Golshan Garden in Tabas is a seven-hectare, square-shaped desert oasis of palms, citrus and gravity-fed fountains — a living example of Persian water engineering and charm.
In the heart of Tabas’s dry deserts sits a surprising and astonishing green space called Golshan Garden. Where you might expect endless hot dunes, you instead find a large, lush garden of date palms, cypress, willow and citrus trees.
Golshan Garden is one of Tabas’s top attractions, and every visitor who passes through the town makes a point of seeing it. Golshan is a triumph of Persian architecture and clever water management that has endured for many years. It showcases the ingenuity of Iranian architects and engineers who created a rare large garden in an arid landscape.
One of Golshan’s signature attractions is its pelicans, which migrated to the garden fifty years ago; after their deaths the garden authorities replaced them. Visiting Golshan Garden in Tabas is a short trip into the heart of history and nature — a place where nature, art and science meet. Join us in Alibaba Travel Magazine to learn everything about Golshan Garden.
Golshan Garden is in the city of Tabas in South Khorasan province. The garden sits in the city centre on Moallem Boulevard, giving visitors easy access.
Accessing Golshan Garden is straightforward because it is centrally located and served by public transport. Buses stop at a nearby station and a short walk brings you to this historic attraction.
Taxis can also take you to Golshan Garden. If you drive, reach Imam Khomeini Boulevard or Shahid Motahari Boulevard and then turn onto Golshan Street.
There is ample parking around the garden, so finding a space is usually not a problem. The nearest airport is about 9 kilometres away (roughly a 10-minute drive) and the nearest railway station is about 9.2 kilometres (around 11 minutes).
If you start from Tehran, be prepared for a long journey. One route takes you through Qom, Kashan, Naein and Meybod to Tabas. Another route goes via Garmsar, Semnan, Hasanabad, Jandag and Khur to reach the town.
The garden has its charms in every season, but spring and autumn are especially attractive. In early spring trees and flowers are in bloom and the scent of blossoms fills the air — a special time to enjoy the garden. Golshan draws many visitors during Nowruz holidays.
In autumn the garden turns shades of yellow and orange; light rain makes walking there even more delightful. Cool, pleasant autumn weather creates a perfect atmosphere for a garden stroll in this desert jewel.
Construction of Golshan Garden dates back to the early 13th century AH in the solar Hijri calendar, contemporary with the late Lotf Ali Khan Zand and the rise of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. The exact year is unclear, so only the general historical period is known.
The ruler of Toon (Ferdows), Mohammad Hasan Khan Arab Zangui, ordered the garden’s creation. He owned extensive lands across towns such as Tabas, Ferdows, Bashrooye and Gonabad, and he donated much of his property in two endowments. Golshan Garden was part of the first endowment.
The gateway building of Golshan Garden was completely destroyed in the earthquake of the year 1357 in the Iranian calendar; it was later restored by the Cultural Heritage authorities based on original plans. Restoration work continues on parts of the complex. Golshan Garden is registered on Iran’s national heritage list, and officials are pursuing recognition as a global botanical garden.
Throughout history many famous travellers praised Golshan Garden in their travelogues. For example, Mirza Khanlar Khan E'tesam-ol-Molk visited in the year 1255 AH and described it as a beautiful garden.
Another traveller — the wife of the architect André Godard — wrote of a large pool with multiple fountains, where water is sent skyward like a precious gift.
Sven Hedin, the Swedish geographer and travel writer, described the garden with phrases such as “the lovely song of running water” and “the cool shade of the palms,” and he was astonished by the flowing water in Golshan Garden.
Many magazines and websites have praised this remarkable garden and ranked it among the world’s most beautiful gardens.
Golshan Garden is named for the street on which it stands — Golshan Street — and thus took the name Golshan Garden.
We begin with the garden’s area: Golshan covers roughly seven hectares and is square in plan. Its architecture follows the traditional Persian chahar-bagh (four-garden) layout.
