in areas north of the complex. Its structure included projecting arms on either side of the foundation and a rear supporting structure that also regulated water release.
A brick structure stands within the lake and is almost completely submerged when the water rises. The complex also contains a system of channels, watercourses and ceramic pipes used to distribute water throughout the garden. Two brick towers functioned as hydraulic safety structures, acting as safety valves, siphon traps and pressure-relief structures within the water system.
UNESCO's nomination describes Abbas Abad as an important example of the integration of landscape design and water engineering in the humid climate of northern Iran.
History Following the decline of the Safavid dynasty, the garden fell out of use. The gardens became obscured by the surrounding forest, while the lake and remains of the structures survived.
In 1967, Abbas Abad Garden was registered on the Iran National Heritage List as national heritage monument No. 745.
Archaeological research at the complex began in 1977, with investigations initially focusing on the structure in the centre of the reservoir. Subsequent archaeological work examined the bathhouse, water-management system, palace and garden areas, water mill, industrial areas, Safavid-period stone paving and other archaeological remains.
The garden is component 1372-005 of the serial World Heritage Site The Persian Garden, which comprises nine historic Persian gardens in Iran.
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See also Persian gardens
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