Qavam house
One of the best Iran sights in Shiraz, which has always been attractive for both domestic and foreign tourists because of its glorious past and architecture is Qavam House that also known as Narenjestan-e Qavam. It is located on Lotfalikhan Street in Shiraz.
Description
Naranjestan Garden is a great sample of gorgeous Persian gardens of Iran. Persian gardens generally have a rectangular form consisting of four quarters abundant in trees and flowers, streams and pathways, ponds and fountains, a central pavilion and walls surrounding the garden.
The stroll through the lush tastefully garden is a good warm up for what’s in-store at the Qavam House up ahead. Tall symmetrical palm trees, citrus trees and so many flowers that you’ll need a quantum-arithmetic formula to keep count of. Due to abundance of sour orange trees, it is called Narenjestan. Narenjestan building has been a place where ordinary people went for administrative purposes and public meetings as well as meetings among Qajar dignitaries and nobles were held there.
History of Qavam House
Naranjestan garden was built on Ali Mohammad Khan Qavam's orders to become the residential place of Qavam Family. This garden was established during the reign of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar, in the years 1257 to 1267. In 1345, the Narenjestan Foundation awarded to the University of Shiraz and from the years 1348 to 1358 under the supervision of Professor Arthur Apham Pup that was known to the Iranian scholar.
Originally, the Qavam family were wealthy merchants from the city of Qazvin. However, they became affiliated to the government during the Zand Dynasty and continued their involvement throughout the Qajar Era, right to the Pahlavi Dynasty.
Architecture
The garden consists of two parts: the outer part (the Narenjestan Museum) and seraglio part (Zinat Al-Molk House), which are linked by a tunnel. It used as a venue for political, military and visiting representatives from foreign governments.
This house has many spectacular views, and its unique architecture is one reason that attracts everyone’s attention at the very first glance, an impressive architecture of mirror-work elements, tiling, carvings and stucco that till today, it is one of the masterpieces of iranian architecture.
Other monuments of the complex include Gachineh Bath, Hosseiniyeh Qavam, Qavam School (Iraqi House), Zinat Al-Molk House, Qavam Court House (Narenjestan) and Qavam Exclusive Bathroom.
Opening hours
This old house is open for visitors in spring, summer time from 08.30 am to 21.30 pm and in autumn, winter time from 07.30 am to 20.30 pm (every day). You can go to Shiraz all the seasons and visit the garden of Qavam. But one of the great Shiraz months is April, which we recommend going to Shiraz this month. Of course, it should be attending that, the spring is the high season of this city, but it has such wonderful beauties that it does not seem to be crowded.