Introduction
Golestan
Palace pronounced "Kakheh Golestan" is the former royal Qajar complex
in Iran's capital city.
The Palace is all that
remains of Tehran's Historical Citadel (Arg) which once glittered like a jewel.
This historical Arg was built at the time of Shah Tahmasb I in Safavid period.
It was reconstructed at the time of Karim Khan Zand and was chosen as the venue
of the royal court and residence at the time of Qajar Kings. Nassereddin Shah
introduced many modifications in Golestan Palace buildings during his reign.
The Royal Court and
Residence occupied more than one third of Arg, like traditional Iranian houses,
had two interior and exterior quarters. The exterior quarters consisted of the
administrative section of the royal court and a square shaped garden known as
Golestan (rose garden). These two parts were separated by several buildings,
that were destroyed in Pahlavi period.
The
interior quarters were located east of the administrative section to the north
of Golestan. It was a large courtyard including the residences of the Shah's
women, with a huge dormitory in the middle that in fact contained "Harem
sari ". These buildings were destroyed in the Pahlavi period and the
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance was built in their place.
During the Pahlavi era
(1925-1979) Golestan Palace was used for formal royal receptions and the
Pahlavi dynasty built their own palace at Niavaran. The most important ceremonies
held in the Palace during the Pahlavi era were the coronation of Reza Khan (r.
1925-1941) in Takht-i Marmar and the coronation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (r.
1941-deposed 1979) in the Museum Hall.
In between 1925 and 1945 a
large portion of the buildings of the palace were destroyed on the orders of
Reza Shah who believed that the centuries old Qajar palace should not hinder
the growth of a modern city. In the place of the old buildings modern 1950s and
1960s style commercial buildings were erected.
In its
present state, Golestan Palace is the result of roughly 400 years construction
and renovations. The buildings at the contemporary location each have a unique
history.
On October 11, 2005 the
Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran submitted the palace to the UNESCO for
inclusion into the World Heritage List in 2007.
Golestan Palace is
currently operated by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran.
Watch the Video:
History
The Golestan Palace complex
is bordered on the north by the Ministries of Finance and Justice, on the east
by Naser Khosrow St, on the west by Davar Street, and along its southern edge,
it is one block from Panzdah-e Khordad Ave. The complex is located at the heart
of old Tehran, which itself is framed by Shahr Park on its northwest, Pamenar
Street on its east side, and the Tehran bazaar to the southwest.
The
complex, in its current condition, consists of two connected gardens, a smaller
one on the west and a larger one on the east, and the buildings that surround
them. The smaller garden on the west, referred to here as the Takht-i Marmar
garden, is oriented along a north-south axis, with a small degree of rotation
along the northeast-southwest axis. A water channel runs down the garden's
central axis. The larger garden, here called the Golestan garden, is roughly
square in plan (it is slightly longer along its east-west axis) and with a
small degree of rotation to northwest-southeast. It features a water channel
that runs north-south along its western side, near its border with the Takht-i
Marmar garden.
The main access to the
complex is from Panzdah Khordad Square on the southwest corner. Here, one enters
the Takht-i Marmar garden on its south side, and immediately views an elongated
pool running on the main axis of the small garden to the north, terminating in
a pool in front of the Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar. This building is located along
the north side of the small garden and spans the garden from northwest to
northeast. On its west side, the Takht-i Marmar garden is separated from Davar
Street by a wall. Along its east side, this garden is open to the Golestan
garden and on its southeast corner the Kakh-i Ab'yaz is situated.
Moving to
the Golestan garden, facing northwest and then turning clockwise (from west to
east), one sees the Khalvat-i Karim Khani where the two gardens meet. This
palace shares its west wall with the Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar. Facing north and
moving east from the Khalvat-i Karim Khani is a series of buildings: the
Talar-i Salam, the Mouze-i Makhsous, the Talar-i Ayeneh, the Talar-i Aaj, and
the Imarat-i Brelian. An elongated pool runs north-south in front of the
Talar-i Ayeneh. Looking east, one sees a wall with arched niches decorated with
polychrome tiles. This wall leads to the Shams al-Imarat, located on the
southern part of the east wall of the Golestan garden. Facing south, one sees
the Imarat-i Badgir at the southeast corner of the Golestan garden. The Chador
Khaneh and the Talar-i Almas are located west of the Imarat-i Badgir on the
south side of the Golestan garden. The garden wall makes up the remainder of
the southern side. Turning further clockwise to face west and southwest, one
sees the east elevation of the Kakh-i Ab'yaz, which is oriented along a
north-south axis.
