Golestan Palace
Yahya Zoka
Farairan Quarterly,Nos.5&6,Autumn2000-Winter 2001
The ensemble is a relic of the historic Arg (governmental seat) of , where Qajar monarchs resided, and comprises several of the most beautiful ancient buildings erected in the capital during the past 200 years1.
The origins of the royal Arg, limited northward by Emam Khomeini (ex-Sepah) Square and Avenue, westward by Khayyam Avenue, eastward by , and southward by 15th and , date back to the Safavid period. The Safavid monarch Shah Tahmasb I (930-984), was the first king who, during a pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Hazrat-e ‘Abd-ol-‘Azim, ordered a one league-long rampart to be erected around Tehran, which was a small town at the time.
After him, Shah ‘Abbas had a chahar-bagh (quadripartite garden) and a plane tree grove created north of this rampart, around which he later had a tall wall built and the royal residence, which was called Arg, built within this enclosure. In the closing years of the Safavid period, was occasionally used as a temporary royal residence and Shah Solayman (1077-1105) even had a palace built in this city, but today no traces of those Safavid buildings remain.
The most ancient extant buildings within the ensemble are the Takht-e Marmar (Marble Throne) and the Khalvat-e Karim-Khani (Karim-Khan’s Secluded Retreat), built during the reign of the Zand monarch Karim-Khan. In 1172, in the course of his wars against the Qajar Mohammad-Hassan-Khan, Karim-Khan adopted as the central camp of his military operations and, after defeating his opponent, gave a public audience in the ancient Divan-khaneh of , built under Shah Solayman, during which he was elected the king of under the title of Vakil-or-Ro’aya. Upon his orders, in the summer of the same year, the rampart of the Arg was restored and a harem, a secluded retreat and a governmental seat were built within its enclosure; and in the summer of the following year (1173 AH), when he transferred his military camp to the Chaman-e Soltaniyeh (Zanjan), he ordered a particular palace and a large administrative complex to be built in the Sasanian style and a garden created beside them.
After Karim-Khan’s death in 1193 AH, the Qajar Aqa-Mohammad-Khan adopted as his capital in 1200 AH, but, being busy with incessant military campaigns, he seldom resided in it or had any time to indulge in building and development activities. Eventually, Fath-‘Ali Shah accessed to the throne in 1211 AH. Thereafter, alongside the growing size of the country’s administrative machine and royal formalities, numerous buildings were erected within the Arg of Tehran, mainly under Fath-‘Ali Shah and Nasser-ed-Din Shah. During the reign of Reza Shah, large parts of the Arg of Tehran, including its rampart, the Bab-e ‘Ali portico, the Rehabilitation Building, the Telegraph House, the Tekie-ye Dowlat, the Narenjestan (citrus grove), the Golshan Garden and the Inner Quarters, were demolished, the royal residence was transferred to Sa’d-Abad, and then to Niavaran under Mohammad-Reza Shah, and the Golestan ensemble was dedicated to the reception of foreign guests. After the Revolution, the Golestan ensemble, as most other royal buildings, was transformed into a museum, so as to enable the public to visit it and enjoy the sight of the beautiful monuments left behind by Iranian artists and artisans.
At present, the various parts of this ensemble are: 1) The Takht-e Marmar aivan; 2) The Khalvat-e Karim-Khani; 3) The museum building (Salam Hall) and its Hose-khaneh; 4) The Mirror Hall (New Golestan Hall); 5) The Ivory Hall, or Dining Hall; 6) The Brilliant Hall, or Reception Hall; 7) The Dormitory Building, erected in 1960 on the site of the Narenjestan to accommodate Queen Elizabeth II; 8) The Shams-ol-‘Emareh Palace; 9) The Bad-gir Building and its large hose-khaneh; 10) The Diamond Hall; 11) The White Palace; and, 12) The Chador-khaneh.
As already mentioned, the Takht-e Marmar aivan and the Khalvat-e Karim-Khani date back to the reign of the Vakil-or-Ro’aya. The Khalvat-e Karim-Khani is located on the northwest of the ensemble, adjacent to the Salam Hall. It was built in 1173, but major parts of it were demolished in the course of alterations made during the reign of Nasser-ed-Din Shah and all that remains from it is a hypostyle structure shaped as a three-spanned aivan with a central pool into which the water of the Royal Qanat spouts. This is where Aqa-Mohammad-Khan had Karim-Khan’s remains reburied.
