Photo by Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Vakil Bath House is part of a complex that were all made in Zand Era and by the order of the Just Ruler, Karim Khan Zand. For all his services and for being a very reliable ruler, he came to be titled “Deputy of the Subjects” or “Vakil Al Ra’aya”. The structures built by him were called Vakil after the great man that ordered their construction. Vakil Bath House was built on a land with an area of about 1350 m2, it has different sections such as Sarbineh (the octagonal room after the enterance), Garmkhaneh (the main section where the bathing takes place) and Khazineh (the hot water source). The Sarbineh has a ceiling filled with religious fresco painted over stucco and lime. The paintings include:
- The Ascension of the Prophet of Islam Muhammad The portrait of Imam Ali,
- the first Shiite Imam with his famous sword Zolfaghar.
- The story of Shirin and Farhad story who are two fictional lovers like Romeo & Joliet with the same tragic ending.
- The story of Bijan and Manijeh story another fictional lover.
- The story of Josef and his brothers who cast him away.
- The story of Abraham and Ishmael,
- The story of Sheikh Sanan and the Christian Maiden
- The story of the Old Woman and Sultan Sanjar
The main section of the Bath House has four one-piece stone pillars and arched roof, with small windows on the ceiling used for air conditioning and providing the light. In this Bath House, Khazineh has a warm-water pool, cold-water pool and mild-water pool. This beautiful Bath House is now a tourist attraction of Shiraz located in an area next to Vakil Bazar and Vakil Mosque and in walking distance of Karim Khan Citadel.
