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Amanollahi H, Akbari M. (2026). Reconstructing the Plan and Layout of the Safavid Royal Garden Complex in Qazvin Based on Historical Texts and Archaeological Findings. Athar. 46(111), 161-193. doi:10.61882/Athar.1894.2773.8
URL: http://athar.richt.ir/article-2-1894-en.html

Abstract
The Royal Garden of Qazvin, known as the “Dolatkhaneh” (Governmental House), stands as a distinguished example of Safavid architectural innovation, landscape design, and royal garden planning. Founded in 962 AH (circa 1555 AD) during the reign of Shah Tahmasb I, it emerged alongside the strategic relocation of the Safavid capital from Tabriz to Qazvin. To organize the administrative and residential spaces of the new capital, Shah Tahmasb commissioned the construction of a series of governmental gardens, inviting eminent figures to participate, which led to the creation of over 23 gardens surrounding the Dolatkhaneh. Abdi Beyg Shirazi, court poet and historian, was tasked with producing a poetic description of these gardens, resulting in the collection “Jannat-e Adn,” offering detailed depictions of architectural structures, natural elements, and functional spaces. This interdisciplinary research aims to reconstruct the garden’s plan by synthesizing evidence from historical texts, ancient maps, travelogues, archaeological findings, and poetic descriptions, particularly those of Abdi Beyg. The central hypothesis suggests that the textual data, especially poetic accounts, are capable of being correlated with material evidence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the garden’s spatial organization. The methodology integrates documentary analysis, content analysis of poetic and historical texts, archaeological review, and comparative studies across disciplines. Results indicate that key elements such as the Ali Qapu Portal, the Orshi Khaneh, and the Divan Khaneh played crucial roles in shaping the garden’s layout. Findings also reveal that the original Safavid structures have undergone modifications, expansions, and reconstructions during the Qajar and Pahlavi periods, with physical additions altering the garden’s original form. Ultimately, this study offers a detailed reconstruction of the garden’s layout and provides insights into its physical and conceptual evolution across different historical periods, enriching understanding of Safavid urban and landscape planning in Qazvin.
Keywords: Shah Tahmasp Safavid, Qazvin Government House, Jannat Adan, Travelogues, Archaeological Excavation.

Introduction
Located along the ancient Silk Road, Qazvin held a strategic geopolitical position that made it an attractive choice for capital during the Safavid period. In 955 AH (1548 AD), Shah Tahmasb I relocated the Safavid capital from Tabriz to Qazvin, seeking to escape the constant threat posed by the Ottomans and to secure a more defensible administrative center. This decision triggered a profound transformation in the city’s urban layout, its architectural typologies, and the organization of ceremonial and political spaces.
Central to this transformation was the establishment of a royal compound centered on a vast garden-palace complex. Shah Tahmasb ordered the acquisition and consolidation of three major areas—Barmakiabad, Zangiabad, and Mobarakabad—to develop the Dolatkhaneh complex. This newly formed garden ensemble, later known as Bagh-e Sa’adatabad, became a symbol of Safavid authority, integrating administrative, ceremonial, and residential functions.
To commemorate and immortalize the architectural grandeur of the complex, the Shah commissioned ‘Abdi Beg Shirazi to compose a descriptive poetic account. The result, Jannat al-‘Adn, consists of five thematic sections that describe the garden’s architectural elements, waterworks, floral compositions, and ceremonial routes in elaborate detail.
This article raises a fundamental question: Can a reliable and historically grounded reconstruction of the Qazvin royal garden be achieved by synthesizing literary accounts, travelogues, historical cartography, and archaeological data? And to what extent do textual descriptions align with physical evidence? The central premise of the research is that if spatial and structural patterns inferred from ‘Abdi Beg’s poetry correlate with scientific archaeological discoveries, it is possible to gain a more accurate understanding of the garden’s form and function.
Framed within the broader discourse of Persian garden architecture, symbolic royal space, and courtly semiotics, this study aims not merely to describe but to scientifically reconstruct the plan and design logic of a unique historical garden.

Materials and Data Description
This research employs a multidisciplinary framework that combines historical literature, Persian classical poetry, cartographic analysis, European travel accounts, and field-based archaeological investigations to reconstruct the spatial layout of the Qazvin Royal Garden Complex. The Dolatkhaneh, as the political and symbolic heart of the Safavid state under Shah Tahmasb I, is analyzed through four principal categories of data:
1. Historical and Literary Sources
2. Cartographic and Pictorial Records
3. European Travelogues
4. Archaeological Excavation Results

1. Literary and Descriptive Data
At the core of the textual analysis lies Jannat al-‘Adn, a poetic work rich in metaphor and spatial detail. Composed in five chapters, the poem systematically outlines the arrangement of garden paths, pools, pavilions, gateways, and floral elements. Thematic and semantic analysis of key phrases—such as “turquoise-colored canals”, “elm-shaded corridors”, “mirrored pavilions on the horizon”, and “golden-arched porticos”—enables the identification of distinct architectural and landscape features. These references often incorporate symbolic elements like light, reflection, and flowing water, all of which provide concrete clues for spatial reconstruction.