The construction and
development of the Golestan Palace complex dates back five centuries,
concurrent with the growth and expansion of Tehran as Iran's capital. The
building complex has been built and modified during four different dynasties:
Safavid, Zand, Qajar and Pahlavi.
The small
city of Tehran became, for the first time, one of the residences of the Safavid
rulers in the mid-sixteenth century. The first defensive city wall around
Tehran was constructed under Shah Tahmasb (reg. 1524-1576) in the 1550s. Known
as the "Hisar-i Tahmasebi," this wall encircled the royal citadel
(Arg) situated on its north side. The Arg (measuring 500 by 800 meters) consisted
of a small palace and audience chamber. These structures, which are no longer
extant, formed the foundation of today's Golestan palace.
The earliest extant
structures in the complex are from the Zand dynasty (1750-1794). Karim Khan-i
Zand (reg. 1750-1779) intended to make Tehran his capital. To this end, in 1760
he commissioned the architect Ustad Ghulam Reza Tabrizi to renovate the Hisar-i
Tahmasebi and add new buildings: an audience chamber known as the Divan Khana
(today's Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar), and the Khalvat-i Karim Khani.
The Qajar dynasty came into
power, in 1779, with Aqa Mohammad Khan (reg. 1794-1797), who chose Tehran as
his capital in 1785. He selected the Golestan complex as his palace and
administrative center. Aqa Mohammad Khan took over some parts of the estate in
the Arg, enlarging the Golestan garden, and built a palace on the east-west
axis of today's Golestan garden. Called Qasr-i Golestan, this palace is no
longer in existence. Following his assassination in 1797, most of Aga Mohammed
Khan's construction projects remained incomplete.
After the
death of Aqa Mohammad Khan, Fath Ali Shah (reg. 1797-1834) took power, becoming
the first king to implement many major development projects in Tehran. At the
Golestan Palace, he initiated new building projects in addition to completing
some of Aqa Mohammad Khan's projects; the Qasr-i Golestan was finished in 1801.
At the same time, two other buildings were constructed on the north-south axis
of the current Golestan garden: the Imarat-i Bolour on the north side of the
garden and the Talar-i Almas on the south. Of the two, only the Talar-i Almas
remains. The Imarat-i Badgir was Fath Ali Shah's last addition to the Golestan
complex in 1813.
Naser al-Din Shah (reg.
1848-1896), Fath Ali Shah's grandson, was crowned in the Imarat-i Takht-i
Marmar in 1848. During the fifty years of his reign, the Golestan Palace, his
winter residence and center of government, underwent major changes. Naser
al-Din Shah's projects for the palace can be grouped into five phases: (a)
1853-1885, (b) 1858-1868, (c) 1868-1878, (d) 1878-1882, (e) 1882- 1895.
Panoramic Photos by
Mark Schuster , Taken 11:12, 13/11/2008:
Phases
of Changes and Renovations
1853- 1858
Within the first phase,
Naser al-Din Shah's prime minister, Amir Kabir, bought the land on the east
side of the garden, adding it to the Golestan complex. The first addition to
the Golestan was a museum for royal weapons, located on the eastern side of the
Qasr-i Golestan. At the time, the elongated east-west complex of Qasr-i
Golestan, the new museum, and some other buildings to its west were collectively
known as the Imarat-i Khorouji. During the same period, major reconstructions
were performed on the Imarat-i Badgir (1853).
1858- 1868
In the second phase, Tehran
was expanded and reconstructed by Naser al-Din Shah. He made a new defensive wall
with twelve entrance gates around the city, Hisar-i Naseri, increasing the size
of the city fourfold (1867). Inside the borders of this new wall, the Arg was
located within the central area. The major construction work of this phase in
the Golestan Palace was the construction of the Shams al-Imarat on the
southeast corner of the Golestan garden. This five-story building with two
flanking turrets was completed in 1867. Shortly after, the andarun (women's
quarters) was built on the north side of the Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar, and the
Talar-i Aaj was constructed on the west side of the Imarat-i Bolour.
