Another historic garden of Shiraz is Nazar, The old Nazar Garden was one of the largest gardens of Shiraz during the Safavid rule (1501–1722). During Zand dynasty (1750–1794). This garden was larger than what exists today.
This garden is of the first constructed gardens in Zanddynasty which is located in the southern side of
Toopkhaneh square. The garden had existed before Karimkhan Zand’sdomination.At his time, Karimkhan(Vakil) renewed, paved and flowered the garden and added somestructures to it, therefore, he is known as the garden builder. It is told that the garden design has been made byVakil, he has made a four-season pergola, in four sides of whichthere are four long pools as if hehad made this construction for his cemetery .During his rule, Nazar garden was also a governmental garden. This garden was a place for performinggovernment affairs (Forsat Hosseini Shirazi, 1998), and wasused for caterings, official salutes, and ceremonies .After Karimkhan’s death, he was buried in its eastern king seat,but later on Agha Mohammad Khan Ghajar exhumed his bodyand took his body to Tehran and buried it under the staircase of Golestan palace .The garden summer house is an octagonal edifice which is1.5 meter above the garden level . Inside the building,there is an octagonal pool made from marble, and there are fourking seats in four sides of the middle chambers. There arepaintings on the interior walls of the pergola structure and in itsceiling you can see stalactic work of flower and bird. The facadeis from brick with a little tile work. It have also carved plinth.Having been expanded the city, a great part of the garden hasgone on for the recent decades specifically in first Pahlavi era.It was assigned for private royal occasions and official receptions.
An octagonal building is situated in the middle of this garden which is converted into a museum in 1931 and is called Pars Museum afterwards. Archeological excavated articles belonging to different periods of Iranian history are displayed in this Museum.
Where Zandieh Museum is located in its Kolah-Farangi Building. In the past, the building was used for hosting foreign ambassadors or official ceremonies.
Kolah-Farangi Building was converted into Pars Museum in 1936. The exterior of the building is decorated with pretty tileworks, the patterns of which consist of flowers, plants, birds, hunting and the scenes of coronation of Soleiman (AS). The building has a central domed hall and four royal chambers located in the north, south, east and west directions. In the middle of the hall is a beautiful marble pond. The ceiling of the building is decorated with attractive embellishments.The interior of this building is decorated with tile works and many other medallion paintings very similar to the Hasht Behesht ( Seven Paradises Garden of Esfahan ).
The facade of the building is also decorated with tile works.The designs of these tiles include flowers plants, birds, hunting fields and scenes of the legendary tales.The museum building has an impressive pavilion used for formal meetings during the reign of Karim Khan.
The building comprises one large domed hall and four chambers on the four sides. Karim Khan Zand is buried in the middle on the eastern chamber.
In the middle of the domed hall a marble pond is constructed. The interior facade of the building is decorated with exquisite plaster works. Eleven paintings works, of a master painter of Zand period , Agha Sadeq , are decorating various chambers of the building.
After a ten year interval, Pars Museum has recently resumed its business and is open to the public. As you are in Shiraz, don’t miss it.
The tomb of Karim Khan Zand is situated in the eastern royal chamber. Sections of this hall exhibit 11 paintings by famous painters of Zandieh era, the most famous of whom is Aqa Sadeq