Heritage benefactor steps forward to restore Isfahan's historic Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse

TEHRAN – The first private philanthropist to support the restoration of a historical monument in Iran's central province of Isfahan has pledged about 60 billion rials (some $33,000) to help revive the centuries-old Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse, provincial cultural heritage officials said on Monday.

Seyyed Rouhollah Seyyed-al-Asgari, Deputy Director-General of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Isfahan province, said the contribution marks the first direct philanthropic participation in restoring a historical monument in the province.

The Safavid-era bathhouse, located south of Isfahan's Jameh Mosque and adjacent to the city's historic bazaar in one of its oldest urban quarters, was designed by the renowned Persian scholar and architect Sheikh Bahai during the reign of Shah Abbas I. The monument was inscribed on Iran's National Heritage List in 1998.

Seyyed-al-Asgari said the provincial heritage authority now owns about 99% of the property after a 15-year acquisition process involving around 90 separate owners.

He said approximately 20 billion rials had been spent over the past three years on emergency conservation and structural stabilization, but financial constraints prevented completion of the restoration and preparation of the site for investment and public use.

"Although investors had previously expressed interest in operating the complex, a significant development has occurred in recent days," Seyyed-al-Asgari said. "For the first time, a philanthropist has stepped forward to participate in the restoration of a historical monument in Isfahan."

Under a memorandum of understanding, the benefactor will finance the restoration while the provincial cultural heritage department will oversee implementation of the project and prepare the monument for future operation.

The official identified the donor only as a well-known Isfahan philanthropist who has supported school-building projects in deprived areas of Iran and now lives abroad. He said the donor had also expressed willingness to participate in restoring other historical buildings in the province if the Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse project proves successful.

Seyyed-al-Asgari described the initiative as a turning point for heritage conservation, noting that while charitable giving has long played a major role in sectors such as education, healthcare and religious projects, cultural heritage has received comparatively little philanthropic support.

He said public participation would be increasingly important given Isfahan's large number of historic buildings and limited government funding.

The restoration project will include repairs to the bathhouse's main hot chamber and other interior spaces while highlighting its historical and scientific significance as part of a future cultural and tourism attraction, he added.

The Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse is widely known for legends surrounding its remarkable heating system, which reportedly kept the complex warm with a single, continuously burning flame.

The bathhouse is particularly well known among visitors from Arab countries, including Iraq and Lebanon, because of its association with Sheikh Bahai and the enduring mystery of its engineering, Seyyed-al-Asgari said. He added that the restoration aims not only to preserve the building but also to present its historical technological innovations to visitors after years of uncertainty over its future.