1868- 1878
The
Tekie-i Dowlat, a theatrical building for religious shows and ceremonies, was
constructed south of Talar-i Almas between 1868 and 1873. It was the largest
building built by Naser al-Din Shah in the Golestan complex. Some necessary
modifications were performed on the east and south buildings of the Golestan
garden in order to connect them to the Tekie-i Dowlat.
After traveling twice to
Europe between 1873 and 1882, Naser al-Din Shah was greatly influenced by 19th
century neoclassicism. In 1873, he initiated the construction of a series of
buildings with a continuous two-story façade on the north site of the Golestan
garden and the west side of the Talar-i Aaj. These constructions resulted in
the demolition of a significant portion of the Khalvat-i Karim Khani. This new
complex included a main audience hall, or Talar-i Ayeneh, a museum building,
and other adjoining smaller halls. The Talar-i Mouze, later was renamed the
Talar-i Salam, was the first building to be in Iran to be designed as a museum.
It held Naser al-Dim Shah's collection of antiquities, as well as gifts made to
the sovereign.
1878-1882
In 1878, the Imarat-i Khorouji, including Fath Ali Shah's Qasr-i Golestan, was demolished and replaced by pools, grass plots, flowers, and trees.
In 1878, the Imarat-i Khorouji, including Fath Ali Shah's Qasr-i Golestan, was demolished and replaced by pools, grass plots, flowers, and trees.
1882- 1895
The
Imarat-i Khabgah was erected in 1885 on the north of the Golestan complex to
the west of the andarun. In 1887, Fath Ali Shah's Imarat-i Bolour was
demolished, with the exception of its basement. In its stead, the current
Imarat-i Brelian, with its decorated halls and rooms, was erected. The last
building added to the Golestan was the Kakh-i Ab'yaz in 1891. Unlike the other
buildings in the complex, this two-story rectangular building is utterly
European and neoclassical, with no trace of Islamic forms or ornament. This
building, located in the southwest corner of the Golestan garden, currently
holds the Ethnographical Museum of Tehran. The west elevation of this building
was changed during the reign of Mohmmad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
Under Pahlavi rule, the Arg
of Tehran and the Golestan complex underwent changes. Although both Reza Shah
(reg. 1925-1941) and his son Mohammad Reza Shah (reg. 1941-1979) were crowned
in the Golestan Palace, Reza Shah moved his base to the Sad Abad Palace complex
in the north of Tehran, and the Golestan Palace was used to host important
foreign guests. During his reign, approximately three-quarters of the Golestan
Palace complex was demolished to make space for modern office buildings. Of the
Golestan complex, only the Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar, the audience halls, the
Shams al-Imarat, the Imarat-i Badgir, the Kakh-i Abyaz, and the Talar-i Aaj
survived. On the south side of the complex, the Tekie-i Dowlat was demolished
in 1946. The Bazaar branch of Melli Bank was erected on its site. On the north
side of the complex, the andarun and the Imarat-i Khabgah were demolished in
the early 1960s; the Ministries of Finance and Justice were subsequently built
there. A series of guardhouses and stables located west of the Imarat-i Takht-i
Marmar were all were knocked down. Na'yeb al-Saltana Street, currently known as
Davar Street, formerly contained within the complex, is now a public street
bordering the west side of the Golestan Palace.
Watch the Video:
Halls and Buildings
In its present form, it
comprises several different buildings and halls, including the following: the
Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar, (also called the Marble Throne Building, Iwan-i
Takht-i Marmar, or Iwan-i Marmar, 1759), the Khalvat-i Karim Khani (Karim Khani
Palace, 1759), the Talar-i Almas (Diamond Hall, 1801), the Imarat-i Badgir
(Wind-Tower Building, 1813), the Talar-i Aaj (Hall of Ivory, 1863), the Shams
al-Imarat (Shams-ol Emareh, or Sun Building, 1866), the Talar-i Salam
(Reception Hall, 1874), the Mouze-i Makhsous (Special Museum, 1874), the
Talar-i Ayeneh (Hall of Mirrors, 1874), the Imarat-i Brelian (Talar-i Brelian,
or Hall of Brilliant Diamonds, 1874), the Kakh-i Ab'yaz (White Palace, 1890),
and the Chador Khaneh (Tent House).
Marble Throne
Building (Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar)
Marble Throne Building or Dar-ul-Hokumeh was used for Shah's formal receptions, while Golestan Palace was used as the royal court's interior quarters for private meetings and nocturnal feasts.
