Modern villa replaces historical house in Masuleh

April 6, 2010 - 0:0

TEHRAN -- A modern villa has been constructed in the place of a historical house in the city of Masuleh in Iran’s northern province of Gilan.

The house, which was known as Dehruyeh, was demolished by its new owner in 2008 as he had obtained a permit for demolition of the house from the Masuleh Municipality, the Persian service of CHN reported on Sunday.
The Masuleh Cultural Heritage Center (MCHC) filed a lawsuit against the owner, but the construction of the villa soon began and was completed.
The owner had been granted the permit with the condition that the new structure would be based exactly on the original architecture of the Dehruyeh House, but he never met the obligation.
“The owner of the house began construction of the villa, disregarding of the plan and the unique architecture of the historical city,” Masuleh Conservation and Sustainable Development Institute secretary Sadeq Zadsalehi told CHN.
“The MCHC and local people raised objections to the move… but a villa was constructed in the place of the historical house,” he added.
Dehruyeh House was one of the attractions of Masuleh, which once was known as a village.
Iran is seeking to register the city, which is mostly well-known for its unique traditional architecture, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Located 36 kilometers southwest of Fuman in Gilan Province, Masuleh is a living museum of architecture and cultural anthropology, with its beautiful houses hugging the cliffs, rising vertically upward, with rooftops and village streets virtually indistinguishable.
Heavy rainfalls have caused damage to Masuleh over the past few years, and new construction projects are threatening the historical authenticity of the city.