Staying Building
(National Assembly)
Jalal Farahmand
The Baharestan square is always calls to mind the law and lawfulness
in Iran, because this square is the symbol the first place in which
the Iranian thought became acquainted with new centralism and
democracy . the history of this square is always combined with the
national Assembly and it’s sweet and bitter events of that and there
is not so much reference a bout this square and it’s surrounding
buildings in historical books before the foundation of the Assembly.
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This square also like the Tehran, itself does not have long history
and perhaps it is not more than 200 years old prior to he the
constitution of the Assembly this square was named as Negarestan,
because the Negarestan garden was placed at the northern side of it.
This garden had been established under Ffath Ali shah’s period and
also Mohammad shah was lived there for many years. The other reference
about this square which exists in historical books is related to fire
works ceremonies on festival and camel sacrificing ceremonies.
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The most famous building around this square is the building and garden
of Baharestan at it’s eastern side. The real owner of this palace is
haji Mirza Hissein khan Qazvini, the grand vizier and commander in _
chief of naseri period. In 1871 he bought extended lands for
constructing a house park for his own residence and also a mosque
including school, old fashioned school and a library, then he
immediately began to construct the Baharestan building and Sepah Salar
mosque. The constructing plan of the building and Sepahsala’rs garden
was designed by a French architect named “Falius Boitan”. Afterwards
construction plan of Zell- ol- Soltan’s garden and park which is now
belongs to the Ministry of Education was designed by the same
architect.
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In 1871 the main plan of Baharestan building was drawn and the Iranian
architects it and gradually the garden’s plan was also designed and
the act of construction lasted until 1880, But soon after that in 1880
Moshir- lo- Dowleh passed away in the city of Mashad and there he was
buried, so he could not enjoy the palace. As he had not any it went as
a part of Imperial territory as it was customary during the Qajar
period.
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This palace had two faces, one towards north and the other towards
south and from two faces it Faced Sepahsalar garden which was
extremely beautiful, regarding its floriculturing and planting trees.
The halls and rooms of this building were decorated by furnitures and
precious carpets, therefore this was taken to account as one of the
considerable governmental guest – houses and those foreign and home
high – ranked guests were being received in this palace. The garden
has it’s own special subterranean canal and beside the major building,
it was equipped with other secondary installations such as many
bathrooms, women’s apartment and coach houses.

But the history of this building was combined with constitution event
which later on it’s name became staying and immortal and gave it a
high place. The first thing that was established and strengthened
after issuing the Constitution Firman in 1906 was National Assembly
which it’s first meetings was held at the present place of the
ministry of justice and after a while this palace was granted to the
Majlis by Mozafar –ed – din shah. Since after that, this building and
square became one of the busiest places of Tehran the city, and it was
the political center of gravity of Iran for about a period of 80
years. During this period there occurred so many events which even
destroyed some or all parts of the building. By the beginning of the
minor despotism and it’s first day, the first dreadful blow was
reached to Majlis with cannonading the Majlis and it’s members by
Mohammad Ali shah. The building was ruined and exploded and it’s
furnitures was plundered by the robbers.

When the constitutionalists gained a victory again there began
principa changes again and also the new period of Majlis’s
legislation.
On February 1931 about the eighth turn of legislation the Majlis
caught fire and it’s mirror hall and special meeting room caught fire
and then the construction and repairing started again and this was
inaugurated in 1933.

Also the old Façade of Majliss which was there until 1934 was
destroyed on the same year and instead of that established its present
façade. Except the event of cannonading the Majlis, this building had
been witnessed so many other caser such as the event of republicanism,
the demonstration of different parties after Shahrivar 20, the
nationalization of oil industry, the coup de’tat of Mordad 28, etc….
After the victory of Islamic Revolution this building lost its
splendor for transformation the place of Consultative Assembly to the
building of previous senate and is abandoned for years. Unfortunately
in recent years because of improvidence it had caught fire and had
accidents and almost the whole building was seriously damaged so that
they were forced to reconstruct it completely. However this historical
building represents the spirit of Iranian’s tendency towards the law
which was hoped to be permanent for long. On this Iranian contemporary
Historical studies which we will see together.

Sources:
Tehran’s guide, Mir Mohsen Mahdavi and the organization for tourists
attracting.
Tehran on the picture of 290, yahya zoka and Mohammad Hassan semsar,
cultural Heritage organization.
Tehran in past and present, Hossein Karimian, Iran’s national
university.
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