Marble Throne Building or Dar-ul-Hokumeh was used for Shah's formal receptions, while Golestan Palace was used as the royal court's interior quarters for private meetings and nocturnal feasts.
The square shaped Golestan,
surrounded by various buildings and halls, was divided into two parts with the
construction of a long bifurcated building known as the exterior building at
the time of Fath Ali Shah. This building, constructed on an East-West axis, was
destroyed at the time Nassereddin Shah and the garden regained its integrity.
At first there were two
large pools, one in front of Shams al-Imarat and Wind Tower Buildings and
another in front of the Mirror Hall. Two pools were connected to each other by
a long duct, along the exterior building.
The sensitivity of Iranian
artists, aided by the skills of architecture, painting, stone carving, tile
working, stucco, mirror work, enameling, wood working, and lattice work have
created unforgettable masterpieces in the buildings among the old royal
palaces.
Shah
received people from various walks of life during official ceremonies on this
throne veranda. In 1806, Fath Ali Shah ordered stone cravers from Isfahan to
make a throne from the famous marble of Yazd. It was placed in the middle of
the Iwan. It appears that Iwan, older than the other parts of Historical Arg,
is a Zand period monument, built during the reign of Karim Khan.
The architecture and
ornaments of this veranda were further modified during the reigns of Fath Ali
Shah and Nassereddin Shah. The coronation of the Qajar kings, as well as
various other official ceremonies, was performed from this Iwan. The last of
these ceremonies was the Coronation of Reza Khan in 1925.
The first foundation of the
Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar was laid by Karim Khan-i Zand in 1759. During the Qajar
period, this building, which was also referred to as the Divan Khana and the
Dar al-Hokouma, became the administrative center of the royal government. The
Imarat-i Takht-i Marmar was used in royal ceremonies in celebrations such as
Eids and Norouz, and the issuance of the king's decrees, as well as for
receiving foreign ambassadors.
This
two-story building is pierced by a splendid talar flanked by two side chambers.
The talar faces the garden and is supported by two twisted marble columns with
muqarnas capitals. These eight-meter tall columns were reputedly taken by Aqa
Mohammad Khan in 1771 from Karim Khan-i Zand's Qasr-i Vakil in Shiraz. Other
parts of this building, such as its carved yellow marble dados decorated with
flowers, parrots and eagles, reportedly have the same origin. The side chambers
of the talar, which have mezzanine levels, are open to both the garden and the
talar.
Within the building, two
stories of rooms wrap the talar; an iwan niche is found in the center of the
rear wall of the building. The walls and ceiling of the talar are decorated
with mirror-work mosaics, colored glass lattice windows, marble carvings, and
oil paintings of Fath Ali Shah, princes, foreign ambassadors and war scenes.
Under Naser al-Din Shah, some alterations were made to the decoration of the
talar's windows and to its mirror work; in addition, the façade of the two
wings flanking the talar were covered with polychrome tileworks.
The talar of the Imarat-i
Takht-i Marmar houses the royal throne. This marble throne (Takht-i Marmar) was
built in 1806 by the order of Fath Ali Shah to replace the valuable Takht-i
Tavous (Peacock Throne) in the talar. The marble throne, designed by the royal
painter Mirza Baba Shirazi and built by the royal mason Mohammad Ebrahim
Esfehani, is composed of sixty-five fine pieces of yellow marble from the
province of Yazd. The body of the throne is carried on the shoulders of angels
and demons carved in stone, and its steps are decorated with dragons and two
lions.
Hall
of Mirrors (Talar-i Ayeneh)
Hall of Mirrors is located
west of the Reception Hall and over the frontispiece and stone Iwan in front of
lobby of the palace. It is one of the most famous hall of Golestan Palace. It
was built simultaneously with Reception Hall between 1874 and 1877. This hall
was dedicated to the Peacock Throne and the Kianid Crown when the objects in
the old museum were taken to the new museum; and owes much of its fame to its
ornamentation and even to the portrayal of it in a painting created by Mirza
Mohammad Khan Kamalolmolk in 1891. The painting is now on display the Golestan
Palace.
Hall of Ivory
(Talar-i Aaj)
Hall of Ivory is located
west of Brilliant Hall beyond Mirror Hall. It was built in Nassereddin Shah
(Qajar) period. During the reign of Nassereddin Shah it was used for the
safekeeping of gifts received from foreign countries. In Pahlavi period it was
the venue of official parties and celebrations. Its interior has changed to a
great extent and the summer chamber beneath it has been turned into an art
gallery.
