TEHRAN – Around 20 historical bazaars across Iran are currently being revitalized in cooperation with municipalities and local shopkeepers, a former head of the Urban Regeneration Company of Iran has said.
Abdolreza Golpayegani told ISNA that efforts to revive historical urban areas also include the restoration of historical houses in several cities, including Kerman, Sari, Hamedan, Isfahan and Khorramabad.
He said cultural and heritage considerations are of particular importance in the regeneration of historical districts.
“We have taken supportive measures to improve service infrastructure, upgrade streets and create suitable conditions for construction and strengthening buildings,” Golpayegani said, adding that the broader objective is to improve the urban environment and create conditions conducive to the restoration and revival of historical houses.
Regarding the historical bazaars, he said the ongoing projects include paving, organizing roofs and improving the façades of around 20 bazaars in cooperation with municipalities and shopkeepers.
“When a historical bazaar is restored and brought into suitable condition, it naturally creates the basis for revitalizing construction and restoring houses in the surrounding area,” he said.
Golpayegani also highlighted efforts to restore historical houses, some of which had fallen into poor condition over the years. Among the projects, he cited the restoration of the Badie al-Sanae’ House in Isfahan and the Salehan House in Hamedan.
He said restoring a historical house and converting it into a suitable, high-quality service facility can have a positive impact beyond the building itself, encouraging the improvement, renovation and strengthening of neighboring properties.
The former official also referred to the restoration of historical bathhouses in several cities, saying the projects are being carried out with the assistance of municipalities and funding allocated by the Urban Regeneration Company of Iran.
Following restoration, the bathhouses can be converted into service facilities, he added.
Golpayegani said several medium-sized and small cities across the country have also taken effective steps toward reviving historical buildings with support from the Urban Regeneration Company.
“There is still considerable potential and much work to be done in this field, and we hope this process will continue,” he said.
He stressed that revitalizing historical districts should not be limited to restoring individual buildings. Instead, a comprehensive approach involving street improvements, provision of services, the revival of bazaars and historical buildings, and the creation of appropriate new uses for them is needed to gradually stimulate the regeneration of entire historical areas.
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