List of palaces in Iran

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This is a list of palaces in Iran.

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop.^[1] The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which housed the Imperial residences.^[1] Most European languages have a version of the term (palais, palazzo, palacio, etc.), and many use it for a wider range of buildings than English.

In many parts of Europe, the equivalent term is also applied to large private houses in cities, especially of the aristocracy; often the term for a large country house is different. Many historic palaces are now put to other uses such as parliaments, museums, hotels, or office buildings. The word is also sometimes used to describe a lavishly ornate building used for public entertainment or exhibitions,^[1] such as a movie palace.


Name	Location	Notes
Ahmad Shahi Pavilion	Tehran	It is located in Niavaran Complex in northern Tehran.^[2] The Pavilion was built in the 1910s as Ahmad Shah's dwelling in Niavaran garden.^[3]^[4]
Alcaraz Palace	Iran	Alcaraz palace was an ancient palace in Persia, built around 2000 BC in the time of the simurgh. It was completely made of marble. According to ancient texts, the palace was colossal; a big city under one roof. Its walls extended from one horizon to the other, and it was situated somewhere along the coast of Persia. The palace was destroyed by rebels, 1000 years after it was built. It was wiped out from existence as well as literature after the burning of Persepolis by Alexander the great.^[5]
Ālī Qāpū	Isfahan	Ali Qapu Palace is an imperial palace located on the western side of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, opposite to Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. It acted as a vast portal entrance to the grand palace which stretched from the Naqsh-e Jahan Square to the Chahar Baq Boulevard. The palace served as the official residence of Safavid emperors. UNESCO inscribed the Palace and the Square as a World Heritage Site due to its cultural and historical importance. The palace is 48 meters high and has 6 floors.
Arg of Karim Khan	Shiraz	Karim Khan Zand was influenced by Safavid architecture and Isfahan's Naqsh-e Jahan Square, when he built a large square in northern Shiraz. To the north of the Square was the Divan Karim Khan Square and to its east, Vakil Bazaar and several inns. To the south of the Square were the Vakil Bathhouse and Vakil Mosque. On the southwest, there was a garden, and to the west, the Arg citadel. After the conquest of Shiraz by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, he demolished Karim Khan's buildings in a hostility to Karim Khan.^[6]
Baharestan Palace	Tehran	The palace was originally built by Mirza Hosein Khan Sepahsalar, a Qajar era prime minister, as his private residence. Thereafter, it was owned by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. During the Persian Constitutional Revolution, it became the Iranian parliament building. It was bombarded in 1908 by the forces of Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar leading to the Minor Tyranny. Baharestan Palace remained the location for the lower house of the Iranian parliament (the Senate had moved to a new building in central Tehran) until the 1979 Iranian Revolution. After the revolution, the parliament became unicameral and met at the Senate building, and to a newly built building in Baharestan in 2004.
Baqcheh Jooq Palace	Maku	Baqcheh Jooq Palace is located between the border towns of Maku and Bazargan in West Azerbaijan province. It is situated in a vast garden covering about 11 hectares (27 acres). It was completed at the end of the Qajar era under the orders of Mortezaqoli Eqbal al-Saltaneh Makui, the last Khan of Maku.
Bardak Siah Palace	Temukan	It is an ancient Achaemenid Persian palace situated in the ancient city of Temukan near the township of Borazjan, Bushehr province. The site was unearthed in 1977 by Iranian archeologists headed by Esmaeil (Ehsan) Yaghmaei^[7]^[8]
Behistun Palace	Bisotun	It is a ruined Sasanian palace facing a cliff with the much older Behistun Inscription and rock relief. The palace has long been regarded in Persian tradition as a residence of Shirin, queen of Khosrow II (r. 590–628). This connection is first documented, in surviving records, by early Islamic geographers,^[9] and is elaborated in various later stories and myths, as a fictionalized Shirin became an important heroine of later Persian literature, such as the Shahnameh.^[10] It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bisotun.
