Chehel Sotoun

Chehel Sotun

Chehel Sotun also Chehel Sotoon, (Persian چهل ستون, Forty Pillars Palace ') is a palace in the city of Isfahan Safavid period. The palace is surrounded by large gardens beside from Ali Qapu Palace and was completed under Abbas II.

History

The palace is one of the finest examples of Safavid architecture. In addition to a porch with twenty columns of cypress wood, reflected in the pool, there is a hall of mirrors and numerous frescoes with scenes from the life at the court of the Safavid and historical events. In addition, you will find artful Spiegelkachelungen and stucco carvings. The frescoes show the battle of Taher Abad at Merv, 1510, the Battle of Chaldiran against the Ottoman Selim I in 1514, the reception of the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1544, a banquet in honor of the Emir of Bukhara in 1611, and the reception of the Uzbek King in the year 1646. another fresco shows the victory of Nadir Shah against the Indian army in the Battle of Karnal 1739th

Below the frescoes are smaller representations that stylistically closer to the Persian miniatures. After they were covered under the Qajar with plaster, they were later restored artfully. Today these images are partially covered up again.

In the rooms of the palace are numerous art objects, including rugs, porcelain and coins.

The building was used from 1958 as an archaeological and ethnological museum. After a ten-year closure, it was reopened in 1988.

Gallery

Various views and details

Frescoed with historical illustrations