charbagh

Charbagh, from Persian chār (four) and bāgh (garden), is a formal garden layout that divides a rectangular plan into four roughly equal courts separated by water channels or paths. The design is typically organized along north–south and east–west axes, with a central feature such as a pool or fountain, and avenues or walkways forming cross-axes. Water is central to the plan, creating symmetry, cooling microclimates, and guiding movement through the space.

Charbagh originated in Persian garden design and became a defining feature of medieval and early modern Persianate gardens, especially in Timurid and Safavid architectural projects. The concept spread to the Indian subcontinent during Mughal rule, where it was adopted in royal gardens across the domain and gave rise to a distinctive Mughal variant that influenced palace courtyards and tomb complexes. Notable examples include Nishat Bagh in Srinagar, Shalimar Bagh in Lahore, and the charbagh forecourt of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

In practice, the fourfold division is often seen as a terrestrial representation of paradise in Islamic garden philosophy, combining formal geometry with irrigation, horticulture, and panoramic vistas. In contemporary garden design, the charbagh remains a reference for formal, axial, symmetry-driven layouts in both public parks and commemorative sites.