Tabatabaei House

Tabatabaei Historical House is one of the most popular attractions of Kashan. Being built in the 19^th century, this house is an outstanding reflection of the lifestyle of Kashan wealthy families. Tabatabaei House demonstrates all the typical features of Persian architecture and is a must-see while visiting Kashan.

History of Tabatabaei House

Tabatabaei House was built in 1835 for the affluent Tabatabaei family. The head of the family, Seyed Jafar Tabatabaei, a carpet merchant, built this house in the name of his wife. The architect of the house is Ustad Ali Maryam – famous Iranian architecture, the author of Borujerdi House and Aminoddole Caravansarai of the Bazaar of Kashan.

Architecture of Tabatabaei House

Tabatabaei House has all classic features of traditional Persian residential architecture. It consists of four courtyards and divided into two parts: “Birooni” – public area, and “Andarooni” – women’s closed area. The total area of the house is about 5 000 square meters and includes 40 rooms.

The house has 3 wind towers, so-called “Badgir” – the means of air conditioning system. Thanks to those unique structures the air inside the house stays cool during the hot summer. There are also two qanats (water canals), bringing water to the pools and fountains in the middle of the courtyards.

The exterior of the house is decorated with stucco ornaments and amazingly carved wooden doors and windows. The interior of the house includes multi-colored mosaic windows and paintings. There is the legendary bird Homa (Sphinx) appearing in the plots of the decorations, devoted to the merchant’s wife, whose name was Homa.

Location of Tabatabaei House

Tabatabaei House is located in the center of Kashan, in the old part of the city. it is surrounded by other touristic sites, such as Borujerdi House, Abbasi House, Ameri House, Toy Museum, Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, and others. Agha Bozorg Mosque and Kashan Bazaar are located in 15 minutes of walking.

Where to Stay near Tabatabaei House

Kashan offers multiple options for those who would like to visit the city. If you are looking for budget options, you can check out 1-star Sana Historical Hostel or 2-star Safa Historical Guest House. For a stay in a comfortable historical hotel, we suggest 3-star Sarva House Hotel. For more comfort and luxury, you can try 4-star Mahinestan Raheb Hotel and Manouchehri House, as well as 5-star Saraye Ameriha, based in Ameri Historical House.

Where to Eat near Tabatabaei House

All the best cafes and restaurants in Kashan are located in the city center, near the old part of the city, where historical houses are situated. Some of the places are even located inside houses and offer a unique atmosphere: Mirrors Hall Restaurant in Ameri Historical House with mirror decorated ceilings, or Abbasi Coffee Shop & Restaurant inside Abbasi Historical House. To enjoy the view of Kashan rooftops, you can have dinner in open space Cafe Baam. If you are a coffee lover, you will be lucky to catch the bright yellow van of Cafe Shazdeh somewhere around the old city or go to Mr.Coffee coffee place.

When to Visit Tabatabaei House

Tabatabaei House is open for visitors every day from 8.30 till 18.00. Plan your visit so you would have enough time to see the whole house (which has 40 rooms!). The air inside the rooms is cool and fresh, so you will feel comfortable there even during the hottest weather.