Built for an aristocratic merchant family in the Qajar Era, the Lari house, also referred to as Khaneh Lari (Khan-e Lari or Khaneh Lariha), is the best in Yazd and one of the best-preserved in Iran.
Staying consistent with the architectural style of such elite mansions, the Lari House also has an introverted design. With the exterior courtyard in the center, the interior areas of residence are built around it. This was a popular design in Persian architecture, at the time, as it divided the abode into seasonal living areas.
Albeit sharing some similarities with some other Persian mansions such as the Borujerdi House and Tabatabaei House, the Lari mansion has some unique features of its own… Come along with goingIRAN to see and discover more about this lavish old Persian house!
Origins of the Lari House
The original owner of the Lari House was none other than Haj Mohammad Ebrahim Lari himself! In the years following the Lari family’s stay the mansion, it became a meeting place for the spiritual gatherings of the Dervishes, called Khanqah (khanegah). So accordingly, it was called Khangah-e Nemat Ollahi, after the name of the Sufi brotherhood that practiced there.
The Lari House’s Features
The entire property takes up an area of 1,700 meters, with the house taking up a luxurious 1,200 meters for itself!
As mentioned before, the interior living areas are divided in seasonal sections. The northern wing for winter, the southern wing (with its Badgirs) the summer, the eastern wing (housing the kitchen, mirror room, cellar and various rooms) and finally the western wing, which was the spring hang-out!
The merchant’s son had a particular fondness of Western women and so, his room can be most easily identified! One of the rooms in the Lari House is decorated from wall to ceiling with some bashful pictures of these noble madams!
Being divided into interiors and exteriors, the Persian style of architecture designates each environment to a special function. The interior is always meant for the living and sleeping areas and the exterior was mainly meant for serving guests.
Upon walking around the courtyard, tourists will see two tall wooden platforms sitting in the pool in the middle of courtyard. It may seem a bit strange as to why they are so high up and as to why they’re in the water! Although your intuition may tell you they’re there to catch the cool breeze off of the water, that’s not their main purpose.
This little lounging area is perched up so high in the middle of the water to avoid one thing… Scorpions. Even though spotting a scorpion in the middle of street is not very likely in Yazd nowadays, that’s how close this desert-city is to its natural desert surroundings.
The beautifully handcrafted wooden doors, windows, painted walls and ceilings, and stained glass, alongside the delicate mirror work found all around the lavish mansion make it a truly exceptional place to visit!
Getting to the Persian Mansion
When you’re traveling out and about, Khaneh Lari is about a 15 minute walk from Jameh Mosque of Yazd and only a few steps away from Alexander’s Prison.
Tourists can visit the Qajari mansion from 8am – 8pm, seven days a week. Visitors can also expect to pay an entrance fee of 150,000IRR to check out the Lari House. Have fun!
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