National Seal of Authenticity for the City | 6 Notable Historical and Contemporary Architectural Works of Tehran Registered as Iranian National Monuments

For years, the capital has been searching, amid the onslaught of iron and cement and its loss of identity, for the valuable pieces of its historical memory. It is a layered city where every corner tells a chapter of Iran's social, religious, and contemporary architectural developments.

For years, the capital has been searching for valuable pieces of its historical memory amid the influx of iron and cement. A multi-layered city where every corner tells a chapter of contemporary social, religious and architectural developments in Iran.

Ambassador Arjan - Fatemeh Abbasi: The national registration of 6 outstanding works in Tehran during the past days is a strategic step to draw a protective fence around the works that were subject to being forgotten or destroyed in the shadow of heterogeneous urban development. The physical and functional diversity of this collection shows a full picture of the genius of the architects of the last century of the capital; From a modern avant-garde church with pure concrete to a unique mosque in the heart of the Qajar context, from a progressive building that combines the pattern of the Iranian central courtyard with office architecture to a mansion with the signature of a pioneer of modern architecture.

These 6 works include "Holy Cross Church" on Venk Street, "Ehsani House" on Pamnar Historical Crossing, "Vartan House" on Italy Street, "Agha Jalal Mosque" on Imamzadeh Yahya, "Former Building of Behshahr Industrial Group" on Sepahbad Qorani Street and "Imam Sajjad (AS) Mosque" on Fakhrazi Intersection. The simultaneous placement of residential, religious and administrative buildings in this new list shows the change of view of cultural heritage custodians from monopolizing on the ancient works of Safavid and Qajar eras, towards recognizing Tehran's modern and medieval architectural heritage; The works that are the pulse of connecting the tradition with the living needs of the contemporary era.

The official registration of these structures will not only be a symbolic valuation, but also a legal shield against physical attacks and a legal basis for restoring, revitalizing and redefining their presence in the current life of the capital. In the following, we review the architectural ID card and physical identity of each of these 6 newly registered works.

Church of the Holy Cross / Manifestation of the pure form of concrete in ritual architecture

Maybe few people know that one of the most different churches in Iran is located in a corner of the cultural and sports complex of Ararat in Venk. A building that was built about 40 years ago (between 1363 and 1365) with the design of a prominent architect, Rostam Veskanian. Unlike traditional and glamorous churches, this place of worship is made entirely of simple and uniform concrete. With a completely modern look but inspired by Armenian traditions, Veskanian has created an atmosphere where there is no luxury and everything makes sense at the height of simplicity and peace; A work that today is considered a lasting document of the contemporary architecture of the capital.

Ehsani House / a historical treasure in Pamnar pass

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the bazaar and the rows of tool sellers in Pamnar district 12, houses breathe that are part of the identity of old Tehran. Ehsani's house is located in the authentic neighborhood of Oudlajan and right next to famous buildings such as Mutaman-ul-Atba house. A edifice left over from the late Qajar and early Pahlavi eras that depicts traditional Iranian life patterns. Although this house is currently a private property and cannot be visited by the public, but by going to the list of national monuments, the shadow of destruction has been removed from its head and the way has been opened for expert supervision, fundamental restoration and perhaps cultural use in the coming years.

Vartan House / The monument of the man who renewed the face of the capital

Near Mustafa Khomeini Hospital on Italy Street, there is a house whose roots go back to the winter of 1326 and the pages of the old "Architect" magazine. A residential work by "Vartan Hovansian", one of the bold pioneers of modern architecture in Iran. In the days when Keshavarz Boulevard was the northern border of Tehran, Vartan built this house without additional decorations with reinforced concrete, wide windows, special fences and curved corners. Vartan saw beauty in simplicity. Now, this house with its neat yard, as a witness of the era when Tehran stepped into the modern world, has been placed under the umbrella of the heritage law.

Agha Jalal Mosque / The intimacy of a local mosque without a dome or minaret

In the alleys of the historical neighborhood of Imamzadeh Yahya and near the Nawab's well-known bath, there is a compact 150-meter building that has neither a dome nor a minaret, but it has been the spiritual base of the local residents for decades. The construction of Agha Jalal Mosque was completed according to its entrance inscription in 1313; However, its date is attributed to the late Qajar period. The cozy nave of this mosque with its 4 stone pillars and brick arched roofs revives the sense of serenity of the past. The national registration of this building helps to ensure that the simplicity and collective memories of this original neighborhood are not lost in the course of modern constructions.

The former building of Behshahr / traditional courtyard in the form of a modern office

A concrete building on Sepahbod Qarani street, which has been known as the headquarters of the Ministry of Education for many years, is actually an architectural masterpiece of the early 1950s, designed by Nader Ardalan and Farmanfarmaian office. Originally built for the headquarters of Behshahr Group factories, this building is an amazing example of combining tradition with modern office needs. Instead of a soulless concrete cube, its designers installed a central courtyard and a green garden pit with a water tank in the heart of the building so that employees can access the peace of a traditional Iranian house in the hustle and bustle of the city.

Imam Sajjad (AS) Mosque / Art by the architect of Ferdowsi Mausoleum in Fakhrazi

At the intersection of Fakhrazi Street, a mosque with more than half a century of life stands out, which was built between 1323 and 1326. The design of this 620-meter mosque is the handiwork of the incomparable master of traditional Iranian architecture, the late Hossein Larzadeh. A professor who has the Ferdowsi Mausoleum and the Great Mosque of Qom in his prolific career. The balanced brick dome with a tiled base and stone columns inside the nave bear Larzadeh's signature. The national registration of this mosque is a testament to the skill of the master who breathed the pulse of tiles, bricks and spirituality into the soul of Tehran.