Chehel Sotoun	Isfahan	The name, meaning "Forty Columns" in Persian, was inspired by the twenty slender wooden columns supporting the entrance pavilion, which, when reflected in the waters of the fountain, is said to appear to be forty.^[11] As with Ali Qapu, the palace contains many frescoes and paintings on ceramic. Many of the ceramic panels have been dispersed and are now in the possession of major museums in the west. They depict specific historical scenes such as the infamous Battle of Chaldiran against the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, the reception of an Uzbek King in 1646, when the palace had just been completed; the welcome extended to the Mughal Emperor, Humayun who took refuge in Iran in 1544; the battle of Taher-Abad in 1510 where the Safavid Shah Ismail I vanquished and killed the Uzbek king. A more recent painting depicts Nader Shah's victory against the Indian Army at Karnal in 1739. There are also less historical, but even more aesthetic compositions in the traditional miniature style which celebrate the joy of life and love.^[12]
Chehel Sotun	Qazvin	Its construction is attributed to Tahmasp I, who transferred Iran's capital from Tabriz to Qazvin in 1555–56. In the Qajar era, it was repaired and remodeled by Mohammad Bagher Sa'd as-Saltaneh, the governor of Qazvin.^[13]
Ferdows Garden	Tehran	The complex's origin dates back to the reign of Mohammad Shah (r. 1834–1848) of the Qajar dynasty, who ordered the construction of a mansion named Mohammadie in Tajrish. He died in September 1848, and the unfinished structure was abandoned.^[14]^[15] Later, Hossein Ali Khan (Moayyer ol Mamalek), a courtier close to Mohammad Shah, followed up the construction of a two-floor Qajar-style mansion within the same area. During the reign of Naser ed Din Shah (r. 1848–1896), the ownership of the enclosure was transferred to Dust-Ali Khan (Nezam od Dowle), the son of Hossein Ali Khan. He refurbished the complex and renamed it Ferdows. Afterwards, Dust-Mohammad Khan, the son of Dust-Ali Khan and the son-in-law of Naser ed Din Shah, built a new mansion to the south of the enclosure. He used the workmanship of architects from Isfahan and Yazd, and named it Rašk-e Behešt, meaning "the Envy of Heaven".
Golestan Palace	Tehran	Tehran's arg ("citadel") was built during the reign of Tahmasp I (r. 1524–1576) of the Safavid dynasty, and was later renovated by Karim Khan (r. 1751–1779) of the Zand dynasty. Agha Mohammad Khan (r. 1789–1797) of the Qajar dynasty chose Tehran as his capital. The arg became the seat of the Qajars (1794–1925). The palace was rebuilt to its current form in 1865 by Haji Ab ol Hasan Mimar Navai.
Hasht Behesht	Isfahan	As indicated on its name, the two-story pavilion of Hasht Behesht was built on the hasht-behesht plan, that is a type of floor plan consisting of a central hall surrounded by eight rooms.^[16] The building is of an octagonal shape,^[16] and has two main entrances. Four larger sides of it feature large balconies (iwans), under which some tall and thin wooden columns are raised. The pavilion is decorated with mural paintings, perforated woodwork, ayeneh-kari, tilework, and plasterwork.^[17]^[18]
Jahan Nama Palace	Farahabad	Jahan Nama Palace is located in Farahabad, Mazandaran province and is part of the Farahabad Complex. The Palace was built during the reign of Abbas the Great and was destroyed by the Cossacks.^[19]
Khosrow Palace	Qasr-e Shirin	It was built on the order of Khosrow II for his Christian wife, Shirin.^[20]
Marble Palace	Tehran	It was built by Reza Shah in 1933. The palace is covered by a huge dome that is a replica of the Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Isfahan.^[21]^[22]
Negarestan Palace	Tehran	The Negarestan Palace was built as a summer residence by the order of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar in 1807.^[23]^[24]
Niavaran Complex	Tehran	It is a complex in northern Tehran from the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. It includes the Sahebgharaniyeh Palace, the Ahmad Shahi Pavilion, and the Niavaran Palace.
Niavaran Palace	Tehran	It is a royal palace, museum, and former residence of the Pahlavi dynasty. The palace was completed in 1967 for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family.^[25]
Palace of Ardashir	Firuzabad	The structure contains three domes, among other features, making it slightly larger and more magnificent than its predecessor, the nearby castle of Dezh Dokhtar. However, it seems that the compound was designed to display the royal image of Ardashir I, rather than being a fortified structure for defensive purposes. Therefore, perhaps it would be best to refer to the structure as a "palace" rather than a "castle", even though it has huge walls on the perimeters (twice as thick as Ghal'eh Dokhtar), and is a contained structure. From the architectural design, it seems the palace was more of a place of social gathering where guests would be introduced to the imperial throne.
