Masoudieh Mansion is located near Baharestan Square of Tehran and is amongst some of the most exquisite historical buildings of old Tehran that has been completely restored and can be visited by Iranians and tourists. From influential days of Qajar era to events of Persian Constitutional Revolution, this mansion has witnessed some of the most important days and events of the contemporary history of Iran, which has resulted in its registration as a national heritage.
Masoudieh Mansion was in fact the same as Nezamieh Garden that Mirza Agha Khan Nouri built for his son Nezam ol-Molk in 1854. But the mansion was built by the order of Zell-e Soltan, one of the Naser al-Din Shah Qajar’s sons. Zell-e Soltan ordered his servant, Reza Qoli Khan titled as Seraj ol-Molk, to build the mansion.
The construction began in 1873 and ended in 1878. The structure is located in the southeast of Negarestan Garden and was a part of Nezamieh Garden. It is possible that the mansion was built as a substitute for Golestan Palace. In fact, it looks like the Marble Throne and Emarat e Badgir of that palace. During Pahalvi dynasty, Reza Shah purchased this building from Zell-e Soltan and gave it to the government. Masoudieh Mansion has functioned as a military school and Ministry of Education. After the Iranian Revolution, it went under the administration of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran.
The garden of the mansion was at first as vast as forty thousand square meters, from which only half of a hectare remains today. Two main structures of Masoudieh Mansion are the courtroom and the sitting room. Other buildings have been constructed next to them such as Miansaray-e Seyed Javadi, Seyed Javadi Building, Miansaray-e Moshiri, Moshir ol-Doleh building, Miansaray-e Khalvat, walking path entrance gateway, gateway for carriages, and the garden of courtroom. Each of these structures has been decorated with stucco, woodworking, tiles, calligraphy, mural painting and other techniques.
Today Masoudieh Mansion has turned into a cultural center in the heart of Tehran. The fifteenth Iran Cinema Celebration was hosted in this monument on 16 September 2011. Occasionally, festivals and art exhibitions are held there, too. There is much public transportation that facilitates the travel of visitors. Mellat subway station is located south to the mansion, not to mention many urban bus routes and taxis that can be used to reach there.
