As a capital for tree Dynasty, Tehran Palaces palaces are a lot and beautiful of course. when we say palace, we mean royalty and splendiferous architecture and imperial decoration of them. Most of Tehran palaces are complexes. Qajar and Pahlavi kings have built more than half of Tehran palaces. Each mansion has a beautiful tale behind it. Watch, read and enjoy.
Sa'dabad Palace Complex
Obviously kings and queens would not build their palaces in a bad location! So most of Tehran palaces are built in fine places. Qajarkings were aware of Shemiran good weather. So they wasted no time!
Sa’dabad palace complex is a series of mansions that was built in 19 century, during Qajar andPahlavidynasty. This complex was the residence of royal family. After 1979 revelation, it became a public museum.
180 hectares of forests with marvelous architecture of mansions is an attraction to look forward too! 18 palaces was built in this complex. Most of them are museums and a few are still official buildings. Here are two of the most famous mansions of this complex.
Green Palace (Kakh Marmar)
One of the most beautiful Tehran palaces is Green palace. This palace used by Reza Shah Pahlavi. Decoration and design of it is Persian-European.
Marble of Mashhad and rare green stones of Zanjan Mines were used for facades of palace. Stones are enameled with lead. This trick prevents them from cracking with dilatation and expansion. These stones gave the palace a spectacular sight.
Process of building green palace took about 7 years. Inlays, mirror works, gildings and beautiful Mashhad carpet are all splendid features of this palace. Today this mansion is a museum.
White Palace
Another one of beautiful mansions of Sa’dabad complex. It is also the biggest palace of this complex. They call it white palace because of white facade of it. This palace was used by Shahbano Farah Diba and Mohammadreza Shah Pahlavi, former queen and king of Iran as a summer palace. Façade of mansion has a Roman-Persian sight. Curtains have pictures of ‘Shahnameh’ but inside ceremonial chambers decorated in royal French style. Qajar crystals, priceless Persian carpets, silk on the walls, Italian chandeliers and a table that belonged to Marie Antoinette are other attractions of white palace.
Golestan Palace Complex
A particularly noble mansion which has over 440 years old. Golestan palace is a museum of art and architecture. Conflation of European-Persian style is sensible in all over the complex. Golestan palace is known as a world heritage by UNESCO.
It is said that king Abbas of Safavid dynasty was the first one to build a palace in this palace but there is none left of Safavid era. Most of remaining mansions belong to Qajar dynasty. This palace was location of many kings coronation; including Reza shah, founder of Pahlavi dynasty and Ahmad shah, the last king of Qajar dynasty.
Shams-ol-Emareh
Shams-ol-Emareh is a famous building in Golestan palace. Tallness, decoration and architecture of this building is really innovative among Tehran palaces. It is the first building that metal was used in it. It has 5 floor and 114 feet high which is pretty Impressive for 1830! Queen Victoria had presented a clock to Shams-ol-Emareh and it is still working! Tiling and paintings of walls has European subject but style of perfuming them is Persian. Decoration and design of it is very elegant and eye catching.
Salam Hall
Salam hall is the biggest hall of Golestan palace. Mirror works and Plastering are mostly done for coronation of MohammadReza Shah and are quite delicate. You can see precious paintings of Kamal-ol-Molk, famous Persian painter and so many other valuable objects.
Wind Catcher Mansion
Wind Catcher Mansion is the only building in Iran which the wind catcher of it is designed with mosaics. This mansion was the perfect place to run from summer heat! Plastering and mirror works are outstanding
Marble Throne Balcony
Marble Throne Balcony is the oldest building of Golestan palace. Some say that it was built in Zand dynasty. Qajar kings gathered in this balcony and celebrated Nowruzand other events with people. 6 huge curtain are placed in this hall that are about Fath-Ali Shah Qajar and ghorian battle, Shah Ismail Ihunting ground and Battle ofTimurwith Eldorom byzid. Marble throne is located in this hall. We are not certain about antiquity of this throne. Some say it belongs to Safavid era, some say it belongs to Zand era.
Niavaran Palace Complex
An eleven hectare garden with royal mansions. Last home of Iran Shah. Niavaran palace complex.
At first sight, you will notice that façade of this palace is different with other Persian palaces. Style of architecture is European, so as the inside decoration. This two and half floor palace has something special about it. Roof of this mansion is removable. Which means you can remove the roof to take a look on stars at night. French decoration style is admirable. Today this palace is also a museum. Valuable Persian carpets, old paintings, Czechoslovakian and French dishes and Romanian silver dishes are contents of the museum part. There are four other mansions in this complex. Read below to know more.
Sahebghorani Mansion
Sahebgharani Palace was built in Qajar dynasty in order to be a place for harem women. Naser al-Din Shah Qajar had a very good appetite about women. So he built this mansion to keep his wives satisfied and of course to entertain himself. Sahebgharani palace is also the oldest construction of Niavaran complex. Mirror hall or Jahan Nama hall has an eye catching sight. Old paintings and valuable objects were placed in it. This palace was repaired for royal wedding of Mohmmasreza, the crowned prince of Pahlavi with Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt. But because of cold weather, they moved the ceremony to another palace. Persian architecture of this mansion is absolutely amazing.
Ahmad Shahi Pavilion
Ahmad Shahi Pavilion was built in late Qajar dynasty. Glorious architecture of this two floor pavilion is noticeable at first sight. Marble pool is a pretty piece of work. There are tales about foundation of this pavilion. Some say that Ahmad Shah built it for pleasing his Georgian wife. Some say he built it for summer camping. The thing is, no one knows for sure why or when this pavilion did exactly built. In Pahlavi era, they used the building for residence of high military officers. There is also a museum of silver, bronze, woden and ivory object with historical value, presented gifts of leader from all over the world, herbal and animal fossil, willemites and moon stones which was given to Shah by Richard Milhous Nixon.
Masoudieh Palace
A beautiful cozy place to be away from crowd and noise. A spectacular sight of Persian architecture. Tehran palaces are all charming but Mas’oodie Palace is truly something else. This beautiful mansion has all you need of a royal residence.
Mas’oodie palace is a very good example of Qajar architecture style. Despite of the owner’s unpleasant personality, Mass’oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan, Palace itself is very pleasant to visit.
Persian architecture and wonderful design of mansion are quite praiseworthy. Mirror works, Plastering, Tiling, Calligraphy, embosses and murals… each of them can amaze you for a whole day. This mansion was also the first library and national museum of Iran was established in it. Nowadays, Mas’oodie palace is open for public and sometimes they hold some events in it.
