TEHRAN – A 19th-century mansion in Shiraz has turned into a traditional guesthouse following a thorough restoration, a local tourism official has announced. 

Covering an area of 280 square meters, the mansion has been fully restored and is ready to be used as an accommodation center, Morteza Keshavarz said on Monday. 

Currently, the Qajar-era (1789-1925) place comprises a coffee shop, eight residential spaces, and a range of required facilities, he noted. 

The monument, which is decorated with plasterwork and traditional blacksmithing, was inscribed on the national heritage list in 2006, the official added.  

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, the southern Iranian city of Shiraz in Fars province has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed down from generation to generation. It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty from 1751 to 1794.

Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnificent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking into this provincial capital.

Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign tourists.

The UNESCO-registered Persepolis, also known as Takht-e Jamshid, whose magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy), was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It is situated 60 kilometers northeast of the city of Shiraz in Fars Province.

Shiraz is also home to some magnificent historical gardens such as Bagh-e Narenjestan and Eram Garden, which are top tourism destinations both for domestic and international sightseers.  

UNESCO describes the Persian Garden as an idea that combines natural elements with manmade components to materialize the concept of Eden or Paradise on Earth.

ABU/AFM