Ramsar Palace Explained

Coordinates:36.9031°N 50.6583°W
Location Town:Ramsar
Location Country:Iran
Client:Reza Shah
Size:60,000 square meters (land area)

The Ramsar Palace or Marmar Palace is one of the historic buildings and royal residences in Iran. The palace is in Ramsar, a city on the coast of the Caspian Sea.

History

The Ramsar Palace was established on a land of 60,000 square meters in 1937.[1] The area was a historical garden in Ramsar.[2] Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's companion Ernest Perron was sent to the palace to work as the head gardener shortly after the completion of the construction.[3]

The palace was used as a summer residence by Reza Shah and then by his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his second spouse Sorayya Esfendiari spent their honeymoon in the palace.[4] They also frequently went there when they came across political crisis in Tehran.[5]

Technical features

The Ramsar Palace is a compact and modest residence with square meters area although it lies on a land of 60,000 square meters.[6] It is a rectangular building with a single story,[2] and is decorated with works by famous Iranian sculptors and painters.[7] The front line of the palace is made up of carved marble stones which were made by local artists. The common materials used are plaster and mirror in addition to marble.[2] There is a reception hall or central hall in the place which has wooden floor.[2]

Current usage

The palace has been used as a museum since 2000.[8] It is called the Ramsar Palace museum or the Caspian museum and is known by locals as “Tamashagah Khazar".[9]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Andrew Burke. Iran. 2010. Lonely Planet. 978-1-74220-349-2. 173. Footscray, Victoria.
  2. Web site: Photographer's Note. Trek Earth. 28 September 2013.
  3. Daniela Meier. Between court Jester and Spy: The career of a Swiss Gardener at the royal court in Iran. A footnote to modern Iranian history. Critique: Journal for Critical Studies of the Middle East. 2000. 9. 16. 77. 10.1080/10669920008720160 . 144640479 .
  4. News: Memories of Soraya. 28 September 2013. The Middle East. 1 July 2002. Cyrus Kadivar.
  5. Fariborz Mokhtari. Review of Iran's 1953 Coup: Revisiting Mosaddeq. Bustan: The Middle East Book Review. 2016. 7. 2. 127. 10.5325/bustan.7.2.0113. 185086482.
  6. Book: Jill Worrall. Two Wings of a Nightingale: Persian Soul, Islamic Heart. 2011. GF Books, Inc.. Hawthorne, CA. 978-1-927147-05-4. 229.
  7. Web site: Ramsar, an Iranian bride to remember. Travel Blog. 27 June 2014.
  8. Web site: History of the Ramsar Palace Museum . Cultural Institute of Bonyad Museums. 28 September 2013. 13 March 2012.
  9. Web site: Ramsar, An Iranian Bride to Remember. Iran Review. 28 September 2013. Sam K. Parks-Kia. 21 November 2009.