Khosroabad Palace to become ‘premier museum’ after renovation
Iran plans to turn the restored Khosroabad Palace in the western city of Sanandaj into “one of the country’s premier museums” after conservation work is completed, a senior cultural heritage official said on Tuesday, as authorities continue to repair damage to historic sites following the recent war with the United States and Israel.
Leila Khosravi, director general of museums at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, made the remarks during a visit to the western province of Kurdestan, where she inspected museums and historical monuments as part of a nationwide program to assess their condition, monitor their status and review their conservation needs, ISNA reported.
Khosravi said the historic Khosroabad Palace had gone through significant restoration work and was scheduled to become one of the country’s premier museums once the project is completed, allowing it to play a greater role in showcasing the history, culture and identity of Sanandaj.
She said the palace was among dozens of historical sites damaged during the recent war involving US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with most of the damage affecting architectural decorations, orosi windows and wooden structures.
“Given that a significant number of the country’s museums are housed in historical buildings, some architectural elements and display cases were also damaged. However, thanks to measures taken by the ministry, historical and cultural objects were transferred to secure storage before any damage occurred, and fortunately none of the cultural and historical artefacts or properties in Kurdestan province were damaged,” Khosravi said.
She said restoring orosi windows, architectural decorations and wooden structures should top the list of priorities. The ministry would also support the province’s museums by upgrading and standardizing storage facilities, improving controls for the preservation environment, including temperature and humidity, and providing the funding required for conservation work.
Khosravi said the ministry also planned to fortify protective infrastructure at museums across Kurdistan province by reinforcing security equipment, updating protection systems and supplying surveillance cameras to improve the safeguarding of historical artefacts.
The Khosroabad Palace Museum in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan, was built in 1808 by Amanollah Khan Ardalan, the then governor of the province. The complex goes back to the Qajar era, although parts of the building feature decorative elements in the Zand style.
The palace served as the seat of the Ardalan Kurdish ruling family and is regarded as an important symbol of Kurdish heritage in the region. It functioned at times as a political and military headquarters but was used mainly for official ceremonies and celebrations, including the wedding of a daughter of Qajar ruler Fath Ali Shah to Amanollah Khan’s son.
Covering about 6,000 square metres, the palace is regarded as one of western Iran’s most distinctive historic buildings, featuring elaborate plasterwork, brickwork and tile decorations. It was added to Iran’s National Heritage List in 1977 and now operates as a museum and tourist attraction.