The Takht-e Marmar aivan
The Takht-e Marmar aivan, previously called Divan-khaneh or Aivan-e Dar-ol-Amareh, was also built in 1173. Here Qajar monarchs held their Salam ceremonies and during Nowrooz and other holidays received various social groups in audience.
This building twice underwent major alterations. The first time was in 1206, when Aqa-Mohammad-Khan led a military campaign to , destroying the Vakil’s palace there and having its paintings, mirrors, marble panels and tall columns and marquetry doors transferred to . The ceiling of the edifice was raised to accommodate the taller marble columns and some ledges and arcades were walled-up. Yet greater alterations were made around the year 1300 AH, during the reign of Nasser-ed-Din Shah, when damages became apparent in the aivan’s structure.
The aivan’s decoration comprises exquisite stucco carving, stone carving, marquetry, tile-work and inlay work. Six frescoes– a portrait of Fath-‘Ali Shah, the war between Nader Shah and the Ottoman general Yeken-Pasha, a war scene of the Ghurids, a hunting scene of the Safavid Shah Esma’il and the combat between Timur and the Ottoman Sultan Ildorom Bayazid– adorned its walls. Also several small oil paintings representing European men and women were installed under glass in the arcades below the ceiling, some of which are still located in this aivan. One of the most beautiful features of this aivan, from which it draws its appellation, is the Takht-e Marmar (Marble Throne), also called Takht-e Solayman (Solayman’s Throne). Ordered by Fath-‘Ali Shah around 1220 AH, this throne was made by craftsmen from Esfahan out of yellow marble from the quarries of . It was designed by Mirza-Baba Shirazi and carved under the supervision of Mohammad-Ebrahim Esfahani, respectively the Naqqash-bashi (head painter) and the Hajjar-bashi (head sculptor) of the court. An elevated walled platform resting on the shoulders of six demons and six angels and on top of eleven spiral pillars some of which stand on the back of lions, the Takht-e Marmar is installed at the center of the aivan and patterns and poems have been carved on its exterior surfaces and railings. Other decorative items in this aivan are two superb marquetry doors flanking its reception area and a magnificent five-panel sashed window in the wall behind it.
The Mirror Hall
The buildings on the northern side of the Golestan ensemble are, from west to east: the Salam (Museum) Hall; the Mirror Hall; the Ivory Hall, or Dining Hall; the Brilliant Hall; and the , all of which, except the latter, belong to the reign of Nasser-ed-Din Shah. The most famous buildings among these are the Mirror Hall and the Salam Hall. The Mirror Hall, or New Golestan Hall, was built between 1291 and 1294 AH, together with the Salam Hall, but their decoration, mirror-work and stucco carving continued until 1299 AH.
These buildings, together with their corridors and hose-khanehs, were designed by Haji Abolhassan, the Me’mar-bashi (head architect) of Nasser-ed-Din Shah’s court entitled Sani’-ol-Molk, and built under the supervision of Mirza Yahya-Khan Mo’tamed-ol-Molk, the brother of Mirza Hossein-Khan Sepahsalar, who built the National Parliament House and the Sepahsalar madrasa and mosque. Mirza Yahya-Khan later became Foreign Minister and acquired the title of Moshir-od-Dowleh. Notwithstanding its small dimensions, this hall is quite famous for the excellent mirror-work adorning its walls and ceiling, as well as the oil painting which the late Kamal-ol-Molk has made of it.
The Salam Hall
The Salam (Museum) Hall stands west of the Mirror Hall. The idea of creating a museum sprang in Nasser-ed-Din Shah’s mind after his first travel to , he had the egress building demolished and replaced with the New Golestan building, comprising the Mirror Hall and the Museum Room. In the early days after the Museum Room’s inauguration, besides Iranian and European artifacts, gifts sent by foreign rulers to Iranian kings, weapons and shields of past monarchs, historic relics, paintings, flower vases, chandeliers, clocks and statues, etc., a major collection of loose jewels and gem-studded objects of art were exhibited in it, but following the theft of the jewels of the Peacock Throne in 1309 AH, and also the ban on tobacco, during which the people invaded the citadel, Nasser-ed-Din Shah had a strong basement built under the Dormitory Building and the jewels transferred to it. After the transfer of the Peacock Throne, Nader’s throne and the gem-studded chair of Mohammad Shah from the Mirror Hall to the Museum Room, special and official Salam ceremonies were held in this hall, which therefore gradually became known as the Salam Hall.
