El Goli Park, a historic and beautiful recreational destination in Tabriz
El Goli Park is a beautiful and historic park in Tabriz. It was established during the Aq Qoyunlu period in 1784, and was expanded during the Safavid era, resulting in the creation of a stunning landscape with tall trees, vibrant flowers, and a large pool. The park is a prominent recreational and tourist destination in Tabriz, renowned for its historical significance and natural beauty.
The park is situated seven kilometers from the city center of Tabriz and serves as an ideal location for relaxation and leisure activities. Visitors can enjoy the fresh air, scented with silk flowers, and create unforgettable memories.
Until the emergence of the Safavids, El Goli was the largest source of water storage for irrigating the gardens of the eastern regions of Tabriz.
During the Safavid era, the lake area was expanded, and a stone wall was built around it. The Tabriz Municipality took over El Goli during the Pahlavi era and transformed it into a public park.
The El Goli Palace, an octagonal mansion located in the center of the lake, has been converted into a reception hall. The original one-story adobe structure was replaced with a two-story building in 1967. The lake spans over 55,000 square meters and has a capacity of 720,000 cubic meters of water. It is fed by a small stream from the Liqvan River, which passes near Chavan village. A forested hill in the southern part of the lake features multiple artificial waterfalls that flow into the lake, and a street has been drawn from the southern edge to the center of the lake, creating a peninsula around the El Goli Palace.
When the lake freezes over, the fish residing in its waters are unable to access the surface, leading to a deceleration in their growth.
El Goli is captivating throughout the year: in the spring, it boasts blooming flowers and lush greenery; during the summer, it offers a gentle breeze and ample tree shade; in the autumn, it dazzles with vibrant foliage; and in winter, it transforms into a snowy, enchanting wonderland. With such diverse seasons, spring and summer emerge as the optimal times to visit El Goli, catering to a wide range of preferences.
Its architecture follows the same rules and basis of Persian gardens: a pool or lake with a mansion in its center, and a garden with dense trees around it. Apart from these beauties, El Goli Park has other attractive facilities aimed at entertaining visitors, like a theme park, golf center, skating complex, billiard academy, game club, cafés, restaurants, sports shops, small street shops, and many others. Some activities like boating in warm seasons, walking, biking, coach riding, picnic, having fun with some homemade traditional food like eggs, potatoes, and butter that is sold in the park. El Goli Park also has an interesting sundial that shows the official time of Iran. There is also a modern and facilitated hall called Andisheh Hall for holding different events, meetings, and conferences.