Abstract
Yazd, a significant city located on the outskirts of the desert in Iran, has been sustained by a network of historic qanats (Persian aqueducts) drawing water from the underground sources in the neighboring cities of Taft and Mehriz. These qanats, originating from the slopes of Shirkoh Mountain, have played a crucial role in the growth and prosperity of Yazd over the centuries. The vast Yazd-Ardakan plain, around which these qanats revolve, has provided ample space for the city's expansion. Since the 14th century AD, ambitious projects involving gardens and agriculture have been meticulously planned on the borders of this plain, particularly in the southern and southeastern regions surrounding the city of Yazd. The dedication of nobility, rulers, courtiers, and the general populace in funding and executing numerous projects in this area laid the foundation for the creation and evolution of garden neighborhoods (Bagh-Mahaleh) that flourished in size and number until the end of the Qajar Period. However, the haphazard urbanization that plagued Yazd, along with many other historical cities in Iran in the past century, posed a serious threat to these garden neighborhoods, leading to their gradual decline and eventual disappearance. Old aerial photographs serve as an affecting reminder of the once vibrant gardens, now reduced to slender leftovers of their former glory.
       The research aims to merge old sources and visual records through a historical methodology in order to reveal the origins, design, and creator of one of these gardens. The garden was situated in the southeastern vicinity of the region that now delineates the borders of the historic neighborhoods of "Abshahi" or "Naeem Abad". Along the northern front's outer edge, there is relatively well-preserved evidence of a structure that may have functioned as a gate-palace or "Aali Qapu". Amidst the Chaharbagh, the structure of a two-story pavilion has been identified, offering a view of the Chaharbagh and the main four corners of the complex through four eyvans or porticos. The architectural style of this pavilion is reminiscent of the "Hasht-Behesht", which later became the predominant design of pavilions in Chaharbaghs during the late centuries of the Islamic era.
       This complex, believed to have been named "Bagh-e-Eram", was likely established during the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar by Abdul Reza Khan Amir Muayid (1827-1829 AD), the 20th offspring of Muhammad Taqi Khan Bafqi (1748-1802 AD), and was constructed in 1829 AD, the final year of his official governance in Yazd.
Keywords: Islamic Architecture, Qajar Period, Chaharbagh, Pavilion, Yazd.
 
Introduction
The city of Yazd in Iran is situated on the edge of the desert and has been sustained by numerous qanats drawing water from the underground sources of the Shirkuh slopes in Taft and Mehriz. These qanats have played a crucial role in the city's formation and development over the centuries. The Yazd-Ardakan plain, through which these qanats pass, has allowed for the expansion of land, leading to the clever construction of qanats by the city's planners. This area, covering the southern and southeastern parts of Yazd, saw the initiation of large garden projects in the late 14th century AD. Not only rulers and governors, but also courtiers and the public contributed significantly to these projects. However, during the late Pahlavi period, the physical development of Yazd led to the destruction of these garden neighborhoods. The neighborhoods, which were once independent and located a league away from the city, were gradually absorbed into the center and lost their historical and functional identities due to disorganized constructions. The historic nature of these neighborhoods, characterized by gardens and pavilions, laid the foundation for their development. Upon analyzing the historical aerial photographs of Yazd, it becomes apparent that the remains of the surrounding walls and occasionally the structures within them have been carefully documented in the old neighborhoods. These remnants, although scarce, serve as a testament to the artificial nature of cities like Yazd, extending beyond the present-day prominent gardens. It is apparent that the city had a distinct appearance in the past.
 
Research Methodology
This paper is basic in research purpose and historical in nature. Thus, the data are analyzed using a “historical approach”. Despite attempts to conduct field investigations, the extensive damage to the site hindered the acquisition of valid results. As a result, data collection was primarily carried out through comprehensive desk research.
Conclusion
 
Several valid researches have been conducted regarding the city of Yazd, particularly its neighborhood gardens and the significant garden of Dolat-Abad. However, the sample under study has not been researched yet. The necessity of exploring this issue arises from the problem of the destroyed historical garden, which can still be identified in old aerial images. The perimeter wall, parts of the middle pavilion, and the gate-palace have been carefully examined and studied. This garden was situated in the immediate southeast neighborhood of the current historical neighborhood of Abshahi or Naeem-Abad, specifically at the northeast end of the Safaiyah neighborhood. The research findings reveal that the existing architectural structure, measuring 148 x 265 meters, was the perimeter wall of a chaharbagh. On the outer side of the northern front of this structure, remnants of a building can be observed, indicating its use as a gate-palace or Aali Qapo. The middle building, a two-story pavilion, offers views of four gardens and the main sides of the complex through four eyvans.
       The trees planted on either side of the four walkways enhance the beauty of the eyvans. The architectural style of this pavilion, reminiscent of the upper Eshkob plan of the Qajar model of Ezzat-Abad garden in Abarkouh County, is the same Hashtbehesht style that became the dominant design of the pavilions of Chaharbaghs and Cheshma-e-Amarts in the later centuries of the Islamic Period. The fountain and pond inside the central pavilion are additional elements that can be identified in this structure. One of the qanats that ran through the western part of the complex terminated in the western rampart. This could be Qanat-e-Najaf Abad which one of its streams runs through the pond. It is feasible to contemplate a flat and beamed covering for the eyvans and corner rooms, based on the stability of the remaining structures and the ratio of the wide opening of the eyvans to the small width of the load-bearing beams. This design choice is evident in the Ezzat Abad pavilion. Similarly, the covering of the middle opening can be likened to Hashtbehesht of Isfahan Domed, supported by historical evidence and the presence of the pond. The dados of the eyvans were crafted from marble, suggesting that the floors of the spaces were likely covered with the same material.
       The historical complex known as Bagh-e-Eram was most likely constructed during the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar by Abdolreza-Khan AmirMuayid, the 20th son of Muhammad Taqi Khan Bafqi. It was built in 1829 AH. In the 1960s, a four-walled building was added to the north and northwest, overlapping with the southern fence of the complex. The construction of the Yazd-Kerman railway in the 1970s led to the destruction of parts of the eastern and northern ramparts. Over the years, due to the city's development, the Garden Square was occupied, the gate-palace was destroyed, and the middle hut was demolished in the 1980s and early 1990s. Today, only broken remains of the western rampart serve as a reminder of this once-historical complex.