Palace of Darius in Susa	Susa	The construction of the palace was begun by the Achaemenid king Darius the Great in his favorite capital, Susa. It was captured and plundered by the invading Macedonians under Alexander the Great in December 330 BC.^[26]
Pearl Palace	Karaj	The majority of the complex is currently occupied by a local Baseej unit who are neglecting its upkeep. Small parts are open to the public as a result of pressure from the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.^{[citation needed]} The building was recognized as a cultural heritage only in 2002, and registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran. It is currently in need of repairs; in November 2020, it was scheduled to undergo some rehabilitation works.
Qajar Palace	Tehran	The Qajar Palace was built in the early reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar just outside Tehran. It was demolished in the 1920s by Reza Shah to be replaced by the Qasr prison.^[27] The only remaining structure of the palace complex is a small pavilion.^[28]
Qasr-e Abunasr	Shiraz	Qasr-e Abunasr, or Takht-e Sulayman is the site of an ancient settlement situated in city of Shiraz in the Fars province of Iran. According to archaeological studies the fortress was built during the Parthian era, and was an important and strategic location in the Sasanian Empire. Archaeologists have found various artifacts and coins belonging to various historical periods, such as the Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian. This site is recorded in an Iranian historical list from 1932 as "Takht-e Sulayman" (Throne of Solomon). When Muslims invaded Iran, and conquered it, they called this palace "Father of Victory" (Qaṣr-i-Abu Naṣr)^[29]
Ramsar Palace	Ramsar	The Ramsar Palace was established on a land of 60,000 square meters in 1937.^[30]^[31] The area was a historical garden in Ramsar.^[32] The palace was used as a summer residence by Reza Shah and then by his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.^[33] Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his second spouse Sorayya Esfendiari spent their honeymoon in the palace.^[34]
Ruby Palace	Tehran	Located in eastern Tehran, it was built in 1883 as a residence for Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.^[35]
Sa'dabad Complex	Tehran	The complex was initially built and inhabited by the Qajar dynasty in the 19th century. After extensive expansions, Reza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty resided there in the 1920s. His son, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, moved there in the 1970s. After the 1979 Revolution, the complex became a public museum.
Sabet Pasal Palace	Tehran	It is Tehran's largest historic house.^[36] It belonged to Habibollah Sabet (also known as Sabet Pasal), a rich Iranian businessman and the founder of Iran's first television station.
Sahebgharaniyeh Palace	Tehran	It was built in 1850 by the order of Naser ed-Din Shah Qajar.^[37] On 28 May 1901, Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar signed the D'Arcy Concession here. Later, on 5 August 1906, he also signed the first constitution of Iran in this palace.
Sarvestan Palace	Sarvestan	It is a Sasanian era building built in the 7th century AD, and was either a gubernatorial residence or a Zoroastrian fire temple. It is designated as one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region.
Shams-ol-Emareh	Tehran	Before his visit to Europe, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar wanted to build a mansion in his capital to compete with Isfahan's Ālī Qāpū. A tall building from which he could see the entirety of Tehran. By his order, the construction of Shams-ol-Emareh began in 1865 and was finished in 2 years. Naser al-Din Shah took his guests to the roof of this building to see the capital. Building's designer was Moayer al Mamalek and the architecture was Ali Mohammed Kashi. The style of this building is a combination of traditional Iranian and European architecture.^[38]
Soleymaniyeh Palace	Karaj	It is a Qajar era royal residence notable for its paintings depicting Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar and his brothers and Fath-Ali Shah Qajar and his sons.^[27]
Sun Palace	Kalat	Built in 1738–1739, it is one of the few buildings built during the reign of Nader Shah. Its construction was cut short after his assassination.^[27]^[39] It is currently used as a museum of anthropology.^[40]
Tachara	Persepolis	The Tachara, also referred to as the Palace of Darius the Great,^[41] was the exclusive residence of Darius the Great at Persepolis.

List of palaces in Iran

References

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