Dormitory Building
Between Brilliant Hall and the northeastern corner of Golestan Garden there was once a citrus plantation that was demolished early during the reign of Reza Khan. In 1959, a new dormitory and administrative building were constructed on this site, for the visit to Iran by Queen Elizabeth (Two). Thereafter this building was used to accommodate visiting heads of states. The last time it was used as such, was in 1979 during the visit by Chinese Head of State.
Between Brilliant Hall and the northeastern corner of Golestan Garden there was once a citrus plantation that was demolished early during the reign of Reza Khan. In 1959, a new dormitory and administrative building were constructed on this site, for the visit to Iran by Queen Elizabeth (Two). Thereafter this building was used to accommodate visiting heads of states. The last time it was used as such, was in 1979 during the visit by Chinese Head of State.
Hall of Brilliant
Diamonds (Imarat-i Brelian or Talar-i Brelian)
There are
several spectacularly beautiful halls and rooms to the east of Ivory Hall. The
floors of these rooms are lower than those of the other halls. At the time of
Nassereddin Shah most of the old buildings in Arg were destroyed and replaced.
Crystal Building, was replaced by the current “Brilliant Building”. During
Pahlavi period, it was used for official meetings with Foreign Heads of States
and Major ceremonies.
Wind Tower Building
(Imarat-i Badgir)
Wind Tower Building sits on
the southern wing of Golestan Garden. Built during the reign of Fath Ali Shah,
it was dramatically modified at the time of Nassereddin Shah. Under the hall
there is a large summer chamber. Each corner bears a tall wind tower covered
with blue, yellow and black glazed tiles and a golden cupola. Wind coming
through these towers cools the summer chamber, hall and rooms.
Among the most beautiful
buildings of the complex is the Imarat-i Badgir, built by Fath Ali Shah in
1813. Remarkable for its tile-decorated wind catchers, the current Imarat-i
Badgir is the result of Naser al-Din Shah's major 1853 renovation and
reconstruction. This building is comprised of a main talar and its adjoining
rooms with four wind catchers at the corners of the building. The interior
walls and ceiling of the building's talar are decorated with mirror and tile
work, glass and mirror paintings, and stucco carvings. The wind catchers are
tiled in blue, yellow, and black. The Imarat-i Badgir also has a howz khaneh
(pond house) in the basement, which worked with the four wind catchers to
circulate and cool air by passing it over pools of water. The howz khaneh is
now used as the Golestan Palace's photo gallery ("aks khaneh").
Photos from the Qajar period, many were taken by Naser al-Din Shah himself, are
presented in this photo gallery.
Tent-House (Chador
Khaneh)
Chador-Khaneh, or tent
house, is located between Wind Tower Building and Diamond Hall. It was the
place where royal tents, used during the kings' trips were stored. After
restoration presently this building is used for holding temporary exhibition or
for small gathering.
Reception
Hall-Museum (Talar-i Salam)
Upon his return from Europe
in 1869, after visiting several museum and art galleries, Nassereddin Shah
decided to establish similar sites in his Arg. He had the exterior building
destroyed and new ones built on the northwestern wing of Golestan Palace next
to Ivory Hall. These buildings included Lobby, the Mirror Hall and Museum Room.
Construction of Museum Room began in 1870 and ended in 1873. However it was not
used until 1878, because of the multitude of ornaments to be completed.
This hall was intended to
become a museum from the very beginning. Nevertheless, after the Peacock Throne
was moved from the Mirror Hall to the museum, this hall became the venue of
official court receptions and was thus named the Reception Hall. The most
precious objects and works of art that were presented to the monarch of Persia,
particularly the jewels, were kept in this hall.
In 1966, on the occasion of
the Mohammad Reza Coronation, The decoration of this hall was modified to give
it, its present shape.
Summer
Chamber in the basement has been divided in two parts. The eastern part, called
Special Hall, is dedicated to Qajar period fine arts. The western part, known
as the Art Gallery, is the venue of an exhibition of Qajar period Persian
paintings.
Rooms, themselves, with
their high arches and ornate cravings and the numerous and large chandeliers
are competitors for the eye of the beholder of the beauties that fill their
spaces. Ceiling, floors and banisters also catch the eye of the visitor.
