Legend has it that when Sayyed Jafar Natanzi, a carpet merchant known as Borujerdi, met with fellow carpet merchant Sayyed Jafar Tabatabei to discuss taking his daughter’s hand in marriage, Mr Tabatabei set one condition: his daughter must be able to live in a home at least as lovely as his own. The result – finished some 18 years later – was the Khan-e Borujerdi.
The home originally consisted of two sections, an andaruni and a biruni , but today only the biruni is open to the public (the andaruni houses the Kashani Culture & Heritage Office). What you see is an ornately decorated courtyard, laid out around an empty central fountain pool. At its far end is a two-storey iwan (open reception hall opening onto the courtyard) that is sumptuously decorated with splendid motifs above the entrance, intricate muqarnas (stalactite-type stone carving used to decorate doorways and window recesses), fine glass and mirror work, and frescoes painted by Kamal al-Molk, the foremost Iranian artist of the time. In one of the smaller adjoining rooms, a carpet design is carved on the ceiling.
If you ask nicely you might be allowed to climb to the roof for views over the courtyard and the distinctive six-sided, domed badgirs .
To get here, follow the signs from Alavi St up a small incline opposite the Khan-e Ameriha.
