TEHRAN -- The main Niavaran Palace, the former permanent residence of Mohammad Reza Shah, is once again opening its doors to the public after a six-year closure for extensive renovation and installation of security systems.

Situated in the northern part of Tehran, the Niavaran Palace Complex consists of several buildings and a museum. The main Niavaran Palace, completed in 1968, was designed by the Iranian architect Mohsen Forughi.
The two-story palace is located on a 9000 hectare plot (1 hectare= 10,000 square meters). The palace includes over 300 priceless tableaus and decorative items and statues.
Repair and upgrade of the air conditioning system, doors, fences and elevators as wells as painting and refinishing the palace are some of the refurbishing that has been completed over the past six years, the director of the Niavaran Cultural Complex Masud Sharifi explained during the opening ceremony.
The royal automobile museum, and the historical document and studies center will be opening in the first six months of the Iranian new year (beginning on March 21), he added.
There has been a reduction in the number of visitors to the complex in recent years since the closing of the palace, the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization Omolbanin Nemat-Gorgani mentioned at the ceremony.
She said that the visitors asked for the reopening of the palace which shows people’s interest in and awareness of their historical heritage.
The Niavaran Palace Complex traces its origin to a garden in Niavaran, Tehran that was used by Nasir al-Din Shah as a summer residence. The palace erected by Nasir al-Din Shah in this garden was originally referred to as The Niavaran Palace and was later renamed the Sahebqraniyeh Palace.
During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, all peripheral buildings of the Sahebqraniyeh Palace were demolished, with the exception of The Ahmad-Shahi Pavilion (or Kushk-e Ahmad-Shahi). The present-day Niavaran Palace Complex’s buildings and structures were built to the north of the Sahebqraniyeh Palace.