مجله کاشان شناسی
سال نهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 16، بهار و تابستان 1395)

At the beginning of reign of Shah Abbas I In the late tenth century AH when Isfahan was chosen as the capital of Iran, the historic gardens appeared in the up-country areas adjacent to this city. Abbas Abad historic garden is one of these gardens. It could be argued that these gardens had been created for the purpose of providing a summer recreation place and temporary residence for the King and his companions on journeys from Isfahan to destinations such as the north of the country. The present study has been carried out on the basis of sources such as historical and pictorial written documents, books, manuscripts as well as field studies. From among the basic sources used by the authors, one might refer to Kleiss’s field studies and the travel account written by Don García de Silva Figueroa. This paper aimed at studying the garden bed in order to enhance our understanding of this work. Accordingly, the results of the study have added substantially to our understanding of Abbas Abad historic garden. According to the current findings, the structure of the garden bed has specified a village consisting of garden, farms, mines, cemetery and castle. The castle had been served as the primary residence for the residents of Abbas Abad, and thereafter, the residents’ migration to Saleh Abad caused the castle to be abandoned. This paper focuses on the importance of up-country areas and agricultural heritage of Natanz regarding their manifestation in this garden, thereby indicating a kind of Iranian garden with garden-farm design. This design consists of formal garden and farmlands with separate fences which their purpose of creation has been reviewed. Since Abbas Abad garden has been rarely referred to in historical texts, this paper focuses on the ways to this garden in Safavid and Qajar dynasties. Moreover, reviewing the corresponding documents between the garden owners and the Endowments organization, the study has reviewed the manner of water supply as well as understanding of plant species of this garden.

Among the various architectural patterns, recognition of the architectural patterns of garden in the region of Kashan has taken on considerable importance. The present study seeks to recognize the original architectural patterns and contexts of Farah Abad garden-edifice. In this regard, we face two main questions. First, what patterns have been used in formation of architecture of Farah Abad garden-edifice? Second, given the similarities between architectural pattern of Farah Abad garden-edifice and the architecture of Fin garden, could we consider the Fin garden as the pattern and basis of creation of Farah Abad garden-edifice? "Orientation of construction", "water discipline", "plant discipline", "hierarchy", " locating Elements " and "architecture of the edifice" are the variables which the current study has focused on. In the view of the methodology, the current qualitative research has conducted comparative comparison between Farah Abad garden-edifice and its four adjacent gardens, and accordingly, has recognized the architectural patterns of Farah Abad garden-edifice through performing comparison between the structural systems of this garden and those of Fin garden. The findings of the study indicate that Fin garden, recognized as an archetype, has been the basis for designing Farah Abad garden-edifice. In the course of their life, both gardens have been the governors’ residence; the fact which along with the four above-mentioned disciplines confirm the hypothesis concerning the fact that Farah Abad garden-edifice was structurally modeled on Fin garden.

Garden is a surrounded area created by human using flower, plant, tree, water and special buildings which become a uniform entity as a whole. According to the Florence charter, historic garden is regarded as an architectural work and is combination of landscape and architecture which is dependent upon the climate of its location. The city of Natanz is located at the center of Iranian Plateau. Therefore, it has unique features; On the one hand it is located in a dry and desert region, on the other hand, due to the existence of the Karkas mountain chain it has such an ideal and favorable climate that has gained the attention of rulers and kings since a long time ago, especially in the Safavid dynasty, which due to existence of wild animals and birds and plenty of water as well as suitable geographical location, the kings had paid particular attention to this region and chosen it as their hunting ground as well as summer house. This garden has been frequently referred to in historical texts and travel accounts as the exact date of its creation could be estimated. The purpose of this paper is to study and recognize one of the unique classic gardens of Safavid dynasty as well as the manner of its creation in the course of history which is aimed at preservation of this national work and enriching the concept of Iranian garden and enhancing its value as well. This paper initially focuses on reviewing the general features, the region and location of this garden, and subsequently, its details will be reviewed. Moreover, the architecture of the work and its features have been studied and comparative comparison has been drawn between this garden and its other similar contemporary gardens. In the view of methodology, two research methods have been used in this research consisting of desk study, e.g. studying books, pictures, maps etc. and field study which includes visiting the site, providing and presenting data such as maps, sketchy drawing and interviewing with native people of the region.

