The Enchanting Chehel Sotoun Palace
Built on the beautiful landscape of Isfahan city during the reign of Shah Abbas II in 1646; Chehel Sotoun (Forty Pillars) is one of the most magnificent palaces in Iran. The astounding palace served as a place of leisure and entertainment for the king and his royal family. Surrounded by an abundance of flowers and trees, the palace sits at the end of a long pool; in which the twenty wooden pillars of its terrace are reflected. The reflection of the pillars in water is what inspired the name Forty Pillars. The structure of the palace, itself, is immersed with exquisite and alluring ceramic paintings and frescoes. Although many ceramic panels have been disbanded and are in possession of western museums, there still is plenty of beautiful artwork to marvel at. Come along with goingIRAN to learn and discover more about this attraction!
Within this magnificent palace there is a rich variety of intricate and decorative compositions of artwork (traditional-miniature style) that celebrate the joys of life and love. Among them, there are also some art pieces with historical depictions as well. In the historical depictions, one can find: the reception of an Uzbek King; in 1646, the Mughal Emperor; Humayun who in 1544 took refuge in Iran, the battle of Taher-Abad; where in 1510 Shah Ismail I killed the Uzbek King, or the most recent painting which portrays Nader Shah’s triumph over the Indian army in 1739. The combination of these decorative and historical depictions gives visitors an authentic feel of the 16th century. This palace is a window to an older and very different time of life. The Persian Empire, how they lived and experienced the world.
Chehel Sotoun is one of nine Iranian gardens that are registered as an official World Heritage Site under the name ‘Persian Garden’.
City/Town: Isfahan
Address: Emam Hosein sq., Sepah st., Ostandari st.
Operating days: Every day
Operating Hours: 9am. to 4pm.
Typical Price: 200.000 Rls.
Neighborhood: Ali Qapu palace , Naghsh-e-Jahan Sq., Imam Mosque, Isfahan Bazaar, Hasht Behesht Garden, Mehr hotel, Mesgarha Bazaar, Natural History Museum, Contemporary Art Museum