In this model — a square garden — the space is divided into four equal parts connected by paths, water channels and narrow walkways. In Golshan two main intersecting avenues divide the grounds into four gardens, with smaller paths linking them.
At the centre of the garden is a large pool with three natural fountains that give the site a distinctive appearance. Key architectural features include inwardness (a private, enclosed quality) and bilateral symmetry.
“Inwardness” means the garden’s surrounding walls, shade-giving trees and the gatehouse building together create a private, internal space. Symmetry is a hallmark of Persian architecture and is visible throughout the garden’s irrigation geometry, planting patterns and layout.
Begin your walk at the garden’s gatehouse — the complex’s only main building. The original building was destroyed in the 1357 earthquake and later rebuilt by architects using the old plans. The ground floor contains a large hall and a wide veranda that offers a full view of the garden.
The gatehouse’s exterior is plain white without elaborate decoration. A notable feature is that the building faces two directions — one side opens to the town’s Revolution Square and the other faces into the garden.
Walking among a green garden in the heart of an arid region is a rare and unique experience. Golshan’s many surprises appear around every corner.
The oldest trees are spread date palms, thought to predate the garden itself; historically a large palm grove once occupied the area, which explains the palms scattered throughout the grounds.
In addition to palms, the garden contains pomegranate and citrus trees planted in a careful, regular pattern. Citrus and pomegranate trees are arranged in a grid across the plots: the garden contains 500 pomegranate trees and 2,500 citrus trees.
Imagine the scent when these trees fruit — and in the citrus blossom season the air filled with orange blossom perfume creates an unforgettable experience in Tabas.
One of the garden’s marvels is the coexistence of species from different climates: plane trees from cooler regions grow alongside heat-loving palms. Flower beds add further colour: red roses, white petunias and hollyhocks are among the ornamental plants.
At the heart of this green square is a relatively large pool with three natural fountains. The pool combines water, plants and flower colours into a striking scene. The fountain system works without external pumps — a remarkable historical innovation for its time.
Decorative trees such as plane, cypress and weeping willow enhance the garden’s beauty. Seasonal flower beds — including red roses, white petunias and hollyhocks — provide colour across the grounds.
In particular, many flowers are planted around the pool, and tree foliage is skillfully pruned into pleasing shapes.
[Image omitted — original showed Google Maps image]
As noted earlier, the gatehouse itself is not heavily ornamented; its portico and pillars feature patterned brickwork and a simple white façade.
The World Geopark museum is located on the lower floor of the garden’s gatehouse. Opened in the Iranian year 1395, the museum preserves Tabas’s geological items. Many geologists consider Tabas a living fossil museum and believe the region has rich geological and mineral potential.
About 1,100 specimens of stones, minerals, fossils and geological materials from Tabas and other parts of the world are displayed. The oldest fossil in the collection is a stromatolite, estimated at roughly 540 million years old.
One interesting museum section is the geopark products area — local handicrafts and commercial products inspired by geological elements, sometimes crafted to resemble fossils and stones, which make good souvenirs.
Examples include an ammonite statuette (a famous fossil), a fossil-shaped plant mug and a keyring modeled on Pentacrinus (a fossil echinoderm); these items are sold as local products.
The geology museum is open every day and can also arrange visits on holidays by prior appointment.
Museum opening hours: Mornings 08:00–12:00; Afternoons 17:00–20:00.
Golshan hosts a variety of plant and animal life. You can see species from different climates side by side: date palms and citrus trees stand alongside cypress, plane and pomegranate trees. Seasonal ornamental flowers such as red roses, white petunias and hollyhocks are planted throughout the lawns.
The most famous animals in the garden are the pelicans — their migration and life story is notable. In the 1350s (Iranian calendar) a group of pelicans migrated to Golshan and made it their home.
During the 1357 earthquake one of the pelicans died and another lived alone until it died a few years ago. After their deaths additional pelicans were brought to the garden. Ducks and geese also live in Golshan alongside the pelicans.
The garden’s maintenance and irrigation are highly ingenious: water flows permanently through Golshan. The site was chosen cleverly because it lies at the meeting point of several mountain springs.
