Imam Jomeh House in Tehran

The story of Imam Jomeh House in Tehran goes back to the time when Sayyid Abu al-Qasim Imam Jomeh bought a glorious mansion from Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri, the prime minister of Naser a-Din shah. Haj Sayyid Abu al-Qasim Imam Jomeh, the older son of Zeinoddin and the grandson of Moayer Mamalik, took the responsibility of the preservation of the mosque in Tehran, after the death of his father. Sayyid Abu al-Qasim got later married to Mozaffar al-Din Shah’s daughter and during the stormy years of the constitution, he was appointed as the Imam Jomeh (leader of mid-day congregational Friday prayer) of Tehran.

However, a royal house was constructed for this great and famous family in Naser Khosrow neighborhood of Tehran, in 1300 SH. The majestic mansion including the interior (Andaruni) and the exterior (Biruni) in which, like in other traditional Persian houses in Iran, the interior section was dedicated to the settlement of the family and Imam Jomeh’s servants. The exterior section was, in that time, the host of Imam Jomeh’s guests. The interior parts are now damaged and converted into the school and the exterior is today open to public visit as Imam Jomeh House.

The decorations of Imam Jomeh Mansion are best-known among the lovers of art and architecture in which the interior have been decorated with the figures of women in western clothing, mirror works and beautiful stucco. The neighborhood which this house is located in was called Oudlajan in the past and the former Tekyeh Dowlat was also placed there, with a very short distance to Imam Jomeh mansion.

Imam Jomeh Mansion has witnessed very hard times. The explosion occurred in the current Imam Khomeini square (then Toopkhaneh square) extremely damaged the building. In addition, during the Imposed War with Iraq, hitting a missile to the surrounding buildings (within 25 meters of the house) made another bad day for the house and its residences. Although the house of Imam Jomeh was later restored, the construction of a vertical parking in a short distance disturbed again this beautiful mansion.

Today, we can find Imam Jomeh house in Naser Khosrow street, before Imam Khomeini Square and inside an alley with same name, no 37.