Fath Abad Garden

The Fath Abad Garden (باغ فتح آباد), also known as Biglarbeigi Garden, is a historical garden in Ekhtiarabad, Kerman province, Iran. It was built during Qajar era in Ekhtiarabad, 25 kilometers away from the city of Kerman.

The complex was created in 1876, a relic of the Qajar dynasty, with an area of 13 hectares. The garden’s construction began in 1803 under the order of Fazlali Khan Biglarbeigi who was the governor of Kerman during the reign of Mohammad Shah. The garden includes a two-story mansion at the northern end of the garden. 

During its early years, Fazlali Khan cultivated pistachios on the surrounding land and processed them within various parts of the garden. Fath Abad Garden exemplifies the traditional Persian garden layout, characterized by its balanced symmetry and a central axis. Upon entering the garden, visitors are greeted by a long, narrow rectangular pool, 60 meters long and 6 meters wide, that stretches towards the mansion. 

The garden thrived on the water supplied by its qanat. This ancient irrigation system fed small canals on either side of the Chaharbagh before flowing into a central pool in front of the pavilion. The garden features a pathway flanked by rooms leading from the entrance of the pavilion to the private chambers. Some of them have entrances from inside the mansion while others can be accessed from the courtyard.

The main pavilion of Fath Abad Garden is constructed from cob bricks, clay mortar, and plaster. Located at the northern end of the garden, it features two floors with elegant arches on either side. The pavilion’s design incorporates stucco decorations on the doorways and arches. The building with arches on both sides and three-door and five-door rooms in the middle has a unique architecture of the European-Iranian style that has modeled the historical Shazdeh Garden in Mahan.

The most famous room in the Fath-Abad mansion is the “Shahneshin” room. 

A highlight within the pavilion is the Painting Room, once the office of Kerman’s rulers. This room is adorned with intricate paintings and murals, some of which originally contained gold. 

One of the pavilion’s most intriguing features is its entry gateway, which includes round holes fitted with convex lenses. These lenses were designed to reflect light into the entrance at night, creating a mesmerizing play of illumination. The gateway also bears Nastaliq calligraphy and religious motifs.

Another significant structure is the Chahar Fasl Pavilion located thirty meters east of the main pavilion. It is a one-floor building, with a central dome and columned porches. This building, with its brickwork, stucco, dome, and columned iwans, is now used for various ceremonies. One of the other sections of Fath Abad Garden is the Governors’ Museum.

Throughout the year, the garden occasionally hosts cultural events such as traditional music concerts, art exhibitions, and festivals, allowing visitors to experience the region’s rich cultural life alongside residents. The garden fell into neglect during the Pahlavi era. In 2014, a comprehensive restoration project was initiated to revive Fathabad Garden. By 2015, the garden was reopened to the public and restored to its former splendor.  In February of 2003 it was listed among the national heritage sites of Iran with number 7284.