Travel to Iran to Visit its Palace Complexes
Travel to Iran to Visit its Palace Complexes
During your travel to Iran, you will find out that since ancient times, there has been a tendency to build palace complexes for the kings to reside in. This is an ancient tradition prevalent in huge systems of monarchy at different locations and historical eras in Iran. I will introduce five major ones that are the most significant examples of such palace building. These palaces were all built in the middle of gardens planted for the beauty of the surroundings.
Persepolis Palace Complex of Achaemenids
Under Darius the great, Persepolis was ordered to be constructed to be used as ceremonial palace complex for Achaemenids kings. Kings and governors from various parts of the largest empire of the world, Persian Empire, used to come to this complex to meet with Persian kings and pay homage to him.
Persepolis is located almost 60 km at the north of Shiraz on the road to Esfehan and close to the small town of Marvdasht. It is registered at the UNESCO list of World Human Heritage. It consists of various (temporary) residential palaces and audience halls together with a treasury that used to keep the present brought from different parts of the empire by the governors.
Takht-e-Soleyman Palace Complex of Mongolians
Although this complex traces back to Sassanians, it's the most well-known series of palaces used by Mongolians in Iran ruling under Ilkhanids name. The location has got a natural pond in the middle from which an outflow of water is constantly running. It has originally been the burned out volcanic crater and chosen by previous dynasties to be close to their palaces.
Due to the construction of some religious buildings like fire temple and Anahita temple during Sassanians and later, one can conclude that some holy attribution has always been made to this sight.
Golestan Palace Complex of Qajars
This is the first palace complex of a series built by Qajars in Tehran when this city was declared capital by the founder of the dynasty, Agha Mohammad Khan. Little by little, more and more palaces were built under the successors of this king close to the early buildings. The function of these palaces was both permanent residence as well as ceremonial events.
Despite the construction of other palace complexes in Tehran under Qajars and then Pahlavy dynasty, Golestan flourished and continued to be used for certain historic events like the last Shah's coronation ceremonies.
Niavaran Palace Complex of Qajars & Pahlavies
Naseredin Shah ordered a palace to be built at the beautiful gardens outside and at the North of Tehran at the foothills of the Alborz. They were called Niavaran gardens. This single palace was a gorgeous example of Qajar palace building. Later, other palaces were built by other kings at this garden by other kings.
Pahlavies also showed interest in this compound and added some more buildings with a different architecture that was peculiar to their dynasty. Such transition of traditional construction styles to the modern trends can be easily noticed by comparing these two buildings at Niavaran.
Sa'ad Abad Palace Complex of Pahlavies
Although this series of palaces were built at a garden that accommodated a Qajar building within itself, the majority of the developments occurred during Pahlavies. The architecture of the buildings at this garden is quite different from what you see in other palace complexes of Tehran.
Palaces of this period witness to a smaller scale usage of the royal buildings in which residential and ceremonial functions were both conducted at the same building in some cases like Green Palace.
Palace complex has stopped since the Islamic revolution in Iran as monarchy has ended and there are not kings and royal lifestyle of that type well-liked by anyone anymore. These collections of ex-royal compounds are used as museums or sights to be visited by tourists in Iran these days.
If you ever travel to Iran, make sure you pay a visit to some of the highlights of such complexes of buildings as they are quite interesting and indicative of the lifestyle of the kings ruling in Iran for centuries before monarchy changed to republic system. Shaftesbury Hotels: Your One Stop Destination for a Perfect Holiday! Take a Trip to Firoozabad When You Visit Shiraz Shaftesbury Hotels London-A Name for Excellence and Elegance Top 5 Persian Gardens to See While Traveling in Iran Get Started on Spring Cleaning Traveling in Iran in Style Kenya Africa Why Tourists Should Visit Kenya Traveling to Europe? How to Overcome the Language Barrier Once You Have Your Airline Tickets Shaftesbury Premier Hyde Park, London! How To Make Your Halloween Safe Choose Shaftesbury Premier London Paddington for a comfortable holiday! Benefits of Living in Washington, D.C