2. Cartographic Data
Historical maps from the late Qajar period, as well as drawings made by European Orientalists and military officers, help delineate the garden’s boundaries and locate key architectural features such as the Aleegapoo gate, audience halls (Divan Khaneh), and access routes. Although these maps often contain distortions and stylistic exaggerations, when cross-referenced with field data and textual sources, they become valuable tools for spatial orientation. For example, the approximate position of the mirrored iwan and central pavilion, marked in a late Qajar map, aligns well with the archaeological findings from Trench 5 (Fig 1).

3. European Travel Accounts
Travel narratives from the 17th and 18th centuries, including those by Jean Chardin, Tavernier, Kaempfer, and García de Silva Figueroa, offer firsthand observations of the garden’s visual aesthetics, ceremonial usage, and irrigation systems. These accounts describe symmetrical water channels, wide reflective pools, and royal reception areas. Such descriptive passages enhance the interpretive framework and complement the textual and archaeological datasets.

4. Archaeological Evidence
The most tangible layer of data emerges from the 2018 archaeological excavations. Conducted across nine trenches and sondages, the excavations aimed to identify architectural remains, stratigraphic layers, material typologies, and environmental data. Key architectural features uncovered include:
• Remnants of a brick-built octagonal vestibule (Fig 2)
• Two pools (rectangular and circular)
• A brick iwan (portico)
• Clay pipe irrigation systems (tan bushes)
• Subsurface channels and absorption wells
• Various floor types (pebble paving, brick paving, and Pahlavi-era asphalt)
One of the most significant discoveries was the subterranean water system composed of absorption wells and interconnected channels, which aligns with ‘Abdi Beg’s references to “unceasing streams running beneath the earth”.
To determine the chronology of construction phases, selected samples of floor and wall bricks were subjected to thermoluminescence (TL) dating. Results confirmed three main construction periods: the foundational Safavid phase (~360 years ago), a Zand-era renovation (~270 years ago), and Qajar-era expansion (~200 years ago). This stratigraphic sequence suggests the complex remained in use and underwent functional transformation over several centuries.
A total of 1,878 pottery shards were recovered from various layers, including:
• Glazed splash ware from the Seljuk period
• Green Timurid pottery
• Safavid underglaze-painted blue-and-white wares
• Qajar-era floral tiles and Chinese porcelains
The diversity of ceramics reflects both the ceremonial use of the garden in earlier periods and its gradual shift toward more utilitarian purposes in the late Qajar era.
The comparative synthesis of these data sources allowed the research team to propose a reconstructed plan of the garden. The primary gateway is positioned along the southern axis, connected to the main royal square (Maydan-e Shah). An east-west water channel system, flanked by symmetric pools and a central pavilion, forms the structural backbone of the layout. Peripheral zones served residential and ceremonial functions, adhering to a spatial hierarchy reflective of royal authority, ritual practices, and symbolic alignment with nature.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that a multidisciplinary approach—drawing on literary texts, cartographic evidence, travel narratives, and archaeological findings—can yield a credible and nuanced reconstruction of a lost architectural space. The Royal Garden of Qazvin, as revealed through this synthesis, consisted of key components such as the Aleegapoo gate, central kushk, expansive pools, water channels, tree-lined avenues, and ceremonial enclosures.
The garden’s irrigation system, built using a network of clay pipes and underground wells, corroborates both the poetic depictions and the archaeological structures identified in Trenches 2, 5, and 7. Thermoluminescence dating has verified the presence of three major construction phases: The Safavid foundation, Zand renovations, and Qajar expansions. The ceramic assemblage, ranging from luxurious Safavid wares to simpler Qajar items, illustrates the garden’s functional evolution over time.
Ultimately, this research affirms the potential of literary texts, when subjected to structural and spatial analysis, to function as valuable archaeological sources. By reconstructing the spatial model of the Dolatkhaneh garden, this study provides a replicable framework for future research on Persian garden heritage and royal architecture. Continued archaeological excavations, deeper cartographic comparisons, and comprehensive readings of historical texts are essential steps toward a more complete understanding of Iran’s regal landscape traditions.