Chahar Bagh Boulevard (Persian: چهارباغ, translation: Four Gardens) is a historical avenue in Isfahan constructed in the Safavid era of Iran. This historic street is very similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, which some visitors called the Champs-Élysées of Isfahan.
The avenue, historically, is the most famous in all of Persia. It connects the city'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.
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 was the king who changed his capital from Qazvin to Esfahan and decided to concentrate the country's artistic wealth into that central spot which has been dubbed for centuries "Nisfi Jahan" or "Half the World". The chief architect of this task of urban planning was Shaykh Bahai (Baha' ad-Din al-'Amili), 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"). After the opening of the enghelab metro station, chaharbagh abbasi,the middle section of avenue, was pedestrianized.
Sections
 | |
| Native name | خيابان چهار باغ (Persian) |
|---|---|
| Length | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) |
| Location | Esfahan |
| 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.
32°39′11″N 51°40′07″E / 32.65306°N 51.66861°E / 32.65306; 51.66861
Categories: