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According to Saednews, If you live in Tehran and are looking for a peaceful way to spend your day off surrounded by nature, Shian Forest Park is an excellent choice. With its pleasant natural setting and wide range of recreational attractions, the park offers a refreshing escape from the busy city. If Shian Forest Park is on your list of places to visit, here is a closer look at its attractions and facilities.
Tehran’s Lavizan Forest Park was artificially developed in the early 1960s and has since become a popular destination for relaxing weekends and outdoor recreation.
Shian is one of Tehran’s major forest parks, located in the Shemiranat area, and covers more than 1,000 hectares. The park is bordered by Shahid Babaei Expressway to the north, Shamsabad to the south, Omid Town and the Bird Garden to the east, and Lavizan village to the west. It is located approximately 13 kilometers from central Tehran.
The park offers a variety of activities and attractions, including the following:
One of the most attractive parts of Shian Forest Park is the Bird Garden.
The first phase opened in early 2013 and is located in the eastern section of the park. This area covers more than 23,000 square meters.
The first section was designed for birds that could not fly or needed to be kept in protected enclosures. More than 20,000 birds from a wide variety of species were planned for the garden, including Asian and African species such as parrots, pigeons, owls, eagles, vultures, falcons, peacocks, flamingos, ducks, ostriches, and various waterfowl.
One of the most interesting and memorable features of the Bird Garden is a traditional pigeon tower located in the northwestern section of the park. Built in the Safavid architectural style, the structure evokes memories of Iran’s historical past.
The second phase of the garden, which opened in 2017, offers visitors the opportunity to observe birds flying freely within a huge net-covered enclosure. The structure is supported by 12 steel columns and reaches approximately 30 meters in height, creating a unique setting for watching the birds.
The garden’s walkways are paved with stone, while ponds, beautiful waterfalls, wooden bridges, reed and thatch shelters, wooden signs featuring Nastaliq calligraphy, gazebos, and wooden benches add to its charm.
Other facilities include a parking area, free internet access, an outdoor painting workshop, parrot photography, a flower and plant pavilion, a prayer room, cafés, and restaurants. Vans are also available to transport visitors to different areas of the garden.
Visitors should note that professional photography with cameras requires an additional fee, while taking photographs with a mobile phone is free.
The Bird Garden is located on East Babaei Expressway, after the Hooman Exit, on the Omid Town frontage road, along Kuhestan Street.
Shian Forest Park has many of the facilities needed for a full-day picnic and outdoor trip. These include cafés, restaurants, a mosque, benches, gazebos, barbecue grills, trash bins, public restrooms, and more.
The park also offers several recreational facilities for both children and adults. Visitors can spend time on sports fields, play table tennis, cycle along designated paths, and enjoy various outdoor activities.
Thousands of trees and plant species have been planted and cultivated throughout the park over the years.
As you walk or drive along the park’s winding roads, you can see tall pine, cypress, plane, oak, acacia, maple, and other trees surrounding you.
Visitors are encouraged to help protect the park’s natural environment by avoiding damage to the vegetation, breaking tree branches, or carving names and messages into tree trunks.
Shian Hotel opened in 1996 and has 34 rooms, including VIP and first-, second-, and third-class accommodations. The rooms are designed as suites and are equipped with facilities such as bathrooms, Iranian- and Western-style toilets, free internet access, televisions, and refrigerators.
Because of its location in the northern part of the forest park, the hotel offers visitors beautiful views over Tehran and has become one of the better-equipped accommodation options in the area.
The hotel is surrounded by trees and vegetation, creating a peaceful forest atmosphere. Guests can enjoy views of the sunset from their rooms while a gentle breeze moves through the trees and the sound of birds fills the surroundings.
Shian Hotel also features an Iranian and traditional restaurant serving a variety of high-quality Persian dishes. Next to the hotel is a three-story traditional teahouse with a capacity of around 150 people. The first floor is covered, while the upper two floors are open-air, offering visitors a pleasant place to enjoy traditional food and the surrounding scenery.
