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Fin Historic
Garden
 Bagh-e
Shah, the King's Garde(also known as the Bagh-e Tarikhi-e Fin or
Bagh-e Amir Kabir) at Fin 6 km to the southwest, and perhaps the
finest surviving example in Iran, creates the contrast between
the Kevir region and the greenery of the well-tended
oasis below the adjoining Karkass mountain. A major part of
Kashan's water was supplied by the perennial source of
Suleimanieh spring in the garden.
References to Fin in historical sources go back to more than
1000 years. Designed for Shah Abbas I, this classical Persian
vision of paradise has always been prized for its natural
springs and still contains the remains of his two-story palace
set around a pool. The garden has other Safavid royal buildings,
although they were substantially rebuilt, and others were added
in the Qajar period. The building housing Kashan Museum was
built in 1968, in harmony with the historical monuments within
the Garden, covering 900 square meters, and comprising 8 vast
galleries, wherein items from Iranian culture and civilization
in various periods of history are displayed.
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At present, the
pleasant sight of water from Suleimanieh spring, ever spouting from
fountainheads by the sole means of difference in elevation is one of
the attractions of this complex. Flowing at an elevation of 1,060
meters above sea level, it passes through numerous paths of the
Garden, reaches the Fin village, and waters orchards famous for
their unparalleled figs and pomegranates. Once it operated 33
water-mills. Apart from being used for medical purposes in the past
centuries and attracting the attention of many scholars and
physicians, it was estimated that the daily turnover of this spring
amounted to one thousand mesghals (5 kg) of pure gold.
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 Although
Kashan was in a state of decay during the early Qajar times, the
village Fin and its beautiful Garden were nevertheless one of
the favorite resorts of Fath Ali Shah; in fact he was as fond of
the place as any of Safavid predecessors had been. He rebuilt
the palace, planted many more cypresses and bordered the stream
from the spring with marble slabs. Although usually associated
with ease and pleasure (such as the coronation of Safavid
kings), Fin was the scene of a tragedy in 1852, when Mirza Taqi
Khan known as Amir Kabir, the Grand Vizier of Nasser od.Din
Shah, was murdered there. He is considered a national hero and
vanguard of modern Iran. Fin can be reached by shared taxi and
bus from central Kashan via Amir Kabir Street and 17th Shahrivar
Square. It is open to visitors every day from 8 AM to 6 PM. |
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