CHESHMEH ALI, DAMGHAN, SEMNAN PROVINCE
The design of gardens such as Bagh-e Shazdeh in Mahan, Bagh-e Takht in Shiraz and Bagh-e Chehelsotoon in Isfa- han as well as the location of their pavilions show how Ira- nian rulers were interested in the presence of vast, unified or stepped water basins next to their summer palaces. The main façade of these buildings and openings of the main spaces opened to large reflecting pools. Not only a proxim- ity to water was desirable in itself, the fact that the reflec- tion of the main façade in the mirror-like surface of water underlined the glory of the architecture also accounted for the great value laid on a juxtaposition with large reflecting pools. Cheshmeh Ali is the name of a small, unique and beautiful complex in Semnan province dating back to the Qajar era. It is located in a mild weathered region in the west northern heights of Damghan and 35 kilometres from the city. An old pathway close to Cheshmeh Ali, connecting Damghan to Sari through Kiassar has added to its reputa- tion. Due to its location, climatic conditions and environmen- tal beauty within the desertic Semnan province, the place has always been popular with locals and tourists. There is little known of the architecture of the demol- ished pavilions of gardens in Behshahr and Shahgoli and there are only references to the polygonal (mostly octago- nal) shape of their pavilions. However, even this much information reveals several qualities of the Cheshmeh Ali pavilion which distinguishes it from the other pavilions mentioned above: the first thing that attracts attention is the absence of a connecting bridge or a way to reach the pavilion from the other side of the large reflecting pool. It seems that this has greatly contributed to the uniqueness of the building and accentuated the visibility of the archi- tecture and its reflection on the water surface and most importantly, the inaccessibility of the pavilion. To be more precise, the pavilion shows off its detachment from the surrounding environment. It is devoid of any element that could define a visual territory or cover the interior spaces. The absence of any windows or protecting layers on the four sides of the building shows reveals it as a summer pavilion useable in the hottest months of the year. Another surprising fact, is the absence of a conventional way of connecting the ground floor to the first floor or a staircase between the two. There is no doubt that the king and his family would have enjoyed the upper floor with its beautiful landscapes and rested there, yet the thought provoking ab- sence of a fixed connecting staircase from the architecture of the building turns it into a very rare example among the durable buildings of Iranian architectural heritage. On the outer façade of the building, it is remarkable how the spaces open to the outside and look into four directions. The absence of closed inner spaces in the middle of the pavilion is also considerable, that is to say, all spaces are immediately connected with the outside.
1st floor Ground floorطبقه اول همكف