October 14, 2022
Kakh-e Morvarid (Pearl Palace), once the summer royal residence of the Shah’s elder sister, is being prepared to open its doors to tourists after being locked tight since 1979.
The monumental home was constructed from 1966 to 1968 under the direction of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, by American architect William Wesley Peters, as a residence for Princess Shams Pahlavi, elder sister of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
The building is made from cement and, from the sky, looks like a flounder holding a pearl. All architectural spaces are built under a spiral roof with various skylights in the shape of pearl beads. The northern corner of the palace and the outer area of its lake have been designed and built in the shape of flounder fins.
The small lake of the palace surrounds the structure on three sides. The lake has been built deep enough for boating. The palace includes various spaces such as halls, offices, a movie theater, a pool, a snooker club, a rare bird sanctuary, and bedrooms. One of the key parts of the palace is the Sadaf (Oyster) Room, which is made in a spiral shape.
