Abbasian House

The Abbasian House, one of the finest examples of Qajar-era architecture, stands in the historic Sultan Amir Ahmad neighbourhood of Kashan. It was built between 1245 and 1250 AH (lunar Hijri) by Haj Mohammad Ebrahim, the Kashi merchant, a well-known trader in porcelain and crystal in Kashan, and was registered on the list of Iran's National Heritage in 1377 (Solar Hijri) under number 2020. Although its architect is unknown, the house's distinctive architecture and decoration have made it known as one of the most beautiful examples of Iranian-Islamic architecture.

The mansion has a total floor area of about 7,000 square metres on a plot of 5,000 square metres, and includes five courtyards and five levels. It is designed in the "sunken garden" (gowd-e baghcheh) style, meaning the building was constructed below street level to protect it from temperature fluctuations and to make it easier to reach the water of the qanat. The interior decoration includes skilful stucco work, beautiful mirror work, latticed wooden windows with stained glass, muqarnas and intricate geometric knotwork (gereh), all of which captivate every visitor. One of the important features of the Abbasian House is its clever design based on the movement of the sun: each side of the building was planned for a particular season or time of day. The sun-facing sides serve as the winter quarters, the parts facing away from the sun are reserved for summer, and the west side was designed for the cold hours of winter. The east side is often built as a blind arcade to avoid the harsh sun.

This historic house has also been chosen as a location for several well-known Iranian series and films, such as "Mosafer-e Rey" (The Traveller of Rey), "Mulla Sadra", "Khaneh-i dar Tarikki" (A House in the Dark) and "Jabir ibn Hayyan". Today the Abbasian House is recognised as one of Kashan's major tourist attractions. It is open to visitors every day from 8:30 to 17:30, and the ticket price for Iranian tourists is 40,000 tomans. The house is close to other major sights in Kashan, such as the Tabatabaei House, the Boroujerdi House and the Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, and it makes an excellent destination for anyone interested in history and Iranian architecture.