Iranistan
Encyclopedia
Iranistan was a Moorish Revival
mansion
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
that was commissioned by P. T. Barnum
in 1848. It was designed by the Austrian-American architect
Leopold Eidlitz
. At this "beautiful country seat" Barnum played host to such famous contemporaries as Matthew Arnold
, George Custer, Horace Greeley
, and Mark Twain
. The grandiose structure survived only a decade before being destroyed by fire in 1857. It was one of five such fires in the showman's life that "burned to the ground all his accomplishments".
, later a founder of the American Institute of Architects
. It was a mix of Byzantine, Moorish
, and Turkish
decorative elements, inspired by the Royal Pavilion
in Brighton, England, which Barnum visited shortly after its construction and admired.
As such an architectural style had not yet become established in the United States
, Barnum describes his efforts to have it built:
By the time the house was completed in 1848 it had cost Barnum about $150,000.
s. A circular driveway
curved around a fountain
in the front of the house and urns stood at corners of the lawn
.
Iranistan had a greenhouse
from which Barnum used to gather flowers for Sunday services at the local Universalist
church. Barnum imported and kept a variety of choice livestock
at this property and was soon president of the local Fairfield County
agricultural society.
The Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind
told Barnum that she would not have come to the United States
if Barnum had not built Iranistan. Lind explained that she did not "relish the idea of crossing 3000 miles (4,828 km) of water" and declined all offers until she received a letter from Barnum that was engraved with an image of Iranistan in its heading. Deciding that any gentleman successful enough to build "such a palace cannot be a mere adventurer", she agreed to an interview which she would have "declined if I had not seen the picture of Iranistan".
and painters entered to do some work and had been ordered not to smoke in the building. They smoked after-dinner pipes there in the evening. A pipe left to smolder may have ignited a blaze after the workmen were gone.
The fire alarm was sounded at 11 PM on December 17, 1857 and the house burned until 1 AM. P.T. Barnum was staying at the Astor House
in New York City
. In the morning of December 18, he received a telegram from his brother, Philo F. Barnum, informing him that Iranistan had burned to the ground. Barnum had retained some insurance
on the unoccupied mansion, but he collected only $28,000. Many pictures and pieces of furniture
were saved from the fire, although much of the salvaged pieces were damaged. After the fire, bank assignees sold the property, including the surviving outbuildings, to Elias Howe
, the inventor of a sewing machine
.
movie P. T. Barnum was a specially constructed model that now marks the entrance to the main gallery of the Barnum Museum
. The museum also has a recreation of Iranistan's library
that holds furniture
designed by cabinetmaker Julius Dessoir and "showcases Barnum's distinctive taste."
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
that was commissioned by P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus....
in 1848. It was designed by the Austrian-American architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Leopold Eidlitz
Leopold Eidlitz
Leopold Eidlitz was a prominent New York architect best known for his work on the New York State Capitol , as well as "Iranistan" , P. T. Barnum's house in Bridgeport, Connecticut; St. Peter's Church, on Westchester Avenue at St...
. At this "beautiful country seat" Barnum played host to such famous contemporaries as Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator...
, George Custer, Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, and Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
. The grandiose structure survived only a decade before being destroyed by fire in 1857. It was one of five such fires in the showman's life that "burned to the ground all his accomplishments".
Construction
"Barnum’s most unique mansion" was designed by the New York architect Leopold EidlitzLeopold Eidlitz
Leopold Eidlitz was a prominent New York architect best known for his work on the New York State Capitol , as well as "Iranistan" , P. T. Barnum's house in Bridgeport, Connecticut; St. Peter's Church, on Westchester Avenue at St...
, later a founder of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. It was a mix of Byzantine, Moorish
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
, and Turkish
Turquerie
Turquerie was the Orientalist fashion in Western Europe from the 16th to 18th centuries for imitating aspects of Turkish art and culture. Many different Western European countries were fascinated by the exotic and relatively unknown culture of Turkey, which was the center of the Ottoman Empire,...
decorative elements, inspired by the Royal Pavilion
Royal Pavilion
The Royal Pavilion is a former royal residence located in Brighton, England. It was built in three campaigns, beginning in 1787, as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales, from 1811 Prince Regent. It is often referred to as the Brighton Pavilion...
in Brighton, England, which Barnum visited shortly after its construction and admired.
