Municipality Palace of Tabriz

Tabriz is one of the pioneering cities of Iran in the sense that many institutions to serve people were first founded in this city. One of these institutions is the “Tabriz Municipal Palace”, which is the first museum related to Iranian municipalities and is located in a building known as "Municipal Tower" or "Clock Tower". The municipal building is located in Shahrdari Square or Sa’at Square, in the most central part of the city and in a historical area.

Tabriz Municipality Palace (in East Azarbaijan Province) was built as an office complex for the municipality of Tabriz City in the years 1935 and 1939 CE. This three-floor building was built on the site of an abandoned cemetery called “Naubar” under the supervision of German architects. Even though this building continues to be used for holding important meetings of city officials, many parts of it have been changed and turned into a museum; including the basement of this palace, which is known as Tabriz Municipality Museum.

This museum was established in 2007 over an area of nearly 800 square meters. The museum not only displays the works and objects related to Tabriz municipality but also displays the unique manifestations of the culture and history of this city.

Different Sections of the Tabriz Municipality Palace

The museum consists of several different halls, which are dedicated to displaying the gifts of officials and personalities to the mayors of Tabriz, porcelain dishes, travelogues related to Tabriz, and the most important products of this city. Some of the most important halls of Tabriz Municipal Museum are:

Hall of Old Cameras

Movie and photography cameras were first imported to Iran from Tabriz. Various types of cameras are displayed in this hall. Most of the objects displayed in this part of the museum have been donated by one of the collectors and photographers of Tabriz.

Carpet Hall

Tabriz carpet is of worldwide reputation. The art of carpet weaving has been the manifestation of Iran’s cultural identity since the distant past. A unique and exquisite collection of exquisite carpets and tapestries are on display in the Carpet Hall of the museum. Some of these works are more than 80 years old.

Iran’s largest handwoven carpet with an area of 111 square meters, two very exquisite carpets that were woven in the years 1923 and 1941 and are known as “Twin Sisters”, along with 12 carpets that are each related to the construction stages of Tabriz Municipality are on display in this hall.

The Hall of Documents

Rare samples of historical documents related to Tabriz municipality are on display in this hall. Many books, manuscripts, and official letters are stored in this hall, each of which represents a part of the history and activities of Tabriz municipality.

The Hall of Martyrs

Saddam's invasion of Iran led to an eight-year imposed war in which, with the sacrifice of its youth, Iran succeeded in repelling the all-out attack of the enemy. The documents, pictures, and handwritten letters by the martyrs of Tabriz are exhibited in this hall.

The Hall of Hikmat

Many religious scholars like Allameh Amini, Allameh Tabatabaei, and Allameh Jafari have appeared in the history of Tabriz. This hall has been created to introduce the great religious and scholarly personalities of Tabriz.

Hall of Print Industry

The first printing house of Iran was established in Tabriz. A hall has been established in the Tabriz Municipality Museum to introduce the history of the print industry in Iran and to show the role of Tabriz in the development and expansion of this industry.

Firefighters Hall

The first firefighting center of Iran was also built in Tabriz, for which reason a hall in the Tabriz Municipal Museum has been dedicated to displaying the first firefighting tools and machines in Iran.

Established in 2007, the museum not only displays the works and objects related to Tabriz municipality but also displays the unique manifestations of the culture and history of this city.