Located far from the most important industrial areas and the rich farmlands of the north and west, the province of Kerman is sparsely populated. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the province boasts a remarkably cosmopolitan capital dotted with ancient monuments attesting to its importance in early Iranian history.

Abandoned caravanserais and crumbling fortifications in many parts of the province indicate that for centuries it was an important junction on the caravan routes, connecting Iran and the subcontinent. Kerman has suffered many invasions and destructions by invaders, lastly at the hands of the founder of the Qajar Dynasty, Agha Mohammad Khan, in his attempt to overthrow the Zand Prince Lotf-Ali Khan.

He captured Kerman and treated its inhabitants with barbaric cruelty in revenge for their support of the brave Zand Prince. In the early nineteenth century, Ebrahim Khan, Governor of Kerman, constructed an attractive ensemble of three buildings inside the Kerman Bazaar, including a lovely Madrasseh built around a garden courtyard.