TEHRAN – Authorities of Iran’s Fars province seeks to formulate a plan for the revival of the historical core of Shiraz, which has long been synonymous with, poetry, nightingales, culture, and education.

“The historical texture of Shiraz, which is on the verge of oblivion due to erosion, has the potential to be revived and preserved with the lowest cost and best practices,” Fars governor-general said on Sunday.

Once noble families lived in these neighborhoods of the capital of Fars province, but they moved out for various reasons, which caused damage to the historical texture and provided fertile ground for social harms, Enayatollah Rahimi said, CHTN reported. 

He stated such a project could make that portion of the city more intriguing to domestic and international tourists as well as history buffs.

It also could pave the way for families to move back to their former neighborhoods, resulting in more jobs and economic prosperity for the area, he explained. 

The official also noted that the historical texture of Shiraz is an ideal place for arts and culture activities, and each corner could be devoted to a particular art field, such as calligraphy, painting, local costume, or food. 

However, the historical texture requires some vital rehabilitation works in the near future, he mentioned. 

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, Shiraz has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed down from generation to generation. It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty from 1751 to 1794.

Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnificent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking into this provincial capital.

Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign tourists.

The UNESCO-registered Persepolis, also known as Takht-e Jamshid, whose magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy), was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It is situated 60 kilometers northeast of the city of Shiraz in Fars Province.

The ancient city is also home to some magnificent historical gardens such as Bagh-e Narenjestan and Eram Garden, which are top tourism destinations both for domestic and international sightseers.  

UNESCO describes the Persian Garden as an idea that combines natural elements with manmade components to materialize the concept of Eden or Paradise on Earth.

ABU/AFM