Karim Khan Veranda
(Khalvat-i Karim Khani)
In the Northeastern corner
of the Golestan Palace, next to Reception Hall, there is a building with
columns in the form of a veranda. At its center is fountain, where water once
flowed from a subterranean steam (Qanat).
Named after Karim Khan
Zand, this building dates back to the Zand period. It was part of the interior
of Karim Khan's residence. The building, is believed to have been constructed
in 1759.
At the time of Nassereddin
Shah a major part of this building was destroyed, when the reception hall was
being constructed.
Although little of its
splendor and beauty remains the artists' legacy can still be observed in the
intricate work.
Diamond
Hall (Talar-i Almas)
Diamond Hall is located on
the southern wing of Golestan Palace, past the Wind Tower Building. It was
constructed during the reign of Fath Ali Shah but its appearance and ornaments
were modified at the time of Nassereddin Shah. It is called "Diamond
Hall", because of its glittering mirror works.
The Talar-i Almas, which
dates back to Fath Ali Shah, takes its name from the extensive mirror work in
its main hall. It is composed of this main hall, side rooms, corridors, and a
second floor. Three sides of the main hall contain three small iwans; each is
elevated and ornamented with mirror muqarnas and stucco carvings. The north
side of the hall is decorated with large wooden lattice windows with colored
glass known as orosi.
White Palace
(Kakh-i Ab'yaz )
Towards the end of the
reign of Nassereddin Shah, the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid sent some precious
gifts for the Shah of Iran. Whereas at that time almost all the royal palaces
were decorated with various paintings and furniture, Shah decided to have a new
palace constructed on the south-western wing of the Golestan area on the former
site of the pavilion or Agha Mohammad Khan Tower to serve as a depository for
the gifts.
The White building, with
its 18th century European style stucco, was named the White Palace for the
color of the stucco and the white marble stones that covered its hall and
staircase.
From the
very beginning White Palace became the Prime Minister's Office. Until 1954
Cabinet Meeting were held in Sultan Abulhamid Hall of this Palace. In 1965, the
western wing and the ground floor of this building were modified, to make it
suitable for Coronation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. This building became
"Anthropology Museum" in 1968 and displays some of the most ancient
artifacts to be found in Iran.
Shams al-Imarat
(Shams-ol Emareh, or Sun Building)
This building is the most outstanding one in Golestan Palace and the finest on its eastern wing. Before his trip to Europe, Nassereddin Shah (that inspired by the pictures, he had seen of European Buildings) decided to construct a European Style Building in his Capital, so he could watch city's panoramic view from its balcony.
This building is the most outstanding one in Golestan Palace and the finest on its eastern wing. Before his trip to Europe, Nassereddin Shah (that inspired by the pictures, he had seen of European Buildings) decided to construct a European Style Building in his Capital, so he could watch city's panoramic view from its balcony.
The Shams al-Imarat, the
tallest building in the Golestan Palace, was designed as a private residence by
Moayer al-Mamaalek. Built by the architect Ustad Mohammad-Ali Kashi from 1865
to 1867, the building fuses Persian and European architecture into a
five-storey structure with two flanking towers topped with a turret. Between
the two towers are two sets of rooms with a third clock tower centered above
them. The building was used as the Shah's observatory for viewing Tehran and
its surroundings. The exterior of the building is decorated with polychrome
tiles and arches and pierced by wooden lattice windows with colorful stained
glass. On the first floor, the main talar of the building faces west to the
garden. This talar and its adjoining rooms are decorated with mirror-work
mosaics and carved stucco.
Tekie-i DowlatThe Tekie-i Dowlat was the largest building in the Golestan Palace complex. Built between 1868 and 1873, it was demolished in 1946 by Reza Shah. This three-story theatrical building had a circular plan and measured 60 meters in diameter and 24 meters in height. There were three entrances to the building: the main entrance on the east for men, the women's entrance on the west, and the Shah's private entrance on the north, which was connected to the Golestan garden. Its half-sphere dome was supported by eight beams, which could be draped with a membrane to provide shade. Each floor of the building consisted of twenty rooms, each 7.5 meters wide. The building was used for ta’zieh (Ta’zieh Performance In Iranian-Islamic Culture: http://www.iranreview.org/content/view/6426/51/) theatrical plays during the festival of Ashura and other religious ceremonies.