In 1966, on the occasion of coronation ceremonies held in this hall, the building was restored and its museum layout was changed entirely, acquiring its present configuration. Valuable items today preserved in this hall include the Peacock Throne and the gem-studded chair of Mohammad Shah. On the lower floor of the Salam Hall, there is a large hose-khaneh (pool-room) today divided into two areas. The eastern area, called Special Hall, is dedicated to the display of Iranian artifacts from the Qajar period, and the western area, called Negar-khaneh (paintings’ room), houses works of Qajar period Iranian painters.
On the east of the Mirror Hall stands the Ivory Hall, or Sofreh-khaneh (Dining Hall), followed by the Brilliant Building, where foreign guests were entertained and official receptions were held before the revolution, and which has now been dedicated to the display of artifacts, dinnerware and flower vases.
The last building on the northern side is the New Dormitory building, built in 1960 in place of the Narenjestan, demolished in the early days of Reza Shah’s reign and used to accommodate foreign heads of state before the revolution.
Shams-ol-‘Emareh
The Shams-ol-‘Emareh is a tall, distinctive building of old which was built upon the order of Nasser-ed-Din Shah between 1282 and 1284 AH on the eastern side of the Golestan perimeter. It was designed by Doost-‘Ali-Khan Mo’ayyer-ol-Mamalek and built under the supervision of master ‘Ali-Mohammad Kashi. The Shams-ol-‘Emareh is a handsome historic building both in terms of its plans and interior decoration, and its mirror-works, wall paintings and stucco carvings are unique for their display of various styles of interior decoration. At present, its lower floor houses the ex-Royal Library.
The buildings on the southern side of the Golestan perimeter are: the , the Chador-khaneh, and the Diamond Hall.
The dates back to the reign of Fath-‘Ali Shah and major alterations were made in it under Nasser-ed-Din Shah. This building has a large hall whose sash windows, columns, walls and ceilings are covered with gilded paintings, mirror-works, stucco carvings, inlaid decoration and marble panels which make it a most interesting sight.
Under this hall there is a large hose-khaneh on the four corners of which there are tall wind-catchers which feature tessellated blue, yellow and black tiles and adequately cool the air of the hose-khaneh and its adjoining halls and rooms.
The Diamond Hall also dates back to the reign of Fath-‘Ali Shah and its decoration underwent alterations under Nasser-ed-Din Shah. It owes its appellation to its interior mirror-works and it comprises a large hall and numerous adjoining rooms, corridors terraces and backrooms. On three sides of the hall, above the ledges, there are tall and narrow mirror-worked, stalactite-adorned arcades built in the manner of those found in buildings of Fath-‘Ali Shah’s era and the northern side of the hall consists of large sash windows with handsome stained glass.
The stands on the southwestern side of the Golestan perimeter. It was built around 1890, in view of housing artifacts sent as gifts by the Ottoman Sultan ‘Abd-ol-Hamid. The stucco carvings and facade decoration of this palace follow the style of 18th century European buildings and its appellation is due to the white streaked marble used in its facades and stairways.
After the completion of its construction, the large hall of this palace was adorned with the presents of the Ottoman sultan and large oil paintings depicting kings and queens of various European countries were set on its walls, creating a majestic hall which was called ‘Abd-ol-Hamid Hall. Ever since its construction, the was used as the office of the prime minister and cab meetings took place in its large hall until 1954. In 1965, alterations were made in its western facade and lower floor rooms, and the building was transformed into the
1. For a history of the Citadel of Tehran, see the excellent research of Yahya Zoka’: Yahya Zoka’, Tarikhche-ye Sakhteman-ha-ye Arg-e Saltanati-e va Rahnama-ye Kakh-e Golestan (History of the Buildings of the Royal Citadel of Tehran and a Guide to the ), Publications of the Organization for the Preservation of Historic Monuments, , 1970.
