Tabasi House, a historical building in Kashan, Isfahan Province, was inscribed on the National Heritage List on Jan. 14, according to the head of the provincial office of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.
Announcing the news on Saturday, Mohammad Taheri said the privately-owned property will be renovated and repurposed as a lodging facility.
"Restoration of the site began before its inscription and the owner intends to use Tabasi House as a traditional accommodation," he was quoted as saying by YJC.
The owner will receive financial assistance from ICHHTO and the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places.
Dating back to Qajar Dynasty (1789–1925), Tabasi House enjoys rich Iranian architecture and interior design. It has a courtyard, a special type of yard that is adjusted to suit the hot and dry climate of the city. The yard is built below ground level to let the airflow cool the space.
Covering 710 square meters, the building is not as big as most other historical houses of Kashan. However, its windcatcher, modest yard with a pool and unique architecture help Tabasi House stand out.
The site shares a name with two other Qajar-era houses in Iran, one in Yazd and the other in Ferdos, South Khorasan Province. Both houses were inscribed on the National Heritage List in 2007.
Iran's target is to cede almost 100 buildings to the private sector for restoration each year, which means a total of 1,084 buildings will be ready for use by the end of the Vision Plan (2025).
The sole aim is to repurpose the houses as lodging facilities to help meet Iran's demand for affordable accommodation with a touch of Iranian tradition.
Foreign and private sector investors who put their money in Iranian historical buildings can get 100% tax exemption for five to 13 years, based on the scale and location of the project.
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