"GOLESTAN PALACE" Top 5 Page for this destination Tehran Travelogue by vahiddavoodi

Works of European painters presented to the Qajar court are housed in the Howz Khaneh.

The Howz Khaneh was used as a summer chamber during the Qajar ear. A special cooling system pumped water form a subterranean system of streams (qanats) – in this case the king’s qanat – into small ponds inside the chambers. Hows means pond, thus the name Hows Khaneh. The system was designed to pass through as many summer rooms as was necessary. The water was then channeled outside to irrigate the royal gardens. Due to the harmful effects of humidity, this system is no longer in use.

terrace takht-e-marmar

The spectacular terrace known as Takht-e-Marmar (Marble Throne) was built in 1806 by order of Fath Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797-1834). Adorned by paintings, marble-carvings, tile-work, stucco, mirrors, enamel, woodcarvings, and lattice windows; the throne embodies the finest of Iranian architecture. The Marble Throne is one of the oldest buildings of the historic Arg. The existing throne, which is situated in the middle of the terrace (iwan), is made of the famous yellow marble of Yazd province.

The throne is made of sixty-five pieces of marble and was designed by Mirza Baba Naghash Bashi (head painter) of the Qajar court. Mohammad Ebrahim, the Royal Mason, oversaw the construction and several celebrated masters of the time worked on the execution of this masterpiece. The architectural details and other ornaments of the terrace (iwan) were completed during the reigns of Fath Ali Shah and Nasser - ol- Din Shah (r. 1848-1896).

talar berelian

Talar Berelian (Hall of Brilliance) was named so for it is adorned by the brilliant mirror work of Iranian artisans. The Hall was build by Nasser-ol-Din Shah build to replace another hall called Talar Bolour (Crystal Hall). Built by Fath Ali Shah the Bolour Hall had been laid waste by the damp. The Berelian Hall is famous for its mirror work and chandeliers. An oil painting by Yahya Khan Sanie-ol Molk Ghafari, showing the decorations of this hall before renovations carried out by Mozafar-ol-Din Shah (r. 1896-1907). exists in the Golestan Palace.

edifice of the sun

Shams-ol-Emaneh (Edifice of the Sun) is the most stunning structures of the Golestan Palace.

The idea of building a tall structure came to Nasser-ol-Din Shah before his first European and from pictorial images of European buildings. The Monarch wanted a structure from which he could have panoramic views of the city.

Designed by Moayer-ol-Mamalek, construction on the Shams-ol-Emareh began in 1865 and was completed two years later. The architect was Master Ali Mohammad Kashi.

The building has two identical towers. The exterior views have multiple arches, intricate tile work and ornate windows. This building is a fusion of Persian and European architecture.

house of photographs

The Akskhaneh (House of Photographs) is a large summer chamber under the Badgir. As with the Hows Khaneh, this room was cooled using a cooling system that pumped water from a subterranean stream (qanat) into a small pond. Due to the harmful effects of humidity, this system is no longer in use. This room has undergone major renovations and is now used as an exhibition space for photographs of the Qajar period. Nasser-ol-Din Shah took an interest in photography not long after the invention of the camera. In fact, he was an avid photographer. The Akskhaneh houses some photographs taken by Nasser-ol-Din Shah and some photographs captioned by him.

emarat badgir

Emarat Badgir (Building of the Wind Towers) was constructed during the reign of Fath Ali Shah (circa 1806). The building underwent major renovations, including structural changes, during the reign of Nasser-ol-Din Shah. A watercolor rendering by Mahmood Khan Malek-ol-Shoara depicts the original structure prior to renovations,.

The building is flanked by two rooms known as goshvar (earrings). There is a central room which boasts the finest stained glass window in Golestan Palace. Outside, there are four wind towers of blue, yellow and black glazed tiles and a golden cupola. The wind towers are constructed to allow the cooling wind to move through the structure.

abyaz

The Ottoman king, Sultan Abdoulhamid, send precious gifts to Nasser-ol-Din Shah. Reportedly, these gifts were copious and enough to fill a castle. The Qajar monarch was delighted with these gifts. He decided to build an exhibit hall worthy of these gifts within the confines of Golestan Palace.

golestan palace

It is believed that Nasser-ol-Din Shah, himself, designed the structure, with a central hall large enough to house the carpet that was sent by Sultan Abdoulhamid.

Completed in 1883, the Abyaze (White) Palace now houses one of the most interesting ethological museums in Iran. There is a colorful exhibition of tradition Iranian costumes, as well as a folk art exhibition.