This lecture explains the importance of Persian Garden in the fabric of the Iranian cities; presents key characteristics of Persian Garden in different aspect of Iranian architecture, to offer an understanding of architectural and urban qualities of it; illustrates the architectural characteristics of case studies from different contexts and eras to show how important the relation with the Persian Garden is in cultures beyond Iran.
The Persian Garden reflects the interaction of man and nature, taken to a level of near perfection. These gardens illustrate the trends of garden development in a variety of cultural, political, and social aspects ever since the Achaemenids reign. This manifestation is even more prominent considering that, over the course of ages, it has been associated with significant cultural indicators such as poetry, philosophy, painting, music, calligraphy, symbolism, semeiology, sculpture, and carpet design. It also responds to the challenges of the extreme climatic and geographic conditions in the rather dry and harsh nature of this region.
The Persian Garden, as documented over more than two millennia, has developed across the Iranian plateau while still respecting its initial pattern. Throughout its evolution, it has played a remarkable role in various cultural and social aspects of the Iranian plateau, becoming the founding element of residences, streets palaces and public buildings, as well as ensembles associated with voluntary or religious institutions such as mosques, tombs, Caravanserais and Meidans. The perfect garden, however powerful its sybolism, is a supreme luxury that few can afford within the urbanized context. The idea of the courtyard paralleled that of the open garden plan. The courtyard plan, which generates a centripetal force, is a more feasible urban form, capable of providing that basic contact with nature so essential to Iranian life. This plan domiantes the architectural activity of « place making », unifying house whith mosque, caravanserai with college, the individual parts with the whole.
The Persian Garden is considered as the masterpiece of human ingenuity in creating an ideal environment. Additionally, since its inception more than 2500 years ago, the Persian Garden has witnessed cultural, technical, conceptual and engineering relations with cultures, nations and civilizations near or faraway. The word Paradise entered European languages from the Persian root word "Pardis" which was the name of a beautiful garden enclosed the within walls. The introduction of the Chahar Bagh design to lands of humid climate proves the flexibility and universality of this model. The Persian Garden has long been known as a prototype of geometrical gardens in the world. Islamic art and architecture is being defined in a very close relationship with Persian art and architecture. There has been a very strong Persian influence on the Islamic art and architecture. This strong and flexible quality had a very clear influence on culture and art of all invaders like Arabs and Mughul people so that little by little they became fans and supporters of performing Persian art. They even brought this respect and appreciation to this art style even out Iran's political borders, as what happened about Mughul, Timurid and even Arab dynasties in Andalusia. It is particularly the geometry and symmetry of the architecture together with the complex water management system that seem to have influenced design in all these gardens.
