Sharifian House

Sharifian House is one of the most valuable historic houses in the city of Kashan, in Isfahan Province. It stands in the old Sadr neighborhood, on Alavi Street in Kuy-e Sadr. This magnificent building was constructed in 1230 AH (lunar Hijri) by order of Haji Mohammad Hasan Haji Sharif, and today it is recognized as one of Iran's national monuments, registered under number 2582. Sharifian House is regarded as one of the most distinctive examples of Qajar-era residential architecture. Following the principles of introverted architecture, it provided a calm, orderly and harmonious setting for the life of the elite families of its time. In recent years the house has been placed at the disposal of Soore University, and after restoration it continues to attract those interested in Iranian architecture as one of Kashan's most valuable historical attractions.

The architecture of Sharifian House consists of three separate groups of spaces, two of which, the main ones, are built in two storeys on the northern and southern sides of the courtyard. The most important space in the building is the large shahneshin hall on the southern side. On one side it connects to a hawz-khaneh (pool room) with an octagonal and half-octagonal plan, and on the other, through a spacious iwan, to the central courtyard. The arched vault of the iwan, which projects slightly from the façade of the building, is considered its most distinctive architectural element, and its rasmi-bandi and yazdi-bandi decoration and delicate stucco work make it a delight to the eye. On the northern side there are a five-door hall, a shahneshin, three-door rooms, covered spaces, a cellar (sardab), and a skylight crown (arqchin) with paintings on plaster, which, besides their beauty, play an important role in natural ventilation and in lighting the rooms. With its extensive cellars, kitchen, bathhouse, entrance vestibule (hashti), corridor, service areas, long garden beds, long central pool, and inner and outer courtyards, the house is a complete example of the aristocratic homes of the Qajar period.

Sharifian House is easy to reach via Alavi Street and Kuy-e Sadr, and it sits within Kashan's historic fabric, close to many of the city's famous historic houses. The best times to visit this historic monument are spring and autumn, when Kashan's weather is much more pleasant for strolling through the historic alleys and visiting the city's valuable buildings. During your visit, keeping quiet, not touching the stucco decorations, paintings and architectural elements, avoiding damage to the historic parts and keeping the complex clean will play an important role in preserving this valuable heritage for future generations.