Until recent decades, many gardens have been designed and planned according to Iranian gardens’ style and in traditional structure. Many of these gardens are located in rural areas and around the cities of Iran. Therefore, recognition and studying the rural gardens in all around Iran take on considerable importance.
Recognizing and introducing Kashani garden as one of the Iranian rural khani gardens in Ravand region of Kashan, this paper aims at providing a clear picture of the spatially organized structural and physical spaces of this garden, thereby structural and spatial retrieval of the said garden could be provided. Moreover, it has been attempted to refer to the subject of the study and conduct field studies based on written sources and historical documents in order to obtain favorable result.
Having introduced and reviewed the spatial structure of Kashani garden, the main features of the rural Khani gardens are presented, and accordingly, given the said criteria, it has been attempted to compare Kashani garden with other rural Khani gardens scattered over the villages and around the urban areas.
Although significant parts of the garden have been destroyed, it seems that the original structure of the garden could be retrieved using series of the remained documents.
Kashani garden, located in Ravand village, was owned by one of the local wealthy Khans (rulers). The major space of the garden consists of open area which possesses specified limits in a manner which could be easily distinguished from the surrounding areas. Moreover, There is an edifice inside the garden. Kahsani garden occupies a total area of more than 2.5 hectares with a slope of less than %1 which indicates the flat level of the garden location. The area of this garden is in the shape of parallelogram with a summerhouse in the back part which has provided an organized spatial structure.

The present study focuses on the historical residential farms which are substantially different from non-residential and working farms. In past, Kashan (also called Qasan) has had numerous farms and villages such as Niasar, whose name has been mentioned in historical documents as one of the farmlands of Qasan. The present study could manage to identify 27 residential farms on the basis of these documents. The studies on the identified farms were carried out through attitude assessment, physical studies and document studies and six criteria were laid out in order to provide a meticulous, authentic and oriented research. Regarding the said criteria, historical manorial residential farms such as SoorAbad, Bala Abbas Abad, baroonaq, Khoncheh, Atabaki, Khatoon and Langan were picked out. All the seven studied farms are located in the vicinity and within the boundaries of Niasar which there are similarities and differences among them. A more thorough and comprehensible research is required to address the questions concerning the date of appearance of these farms as well as the extent of their effect upon various affairs during various centuries; However, responding to questions such as the manner of distinguishing manorial residential farms from other farms and residential buildings of Niasar are among the issues which have been challenged in this paper. The results of the present study indicate that these farms are distinguishable and discernible and had been created in all around the country according to the demands of the rulers and peasants in order to address the economic and security issues of the country. Moreover, the creation, preservation and destruction of these farms had been subject to social, economic, cultural, security, environmental and climatic issues. All of the above-mentioned issues are as a small chapter of a larger study which requires further investigation and interpretation of the historical, legal and judicial documents along with field study and attitude assessment.

In 2015, the springhouse in Sar-e-Koocheh Yakhchal district was accidentally discovered through construction operations by the central municipality of Aran and Bidgol in an important part of the historical context of the city. Despite the fact that excavation operations had caused partial destruction in the building, the discovery group undertook the rest of the discovery project. The discovery was made for two main 1.Surviving and studying the building which was being destroyed
1.Reviewing the function and importance of the building (both individually and as an element of the historical context of this city)
This paper aims at, first, accurately describing the building, and second, dating and functional analysis of the building. In order to fulfill the above-mentioned purposes, in addition to discovering the area based on the principles of urban context discovering, the discoverers reviewed the historical context of the Sar-e-Koocheh Yakhchal district and adjacent districts, especially the buildings in the vicinity of the springhouse. Moreover, digging two trenches separated from the building as well as reviewing and analyzing various spaces of the building and various findings of the discovery were among the further measures taken in order to fulfill the above purposes. The cultural findings discovered in the building as well as the two trenches are the materials which are being reviewed in the study. The discovery is of a significant importance since it is regarded as the first archeologic discovery in urban context of Aran and Bidgol and introduces one of the most prominent and unknown architectural spaces in the context of desert cities, i.e. the springhouse. Finally, the paper introduces the springhouse as a historical hydraulic system with multiple functions. In addition, according to the fact that major of the obtained data have been discovered out of the main context, no strong statement concerning the ancientness of the building can be made.