Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
pleted in 1647 under the watch of Shah Abbas II. Either way, what you see today was re-
built after a fire in 1706.
The palace is entered via the elegant
talar
terrace that perfectly bridges the transition
between the Persian love of gardens and interior splendour. Its 20 slender, ribbed wooden
pillars rise to a superb wooden ceiling with crossbeams and exquisite inlay work. Chehel
Sotun means '40 pillars' - the number reflected in the long pool in front of the palace.
The Great Hall (Throne Hall) contains a rich array of frescoes, miniatures and ceramics.
The upper walls are dominated by historical frescoes on a grand scale, sumptuously por-
traying court life and some of the great battles of the Safavid era - the two middle fres-
coes (Nos 114 and 115) date from the Qajar period but the other four are original. From
right to left, above the entrance door, the armies of Shah Ismail do battle with the Uzbeks;
Nader Shah battles Sultan Mohammed (astride a white elephant) on an Indian battle-
ground; and Shah Abbas II welcomes King Nader Khan of Turkestan with musicians and
dancing girls.
On the wall opposite the door, also from right to left, Shah Abbas I presides over an os-
tentatious banquet; Shah Ismail battles the janissaries (infantrymen) of Sultan Selim; and
Shah Tahmasp receives Humayun, the Indian prince who fled to Persia in 1543. These ex-
traordinary works survived the 18th-century invasion by the Afghans, who whitewashed
the paintings to show their disapproval of such extravagance. Other items, including Sa-
favid forebear Safi od-Din's hat, are kept in a small
museum
.
The palace's garden,
Bagh-e Chehel Sotun
, is an excellent example of the classic Per-
sian Garden form and was recently added to Unesco's World Heritage list.
MUSEUM
Muze-ye Honarha-ye Tazeini
(Decorative Arts Museum of Iran;
Click here
;
Ostandari St; admission US$0.50;
8.30am-1pm Sat-Thu)
This recently renovated museum occupies a building that once
served as stables and warehouse to Safavid kings. Today it contains a fine collection from
the Safavid and Qajar periods, including miniatures, glassware, lacquer work, ancient
Qurans, calligraphy, ceramics, woodcarvings, traditional costumes and weapons.
Kakh-e Hasht Beheshtتشهب تشه خاک
(Hasht Behesht Palace;
Click here
;
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; admission US$0.50;
9am-4pm winter, 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm summer)
It was once the most luxuriously
decorated secular building in Esfahan, but over the years the interior of this 17th-century
palace has been extensively damaged. Nevertheless, it retains a seductive tranquillity, with
the soaring wooden columns on its open-sided terrace seeming to mirror the trees in the
surrounding garden.
PALACE
