Updated November 2026 The building is used as offices by Iran’s cultural heritage bodies and is not generally open to the public, so we have replaced the old opening hours with advice on viewing it from outside.
Shaghaghi House in Tehran, also known as the Kooshk Mansion, is one of the most unusual early 20th-century buildings in the old downtown district around Ferdowsi Square. Its oval plan, domed roof and richly decorated brick facade make it instantly recognisable, and it is a fine example of how Tehran’s architects blended Persian craftsmanship with European ideas in the early Pahlavi era. The interior is not routinely open to visitors, but the exterior alone is worth a detour if you are exploring the area on foot.
History of the Kooshk Mansion
The house was built in the 1930s, during the reign of Reza Shah, for Dr Hossein Shaghaghi, a senior official who had studied in Germany and returned to Iran determined to stay. He wanted a modern family home, and the result borrowed the layout and decorative traditions of Qajar mansions while adopting a bold, European-influenced form. The name Kooshk means pavilion or kiosk.
Before the 1979 revolution Shaghaghi sold the property to a foreign company, which is why some locals still call it the Mandala building after its former owner. After the revolution it passed to creditors and was then bought by Iran’s cultural heritage organisation in the mid-1980s. It was restored in the early 2000s and is listed on Iran’s national heritage register. Over the years it has hosted handicraft classes and exhibitions, and it now houses offices linked to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.
The architecture
Set in a garden plot in the heart of the city, the mansion stands out for its oval footprint, which is rare in Tehran. Wide steps lead up to the entrance, and porches (ivans) wrap around the building. The dome crowning the structure nods to traditional Persian architecture, while the overall shape and proportions feel distinctly European.
The decoration is where the craftsmanship shows. Look for:
- patterned brickwork across the facade
- carved stucco and plasterwork
- muqarnas, the honeycomb-like vaulting found in Persian architecture
- latticework and tile detail
- painted and mirror-work decoration inside
Inside, the original house had basement levels, five halls, six bedrooms, a study and a kitchen that was considered very modern in its day, complete with a built-in oven.
Visiting Shaghaghi House
Because the building is used as offices, it is not generally open to the public, and there are no regular visiting hours. You can see the exterior from the street, and the facade is the highlight anyway. If you have a professional or research interest in seeing inside, you would need to contact Iran’s cultural heritage authorities in advance; there is no guarantee of access.
How to get there
The mansion stands just east of Ferdowsi Square, in the side streets off Amir Soleimani Street, which runs south from Enqelab Street. You can also approach from Ferdowsi Street via Taqavi Street.
- By metro: take Line 4 to Ferdowsi station. From Ferdowsi Square, it is a short walk east into the backstreets; a map app such as Neshan or Balad will guide you to the door.
- By taxi: ask for Ferdowsi Square and walk the last few minutes, as the lanes around the house are narrow and parking is scarce.
Nearby
The area around Ferdowsi Square is full of buildings from the same period, many of them within a few minutes’ walk. Combine Shaghaghi House with the Adorian Fire Temple and other buildings in the Ferdowsi area, the money-changers and old shops of Ferdowsi Street, and, a little further south-west, the Cossack House and museums around the National Garden. For more ideas, see our guide to places to see in Tehran.
