The Manticora is a Persian legendary creature with the body of a red lion, a human head with three rows of sharp teeth, sometimes bat wings, and a trumpet-like voice. Other aspects of the creature vary from story to story. It may be horned, winged, or both. The tail is that of either a dragon or a scorpion, and it may shoot poisonous spines to either paralyse or kill its victims. It devours its prey whole and leaves no clothes, bones, or possessions of the prey behind.
Here, it represents the three parts of the project: the tail as the Garden of Knowledge, the body as the Garden of Force, the head as the Garden of Spirit.
The Garden of Knowledge provides educational facilities, madrasas, market halls and spaces for temporary exhibitions, a cultural centre, a museum, a public library and open-air patios, a lake with a flags’ field and leisure gardens. The Garden of Force, hosts governmental offices and the headquarters of military division, the large parade ground, a secret Garden and an Hosseinieh surrounded by the pilgrims’ hostel and temporary residences. The Garden of Spirit hosts the Ministry of family and welfare assistance, provides sporting facilities, fitness center, spa, linear gardens for meditation, a convention center and an arena with events’ field.
