Charbagh

The chaharbagh layout originated in the paradise gardens of the Achaemenid Empire, as suggested by excavations at Pasargadae and Susa.

[3] The highly structured geometrical scheme of the chaharbagh became a powerful method for the organization and domestication of the landscape, itself a symbol of political territory.

(Chapter 55: Verse 62)The waterways were considered to represent the four rivers mentioned in a hadith: Sayhan, Jayhan, the Euphrates and the Nile.

In the 16th century, the chaharbagh layout was brought from Iran to the Indian subcontinent by the Mughal dynasty founded by Babur, who was originally from Central Asia.

This tradition gave birth to the Mughal gardens, which perhaps displayed its highest form in the Taj Mahal (see below).

The charbagh at the Tomb of Jahangir in Lahore , Pakistan
An example of chaharbagh on Naqsh-e Jahan Square (constructed 1598–1629) in Isfahan , Iran
Babur celebrates the birth of Humayun in the charbagh of Kabul .
Charbagh at Humayun's Tomb , Delhi , India
Aerial view of the charbagh of the Taj Mahal , Agra , India, showing the square basin at the intersection of four waterways
View of one charbagh garden of the Shalamar Gardens , Lahore , Pakistan, displaying the typical charbagh layout