Chaharbagh, Isfahan
Chahar Bagh Boulevard (Persian: چهارباغ, translation: Four Gardens) is a historical 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.[1]
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.[2]
History
Shah Abbas I was the shah who 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),[3] 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").[4][5] After the opening of the enghelab metro station, chaharbagh abbasi, the middle section of avenue, was pedestrianised.[1]
Sections
 | |
| Native name | خيابان چهار باغ (Persian) |
|---|---|
| Length | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) |
| Location | Isfahan |
| North end |  Shohada Squrare |
| South end | Azadi Squrare |
Chaharbagh Pa'in
Chaharbagh Pa'in, or lower Chaharbagh, (Persian: چهارباغ پایین) 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
| |||||
 Takhti Junction | Masjed-e Seyyed Street Abdorrazaq Street
| |||||
Imam Hosein Square | Sepah Street Bagh Goldasteh Street Taleqani Street Babolrahmat Street
| |||||
| Continues as: Chaharbagh Abbasi | ||||||
 From South to North | ||||||
Chaharbagh Abbasi
Chaharbagh Abbasi, (Persian: چهارباغ عباسی) 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
| |||||
| Sheykh Bahaei | |||||
| Amadegah Street | |||||
 | Abbasabad Street | |||||
Enqelab Square |  Si-o-se Pol Motahari Street Kamaloddin Esmaeil Street
| |||||
| From South to North | ||||||
Chaharbagh Bala
Chaharbagh Bala, or upper Chaharbagh, (Persian: چهارباغ بالا) 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
- ^ Lehrman, Jonas Benzion (1980). Earthly paradise: garden and courtyard in Islam. University of California Press. ISBN 0520043634. pp. 116-126.
- ^ "ČAHĀRBĀḠ-E EṢFAHĀN". Encyclopædia Iranica. 1990.
- ^ Kheirabadi Masoud (2000). Iranian Cities: Formation and Development. Syracuse University Press. pp. 47.
- ^ Sir Roger Stevens; The Land of the Great Sophy, p. 172.
- ^ Assari, Ali; Erfan Assari (2012). "Urban spirit and heritage conservation problems: case study Isfahan city in Iran" (PDF). Journal of American Science. 8 (1): 203–209. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
