Mules Mansion

24°49′11″N 66°58′34″E / 24.819588°N 66.975994°E / 24.819588; 66.975994Year(s) built1917OwnerMinistry of DefenseDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Moses Somake

Mules Mansion is a historic mansion owned by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) under the management of Naval Secretariat in Karachi, Pakistan.^[1][2] It was built in Anglo-Oriental style in 1917 by Moses Somake. The mansion is named after Horace Charles Mules, the first chairman of the Karachi Port Trust.^[3]

History

Mules Mansion was founded during the Victoria era.^[4] The construction of the mansion began in 1885 using rugged stonemasonry and was completed in 1917.^[4][5][6] The building was designed by Jewish architect, Moses Somake, and was named after Horace Charles Mules, the first chairman of the Karachi Port Trust.^[5]

The mansion was originally designed to serve both maritime and residential purposes.^[4] The ground floor housed warehouses and workshops related to maritime activities, while the upper floors provided accommodation for sailors and featured a British-style pub for their leisure.^[4] After the Partition of India, the building temporarily served as the Naval Headquarters and later had various uses, including residential.^[5] The sailor's hostel and bar were converted into residential flats, providing a home for many migrating families, including that of Pirzada Qasim, a poet and academic.^[4] In the 1970s, some writers resided there.^[5]

Architecture

Mules Mansion is a complex of eight three-story buildings arranged in a rectangular layout.^[4][7] Each building is structurally independent but interconnected with the others.^[4] The buildings face different directions and surround an accessible field, which can be entered from the north side.^[4] In the 1990s, one of the buildings was demolished due to safety concerns.^[4]

A notable feature of the mansion is the crown-shaped observatory located on the southern side.^[4] The observatory served as a vantage point for the original owners, who were involved in the shipping industry, to monitor incoming ships.^[4] However, over time, the observatory and other parts of the mansion have fallen into disrepair due to neglect.^[4] The Victorian iron staircases, red clay-tiled roof, and some balconies have suffered damage, and the exterior has been affected by environmental factors and pollution.^[4]

References