Semnaniha House

🕰️When was it built?

The house is attributed to the reign of Naser al-Din Shah and associated with the Mir-Masoumi family. A new owner began restoration in 2018, and the national heritage registration file was submitted in early 2020. Damp and termites were among the problems that had damaged the house before restoration.

🏛️What was it built for?

On the ground floor, three rooms and a kitchen are arranged around the small courtyard. The southern summer rooms used tall ceilings, moisture from the basement and breezes directed by the windcatcher to help cool living spaces. The northern room's low ceiling and large window welcomed sunlight. These differences adapted daily life to the seasons.

👀What you will see

• The mud-brick windcatcher is about 13.60 metres high; view its outline above the roof from permitted areas.
• A small square courtyard with a central pool lies between the northern and southern rooms.
• The northern room has a low wooden ceiling and a large window that admits sunlight.
• The southern rooms have taller ceilings and connect to the windcatcher; compare their height with the northern room.

💡Something interesting

During restoration, collapse around the mouth of an old well created a workshop hazard that had to be resolved before repairs continued. More extensive restoration then followed the house's Qajar architectural features.

🎒Good to know before you go