The Fin Garden – Fin Bath

For thousands of years, clear and pure water has been gushing from the foothills of Mount Karkas, known as Solomon’s Spring, and the people of Kashan have witnessed successive centuries of the existence of a splendid garden near this spring. To some extent, they attribute the construction of this garden to the pre-Islamic eras. However, what has been proven to us today is that the construction of this garden took place after the earthquake during the reign of Qajar Shah Abbas I in the year 982 Hijri (1574 CE). At the beginning of the 11th century Hijri, Shah Abbas I abandoned the location of the previous garden and ordered the construction of the current garden in its present location, which was 500 meters higher and closer to the source of the spring. The ruins of the previous garden indicate a period from the 4th to the 10th century Hijri.
With the creation of the new Fīn Garden, designers, architects, and artists sought to establish a rational and logical connection between humans and nature through the use of the five senses. Therefore, the design of the water display in this garden has been executed with great skill by utilizing the slope of the land. The Shotor Galu Mansion, built during the reign of Shah Abbas I and located in the center of the garden, is actually a water inlet and serves as the site of water bubbling and directing. The layout reflects the pattern of Iranian gardens, as the garden space is divided into four sections from this point, and each section has its own garden beds. The Shotor Galu Mansion has four tall terraces overlooking the garden on all sides.
“The sign of the paradise was this garden, for its design, Shah Abbas the Great.
That ancient cypress is a representative of an era; its freedom is a message to the world.
Among the great works, inside the door and the wall, the works of a young, wise man are evident.”
–Molok Al-Shoara, Bahar
Additionally, a tower and a walkway are designed around this garden, and the garden was prepared to accommodate Safavid kings during their travels and stops in Kashan. Shah Safi, the successor of Shah Abbas, ultimately died in this garden due to excessive drinking. The kingdom fell into ruin, and during the reign of Karim Khan Zand, a special palace was built for him, famously known as Karim Khan’s Private Residence, located on the southern side of the garden. But another earthquake struck in the year 1192 Hijri (1778 CE), marking a period of decline for the Fīn Garden. With the rise of the Qajar dynasty, a new era of life for the Fīn Garden began, and Fath Ali Shah ordered its reconstruction and restoration. Under the supervision of his prime minister, the landscape in front of the Shotor Galu Palace of Shah Abbas I and the main streets of the garden were redesigned. The restoration of the Grand Bath and the construction of a small bath nearby, as well as the fundamental renovation of the newly built mansion, named Shah Qajar’s Shotor Galu, were also carried out. This building also has four terraces, three of which overlook the garden, and in the middle of it lies a large pool, the site of the spring water bubbling, adorned with beautiful paintings.
After the death of this king, the star of fortune declined, and his mansions fell into decline, and another king relied on the Kayanian throne. A historical tragedy unfolded, which remained forever in the minds of the people of Iran. Nasser al-Din Shah ordered the assassination of Amir Kabir, who had rarely been seen in Iran during the Qajar reign. Yes, at the behest of the Qajar king, Mirza Taghi Khan Amir Kabir was strangled in the bath of the Fīn Garden, and from then on, the Fīn Garden became a place of mourning. After the turbulent period of the Qajar era, the Fīn Garden underwent restoration and is now serving as a museum and tourist attraction for travelers.