TEHRAN – On Thursday, China’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Li Qun toured sections of the Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex in northern Tehran.

According to reports by the public relations office of the Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex, Hadi Mirzaei, the director-general of Iran’s cultural heritage museums, and Bijan Moqadam, the director of the Niavaran Complex, accompanied the Chinese deputy minister during the visit.

The specialized museum palace of Niavaran, Ahmad Shah's Koushk Museum, the Jahan-Nama (“World Windows”) Museum, and the Niavaran Car Museum were among the spaces explored during their tour.

Covering an area of about eleven hectares, the Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex is composed of several landmark buildings, museums, and monuments constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries during the Pahlavi and late Qajar eras.

The history of the palace complex stretches back to about 280 years ago when Fath-Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty ordered a summer residence to be built in the then countryside area of the capital. The two-story Ahmad-Shahi pavilion is one of the highlights of the complex.

With an area of 9,000 square meters, the palace is entirely adorned with magnificent plasterwork, mirrorwork, and tilework. Its architecture boasts a blend of pre and post-Islamic arts. Its beautifully decorated and fully furnished interior features loads of artwork, such as precious paintings and sculptures by Iranian and foreign artists.

The main palace of the complex was originally erected for royal ceremonies and gatherings. However, it later turned into a dwelling for Mohammad Reza Shah and his family.

AFM