Golestan Palace, Tehran

Golestan Palace, Tehran

Golestan Palace in Tehran
Golestan palace complex is a masterpiece of the Qajar era that illustrates the successful combination of traditional Persian crafts and architectural forms from earlier periods with Western influences. The walled Golestan Palace which is one of Tehran's oldest settlements, was chosen as the seat of government by the ruling Qajar family who came to power in 1779 and made Tehran the capital of the country.

Built around a garden of ponds and planted areas, Golestan Palace was endowed with its most characteristic elements and 19th century ornaments.

Having become a center of Qajar arts and architecture of which it is a unique testimony, it remains to this day a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects.

Golestan Palace embodies a new style combining traditional Persian arts and crafts with elements of 18th century European architecture and technology.

Look at the Iran Tours to explore the attractions or send us a Message

The ensemble known as Golestan Palace is the palatial group that has some of the oldest buildings in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The first constructions date from the first half of the 16th century and were built by the Safavid rulers. The citadel was built between 1524 and 1576, begun by Tahmasb I, and then enlarged and reformed by Karim Khan Zand (1724-1776). However, the final changes that has shaped the current status of Golestan Palace is done by Haji Abol-Hassan Memar Navai (1865), during the Qajar dynasty, when Tehran becomes the capital of Persia.

Golestan Palace was a royal residence during the Qajar (1794-1925), and later, the Pahlavi dynasties. During the twentieth century the Pahlavi kings destroyed much of the old palace to build administrative buildings. In 2013, UNESCO included Golestan Palace on its World Heritage list.

The successive reforms, extensions and destructions have changed the physiognomy of the Golestan Palace and added many stylistic layers to it.

Today Golestan Palace consists of a large park with several ponds, and the buildings organized around it. Some of these buildings are used as museums and exhibition halls. A wall surrounds the entire space.

Look at the Iran Tours to explore the attractions or send us a Message