| Mules Mansion | |
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Mules Mansion in Keamari, Karachi
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| General information | |
| Location | Keamari, Karachi |
| Coordinates | 24°49′11″N 66°58′34″E / 24.819588°N 66.975994°E / 24.819588; 66.975994 |
| Year(s) built | 1917 |
| Owner | Ministry of Defense |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(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]
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]
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]
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