Chehel Sotoun Garden - Isfahan
History
Chehel Sotoun is a pavilion built in the middle of the garden in famous Iranian city of Isfahan. Now, it is called the Chehel Sotoun Garden Museum, this Safavid palace was built during the reign of Shah Abbas II in 1647. The building which stands today is from 1706, the palace was used by the king and his successors to receive dignitaries and ambassadors on the terrace or in one of the stately reception halls.
The word chehel sotoun in Persian means 40 columns, these are 20 supporting columns but in the main pool they reflect as 40. This pool is 110 meters long and 16 meters wide. Each column is made of a plain tree with a thin layer of colored board fitted on the skin. The layer was formerly covered with colored pieces of glass and mirror. It is believed that whole building was once covered with the decorative glass and plaster, this ceiling is one of the reminders.
Paintings inside the Great Hall
A beautifully adorned door provides access to the Great Hall also known as Throne Room. The upper walls of the Great Hall are dominated by historical frescoes on a grand scale and also by other paintings. After the Afghan invasion of Persian, these paintings were covered with the thick whitewash.
One painting inside the main hall depicts the Battle of Karanl between Nader Shah Afshar and Mohammad Shah of India in 1756.
Another painting shows a reception was arranged by Shah Abbas II for Nadr Mohammad Khan ( a ruler in the Central Asia) in 1658.
The Battle of Chaldiran is depicted in one of the paintings. This battle was fought on 23 August 1514 between the Ottoman Empire the Safavid Empire of Iran.
Mughal emperor Humayun was welcomed in Iran by Shah Tahmasb in 1550, as depicted in one painting.
Another painting shows the battle between Safavid king Shah Esmaeel and the Uzbak Sheibak Khan in 1511.
This room is one of the best examples of the Persian architect and it played a huge role for the visiting dignitaries in the past. Though this pavilion is small but it represents an excellent example of art and design from the 17th century. There is a wonderful garden which surrounds the Chehel Sotoun, now this garden is now added to Unesco’s World Heritage list. It has a very old fallen tree inside which is worth a look.
