The Ganjali Khan complex is a historical complex of approximately 11000 square meters located in the center of Kerman. Located right next to Kerman's bazaar, Ganjali Khan complex consists of a square, a caravanserai, a bathhouse, an Ab Anbar (water tank), a Zarrabkhane (mint), a mosque and a bazaar . The name comes from the Governor of Kerman in the Safavid era, Ganj Ali Khan, who had an important role in the development of Kerman and ordered the construction of the complex. Ganjali Khan complex along with Bam Citadel, the village of Meymand, Rayen Castle and Shazdeh Garden is one of Kerman's tourist attractions.
Ganj Ali Khan who was the governor of Kerman, Sistan and Kandahar between 1596 and 1621 during the reign of Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty ordered the then famous architect Mohammad Soltani to design and build the complex. During Ganj Ali Khan's reign various architectural sites were built such as the Ganjali Khan Caravanserai on the Kerman-Yazd route and some Qanats (aqueduct) on the Kerman-Mashhad route. During the occupation of Kerman by the first king of Qajar, Agha Mohammad Khan this complex suffered extensive damage.
The Ganjali Khan complex was designed by architect Mohammad Soltani, who designed it based on Isfahan's architectural style. The complex by itself is a work of art where you can see the architectural precision and the perfect design applied by the architect. On each side of the complex a mosque has been built and the four have only been preserved three. The different parts of Ganjali Khan complex are:
Ganj Ali Khan Square
The square is located in the center of the complex and like other famous squares in Iran like Naqsh-e Jahan square it is surrounded by other important buildings like bazaar, caravanserai, bath house and etc. The plaza is characterized by brick arches, beautiful tiles and etc.
Ganj Ali Khan Mosque
Although there are four mosques (three preserved) in Ganjali Khan complex, but the most famous one is Ganjali Khan Mosque located on the northeast side of the square. Before entering we are struck by a rocky inscription on the wooden door showing great admiration for King Shah Abbas I. Inside the mosque we would fall in love with the floor made of stone, the porch with geometric plaster designs painted, plastering work, patterned decoration, huge wooden door and etc. In addition, the mosque has a dozen skylights. After the restoration work has been carried out in recent years, the mosque has become a site for tourist purposes only.
Ganj Ali Khan Bazaar
Ganjali Khan Bazaar is located on the south side of the square occupying an area of almost 535 square meters with a length of 93 meters and a width of 5.75 meters.
Ganj Ali Khan bathhouse
Built in 1631, the Ganjali Bathhouse is located on the south side of Ganjali Square, in front of the Ganjali Bazaar. The entrance to the building is painted with ornaments from the Safavid era. An interesting feature of its architectural finish is that the sculpted stones on the ceiling match those on the floor. It consists of a nude room, a cold room and a hot room. Ganjali Khan bathhouse is currently an anthropological museum.
Ganj Ali Khan caravanserai
Ganjali Khan's caravanserai is located on the east side of Ganjali Square. The design of the caravanserai is based on the four-Iwan typology, with two-story halls centered on high Iwan that wrap around the four sides of an open courtyard. There is an octagonal fountain in the center of the courtyard that is chamfered at the corners. Ganjali Khan's caravanserai occupies six hundred and thirty square meters and has a small domed mosque.
Ganj Ali Khan Mint (Zarrabkhaneh)
The mint building has a tall dome topped by a dome for light entry and ventilation. The interior of the building is decorated with plasterwork and ocher bricks. The mint was converted to a numismatics museum in 1970. The museum exhibits coins from different periods, such as the Parthian, Sasanian, Safavid and Zand, Qajar, and Pahlavi periods.
Ali Mardan Khan's Water Cistern
The cistern has been named after Ganjali Khan's son and is a building made with very special architecture. According to the books, this cistern used to deposit more than 2 million liters of water annually. The interior of the cistern is designed with precious tiles.
During your visit to Iran, do not miss the opportunity to visit Kerman and the Ganj Ali Khan Complex, which is one of the items on the "What to visit in Kerman" list and is also normally included in Kerman and Iran tour packages. , especially on Iran cultural tours. Although it is a historical site, normally Iran tour operators such as Iran Negin Travel include city of Kerman on their eco-trips to Iran, adventure trips to Iran, religious trips to Iran and etc.
Our cultural tours to Iran are mostly the option to explore Ganj Ali Khan Complex in Kerman.
07:00 - 20:00
300.000 IRR