As such an architectural style had not yet become established in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Barnum describes his efforts to have it built:
I concluded to adopt it, and engaged a LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
to furnish me a set of drawings after the general plan of the pavilion, differing sufficiently to be adapted to the spot of ground selected for my homesteadHomestead (buildings)A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
. On my second return visit to the United States, I brought these drawings with me and engaged a competent architect and builder, giving him instructions to proceed with the work, not 'by the job' but 'by the day,' and to spare neither time nor expense in erecting a comfortable, convenient, and tasteful residence. The work was thus begun and continued while I was still abroad, and during the time when I was making my tour with General Tom ThumbGeneral Tom ThumbGeneral Tom Thumb was the stage name of Charles Sherwood Stratton , a dwarf who achieved great fame under circus pioneer P.T. Barnum.-Early life:...
through the United States and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Elegant and appropriate furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
was made expressly for every room in the house. I erected expensive water-works to supply the premises. The stableStableA stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
s, conservatoriesConservatory (greenhouse)A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
and out-buildings were perfect in their kind. There was a profusion of trees set out on the grounds. The whole was built and established literally 'regardless of expense,' for I had no desire even to ascertain the entire cost.
By the time the house was completed in 1848 it had cost Barnum about $150,000.
Description
The architectural extravaganza on 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) of land was the first of four "famous" Bridgeport mansions built by Barnum. The fanciful three-story oriental-style structure had numerous porches and arches, the whole thing topped by multiple onion domeOnion dome
An onion dome is a dome whose shape resembles the onion, after which they are named. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the drum upon which they are set, and their height usually exceeds their width...
s. A circular driveway
Driveway
A driveway is a type of private road for local access to one or a small group of structures, and is owned and maintained by an individual or group....
curved around a fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
in the front of the house and urns stood at corners of the lawn
Lawn
A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants, which usually are maintained at a low and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn...
.
Iranistan had a greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
from which Barnum used to gather flowers for Sunday services at the local Universalist
Universalism
Universalism in its primary meaning refers to religious, theological, and philosophical concepts with universal application or applicability...
church. Barnum imported and kept a variety of choice livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
at this property and was soon president of the local Fairfield County
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
agricultural society.
The Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
told Barnum that she would not have come to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
if Barnum had not built Iranistan. Lind explained that she did not "relish the idea of crossing 3000 miles (4,828 km) of water" and declined all offers until she received a letter from Barnum that was engraved with an image of Iranistan in its heading. Deciding that any gentleman successful enough to build "such a palace cannot be a mere adventurer", she agreed to an interview which she would have "declined if I had not seen the picture of Iranistan".
Fire
When Barnum experienced financial difficulties, he had Iranistan was closed and it was unoccupied for more than two years. CarpentersCarpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
and painters entered to do some work and had been ordered not to smoke in the building. They smoked after-dinner pipes there in the evening. A pipe left to smolder may have ignited a blaze after the workmen were gone.
The fire alarm was sounded at 11 PM on December 17, 1857 and the house burned until 1 AM. P.T. Barnum was staying at the Astor House
Astor House
The Astor House was a fine hotel in New York City, that opened in 1836 and soon became the most famous hotel in America.-History:The Astor House was originally built by John Jacob Astor, who assembled the building lots around his former house until he had purchased the full block in the heart of...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the morning of December 18, he received a telegram from his brother, Philo F. Barnum, informing him that Iranistan had burned to the ground. Barnum had retained some insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
on the unoccupied mansion, but he collected only $28,000. Many pictures and pieces of furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
were saved from the fire, although much of the salvaged pieces were damaged. After the fire, bank assignees sold the property, including the surviving outbuildings, to Elias Howe
Elias Howe
Elias Howe, Jr. was an American inventor and sewing machine pioneer.-Early life & family:Howe was born on July 9, 1819 to Dr. Elias Howe, Sr. and Polly Howe in Spencer, Massachusetts. Howe spent his childhood and early adult years in Massachusetts where he apprenticed in a textile factory in...
, the inventor of a sewing machine
Sewing machine
A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric, cards and other material together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies...
.
Museum
The Iranistan seen in the A&E NetworkA&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
movie P. T. Barnum was a specially constructed model that now marks the entrance to the main gallery of the Barnum Museum
Barnum Museum
The Barnum Museum is a museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA with an extensive collection related to P. T. Barnum and the history of Bridgeport, Connecticut housed in an historic building on the National Register of Historic Places.- Construction :...
. The museum also has a recreation of Iranistan's library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
that holds furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
designed by cabinetmaker Julius Dessoir and "showcases Barnum's distinctive taste."