SAEDNEWS: One of the attractive and historical relics of Iran’s western city of Sanandaj is the Asef Vaziri House (House of Kurd or Kurd House).
The Asef Vaziri Mansion is one of Sanandaj’s oldest houses, dating back to the Safavid era, and is situated in the heart of the city.
The mansion’s construction is divided into four main sections, with various parts added across different periods. It comprises four outer courtyards, an internal residence, a water distribution chamber, and a servants’ quarters, all built in harmony with the local architectural style.
The building was initially founded by the Motamed Hashemiha family (Amjad-Al-Ashraf), and it is believed that Mirza Mohammad Reza Vaziri, father of Asef Divan, later owned it. The mansion reached its final grandeur during Asef Divan’s time, with the construction of its main entrance—featuring a brick facade in the Iranian Baroque style—and the eastern and western wings.
Its delicate plasterwork, sash windows, sculpted stone, arches, and overall architectural style exude a unique charm. One of the mansion’s notable features is the large bathhouse located within an expansive courtyard, a highlight of traditional Iranian architecture.
In 1997, the Cultural Heritage Organization of Kurdistan assumed responsibility for the mansion. By 2003, it reopened as the largest anthropology museum in Iran dedicated to a single tribe.
The mansion showcases exquisite craftsmanship, including stucco, traditional sash windows, carved stone, mirror decoration, decorative brickwork, and embowed arches. In addition to the main entrance and corridor, the mansion features aqueducts and a water distribution chamber, as well as four gates leading to the outer courtyard, inner courtyard, kitchen garden, and employees’ yard. A special bath, built in the traditional Iranian style with lime designs, occupies the southwest corner.
Today, the southern section of the mansion has been transformed into an art gallery, while another portion serves as a traditional tea house. The area was restored with brick domes, the main pool refurbished, and a surrounding porch added, preserving the mansion’s historic charm.
