Hasht Behesht Palace

🕰️When was it built?

The palace was built in 1080 AH (1669), in the third year of the reign of the Safavid king Shah Suleiman. The Bolbol Garden was itself part of the great Naqsh-e Jahan garden and had existed since the time of Shah Safi. The building was much altered in the Qajar era and passed into private ownership at the end of that period.

🏛️What was it built for?

Hasht Behesht was a residential palace of the Safavid court; according to some historians, eight of the Shah's wives lived here, four on the lower floor and four on the upper one. In 1298 AH (1881) the first state school of Isfahan, the Homayuni School, opened in this same building.

👀What you will see

• The ceiling of the central hall, open on all four sides, is covered with colourful, finely designed stucco muqarnas.
• The rooms at the four corners of the first floor have stucco work and paintings.
• The second floor is full of corridors, rooms, vaults and windows, and some rooms have a water basin or a wall fireplace.

💡Something interesting

Travellers who were allowed inside Hasht Behesht in the Safavid era counted it among the most beautiful buildings in the world; one wrote that it was more delightful than the most splendid palaces of the European countries. The gilded railings and coloured glass of those days are gone today.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Before going inside, walk around the palace in the garden and look at the corner pavilions from outside.