Golestan Palace

🕰️When was it built?

The complex grew out of the Tehran citadel of the Safavid period, and in the Zand era Karim Khan lived here for a time. When Tehran became the capital, the Qajars enlarged it. Most of the changes and the best-known mansions date from the reign of Naser al-Din Shah.

🏛️What was it built for?

The Qajar shahs lived here and handled affairs of state, received ambassadors and held court ceremonies. In the Pahlavi era the complex was used for official ceremonies and for receiving foreign guests. Golestan was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2013.

👀What you will see

• The Shams al-Emareh on the east side has five storeys and two tall towers; Naser al-Din Shah wanted it built for the view over the surroundings.
• The Museum building on the north side of the garden has two floors, reached by a double staircase.
• The Hall of Mirrors is on the upper floor of the Museum building, south of the staircase; its decoration was completed under Naser al-Din Shah.
• The Salam Hall is in the west part of the same building and was altered in the Pahlavi era for a coronation.
• The Windcatcher building stands beside the Shams al-Emareh; during Pahlavi-era restoration, paintings in its rooms were uncovered from under plaster.

💡Something interesting

After his first journey to Europe, Naser al-Din Shah decided to build a new museum in the citadel. A newspaper even asked the public to donate objects to it. After the Nowruz salam, the New Year audience, was held in the new building, the name Salam Hall came to be used for it.