ganj ali khan complex

Ganjali Khan Complex in the old town of Kerman is a Safavid-era building complex. The governor of Kerman, Ganjali Khan, ordered the construction of the complex which boasts an Isfahani architectural style.

Analogous to Isfahan’s Naghsh-e Jahan square and Mir Chakhmagh in Yazd, the buildings are around a big square in Kerman. The historical buildings include a school, a bazaar, a caravanserai, a public bath, and a water reservoir.

Boasting tastefully painted muqarnas, the portal welcomes you to Ganjali Khan hammam which todays serves as a museum. Frescoes depict Bahram Gor (the fifteenth Sasanian King) during hunting, Iranian love myths and legends like Khosrow and Shirin. The hammam features engrossing tile works, frescoes and wax figures representing the workings of a traditional bathhouse. It also enjoys the sophisticated architecture of that time to trap steam inside and resist cold weather infiltration.

There were once four mosques in four corners of the square but today three of them remain. The one in the square’s northeastern corner and adjacent to the caravanserai will be the one that calls your attention. The elegant tile-work on the building is eye-catchingly beautiful.

As one of the most credible coin and money museums in the country, Ganjali Khan coin museum features a wide variety of old coins. In the past, the museum used to be a mint where coins were minted.

To complete your visit to Ganjali Khan Complex, the old bazaar is a must. Leading to the gateway of Kerman on one end and to its exit on the other, the linear bazaar offers whatever your heart desires from traditional handicrafts to local nuts, spices, herbs, and copper works.