Chahar Bagh Boulevard () is a historic avenue in Isfahan constructed during the Safavid era. This historic street is very similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Therefore, some visitors have called it the Champs-Élysées of Isfahan.
The avenue, historically, is the most famous in all of Iran. It connects Isfahan's northern parts to the southern sections and is about 6 kilometers long. On the east side of this street, there are the Hasht Behesht and Chehel Sotoun gardens.Lehrman, Jonas Benzion (1980). Earthly paradise: garden and courtyard in Islam. University of California Press. . pp. 116-126.
Origin of name The avenue was named "Chahar Bagh" because Shah Abbas the Great had bought four vineyards in the city to secure the right-of-way.
History Shah Abbas I changed his capital from Qazvin to Isfahan and decided to concentrate the country's artistic wealth into that central spot which has been dubbed for centuries "Nesf-e Jahan" or "Half the World". The chief architect of this task of urban planning was Shaykh Bahai (Baha' ad-Din al-'Amili),Kheirabadi Masoud (2000). Iranian Cities: Formation and Development. Syracuse University Press. pp. 47. who focused the programme on two key features of Shah Abbas's master plan: the Chahar Bagh avenue, flanked at either side by all the prominent institutions of the city, such as the residences of all foreign dignitaries, and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square ("Exemplar of the World").Sir Roger Stevens; The Land of the Great Sophy, p. 172. After the opening of the enghelab metro station, chaharbagh abbasi, the middle section of avenue, was pedestrianised.
Sections
Chaharbagh Pa'in Chaharbagh Pa'in, or lower Chaharbagh, () is the northern section of the avenue. This part of Chaharbagh is from Shohada Square to Darvazeh Dowlat. Detailed characteristics From North to South Continues as: Kaveh Boulevard Shohada Square Foruqi Street Ebn-e Sina Street Modares Street Shohada Metro Station Takhti Junction Masjed-e Seyyed Street Abdorrazaq Street Takhti Metro Station Imam Hosein Square Sepah Street Bagh Goldasteh Street Taleqani Street Babolrahmat Street Imam Hossein Metro Station Continues as: Chaharbagh Abbasi From South to North
Chaharbagh Abbasi Chaharbagh Abbasi, () is the middle section of the avenue. This part of Chaharbagh is from Darvazeh Dowlat to Northern 33 pol at Enqelab Square.
Detailed characteristics From North to South Continues as: Chaharbagh Pa'in Imam Hosein Square Sepah Street Bagh Goldasteh Street Taleqani Street Babolrahmat Street Imam Hossein Metro Station Sheykh Bahaei Amadegah Street Abbasabad Street Enqelab Square Si-o-se Pol Motahari Street Kamaloddin Esmaeil Street Enqelab Metro Station From South to North
Chaharbagh Bala Chaharbagh Bala, or upper Chaharbagh, () is the southern section of the avenue. This part of Chaharbagh is from southern 33 pol to Azadi Square.
Detailed characteristics From North to South Si-o-se Pol Mellat Street Ayenekhaneh Street Si-o-se Pol Metro Station Nazar Junction Nazar Street Mir Fendereski Street Shari'ati Metro Station Shari'ati Street Nikbakht Street Azadi Metro Station Azadi Square Azadegan Boulevard Daneshgah Boulevard Continues as: Hezar Jarib Boulevard From South to North
References