Narenjestan-e Ghavam Garden in Shiraz
A Qajar reception house, orange garden and mirror hall
Narenjestan-e Ghavam is a Qajar-era garden and mansion on Lotf Ali Khan Zand Street in Shiraz. From the entrance, the garden path leads past bitter orange trees to a long pool and a mirrored porch at the north end.
Across a narrow lane, Zinat al-Mulk House formed the private side of the same Qavam family complex.
An underground passage once connected the two houses. Plan to use their separate street entrances.
Narenjestan was the biruni, the part of the complex used for receiving guests and conducting official business. Zinat al-Mulk House was the andaruni, where the family lived.
Iran’s national tourism portal describes a museum collection of ceramics, paintings and coins. It credits the scholar Arthur Upham Pope with helping to form the collection.
Contents
Historical Background of Narenjestan-e Ghavam
Ali Mohammad Khan Qavam al-Molk began the project during the Qajar period, and his son Mohammad Reza Khan completed it. The reception rooms and garden were part of a larger compound built by the Qavam family.
The property was donated to Shiraz University in 1345 in the Solar Hijri calendar (1966–67). The university’s Asia Institute later used the complex.
Architecture of Narenjestan-e Ghavam
The garden’s main axis links the south entrance to the north mansion. The pool extends that line toward the porch, which is framed by two stone columns. Rooms on either side balance the central hall.
The porch and its neighboring rooms show several kinds of craft in close quarters. Look for painted wood overhead, patterned tilework underfoot and raised plaster ornament around the openings.
Main Entrance of the Garden
The wooden entrance opens into an octagonal vestibule. Pause there to look at the brick and tile decoration before stepping into the open garden.
Narenjestan-e Ghavam Garden Grounds
Follow the central path toward the pool. From the far end of the water, look back along the planting beds to see how the garden and mansion share the same axis.
Service Spaces
The formal garden was only one part of the compound. Service rooms occupied the south wing, where carved wooden columns distinguish the smaller porches from the stone-columned porch of the main mansion.
Main Mansion of Narenjestan-e Ghavam
The two-story north mansion faces the pool. In the central reception area, mirror fragments reflect light across the ceiling and walls. Look at the neighboring doors and windows for a contrast between the small pieces of glass and the larger painted and carved wood surfaces.
Reception House and Qavam School
The reception building was the diwan khaneh, where the family received visitors. The Qavam school, or maktab khaneh, was a separate building in the wider compound.
Gachineh Bath
Gachineh Bath belonged to the wider Qavam complex. The national tourism portal lists it separately from the family’s private bath.
Best Time to Visit Narenjestan-e Ghavam
Visit in spring if you want to catch the bitter orange trees in bloom. To focus on the building, start at the pool and move toward the porch so you can see how the mirror work changes as you approach.
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Nearby Sights
Pair the garden with Zinat al-Mulk House to see both the reception and residential sides of the compound. Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is also nearby on Lotf Ali Khan Zand Street.