These springs enter the garden from its lower end and are distributed to plots via water channels, irrigating the entire garden before exiting under the gatehouse toward the town.
You might ask how the system works without pumps or machinery. The well used to tap groundwater beneath the pool is an artesian well: it is dug under the pool so that groundwater levels connected to the well sit above the well’s opening and, under natural pressure, water spurts from the well’s mouth.
Visitor facilities include restrooms, a buffet, a gift shop and parking. Because the garden is in the town centre, other services are easily reachable.
In addition to Golshan Garden, many nearby Tabas sights are worth visiting. Below are some of the most notable attractions within a short distance.
Plan one to two hours for the garden itself, then use the rest of your day to visit nearby sites for a memorable trip.
The Abbasi Arch, also called Shah Abbasi Dam, is one of Tabas’s marvels. Built roughly 700 years ago, it is an arched dam constructed atop cliffs; it remained the world’s tallest dam for some 550 years. The dam sits between two rock faces and has a lower outlet to relieve pressure. Its design prevents sediment buildup behind it, which has helped preserve the structure.
The Shah Abbasi Dam is located outside Tabas and requires a short walk at the end of the route. The distance from Shah Abbasi to Golshan Garden is about 29 kilometres (around 29 minutes).
Morteza Ali Spring is another Tabas attraction — a cluster of springs flowing from the southern slopes of Kuh-e Kesh Siah. The Shah Abbasi arch lies at the end of the route to Morteza Ali Spring, so you can visit both on a single trip.
Morteza Ali Spring has three main springs and several minor springs. The first encountered spring, named Ghanbar, is cold. A little farther along you reach Morteza Ali Spring, formed by natural geological activity and tectonic pressure. Ghanbar and Morteza Ali combine to form the main Jafari spring.
Hiking and crossing spring channels is an enjoyable activity here — bring water-ready shoes and proper footwear for rocks.
The distance from Morteza Ali Spring to Golshan Garden is about 29 kilometres (about 29 minutes).
Arg Tabas is one of the most important historic sites in Tabas, known as the old fortress. Built for military protection, it became part of the expanding city. Its exact construction date is unclear, but it was expanded in the year 1216 AH under Mir Hossein Khan’s orders.
Arg Tabas has been in continuous use and underwent several restorations; it was rendered uninhabitable by the 1357 earthquake, leaving partly collapsed walls that still carry historical value.
The distance from Arg Tabas to Golshan Garden is about 3 kilometres (roughly 6 minutes).
To make the most of your visit to Golshan Garden, read the following suggestions:
Plan your trip for early spring or autumn to enjoy pleasant weather.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
Don’t miss the nearby attractions around Golshan Garden in Tabas.
Help keep the garden clean and protect its green spaces.
Item | Count / Note |
|---|---|
Garden area | ~7 hectares |
Pomegranate trees | 500 |
Citrus trees | 2,500 |
Notable fountain feature | Large central pool with three natural fountains (gravity/artesian system) |
Museum specimens | ~1,100 stones/minerals/fossils |
Oldest fossil on display | Stromatolite (~540 million years, as estimated in the museum) |
Attraction | Distance from Golshan Garden | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Arg Tabas (Tabas Citadel) |
| Historic fortress |
Shah Abbasi Dam (Abbasi Arch) |
| Ancient arched dam |
Morteza Ali Spring |
| Series of springs; hiking/stream crossings |
Esfahak village | — | Scenic nearby village |
Nearest airport |
| — |
Nearest railway station |
| — |
Tip | Short explanation |
|---|---|
Visit in spring or autumn | Best weather and peak blossom or autumn colours. |
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes | The garden is walked on foot; comfortable footwear recommended. |
Combine nearby sights | Plan to visit Arg Tabas, Shah Abbasi dam or Morteza Ali spring on the same day. |
Observe restoration work | Parts of the gatehouse and complex are under restoration; approach respectfully. |
Preserve cleanliness | Help protect the garden by not littering and caring for green spaces. |
