
- Ali Qapu Palace
- Description of Ali Qapu Palace
- The origin of the Palace's Name
- The history of Ali Qapu Palace
- The Architecture of Ali Qapu Palace
- The Stages of construction of Ali Qapu Palace
- Ali Qapu Palace consists of two main parts
Ali Qapu Palace
Ali Qapu Palace, built in the 17th century under the order of Shah Abbas I, is located on the western side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, in front of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and serves as a reminder of the glorious times of the Safavid era.
Description of Ali Qapu Palace:
Ali Qapu Palace is a six-storey building, standing 48 metres tall and covering an area of 1,800 square metres. In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the reign of the Safavid dynasty, this palace served as the entrance to the royal residence and other royal buildings located in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Built under the order of Shah Abbas I, the palace was intended to showcase the glory of the Safavid dynasty and was considered the largest building in the capital at the time. In front of the Ali Qapu building is the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, with the Jameh Abbasi Mosque (Imam Mosque) to its right, and the bazaar and Qeysarie Gate to its left.
Originally, during the reign of Shah Abbas I in the early 17th century, the design of the palace was simple, but over time, it expanded with additional floors and new rooms. Important governmental events took place in this palace, including meetings, receptions of special guests, and ceremonies. Additionally, Shah Abbas and other kings from the Safavid dynasty used the palace balcony to watch sporting competitions, polo matches, horseback riding, and wrestling contests, all of which were held in Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
The palace consists of six floors, each with its own unique style and design. The most impressive feature is the luxurious music hall on the sixth floor, admired for its intricate design and vibrant frescoes.
The origin of the Palace's Name:
The word "qapu" or "qapi" in Turkish means "door," while "ali" in Persian translates to "great, high, exalted." The name Ali Qapu Palace can be translated as "The Great Gate" or "The Grand Gate."
The history of Ali Qapu Palace:
According to many historians, the construction of Ali Qapu Palace is believed to have taken place between 1595 and 1599. During this time, the capital of the Safavid state was moved from Qazvin to Isfahan by order of Shah Abbas the Great. Following this, Shah Abbas decided to build the palace as a royal residence.
Later, during the reign of other members of the Safavid dynasty, the palace was expanded.
The Architecture of Ali Qapu Palace:
The unique design of Ali Qapu Palace can be considered one of its most important features. The palace consists of six floors, but the number of floors varies depending on the perspective. For instance, if we view the building from the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque side, we see a two-storey building. From the northern and southern sides, we see three floors, while from the rear of the palace, five floors are visible.
The Stages of construction of Ali Qapu Palace:
Ali Qapu Palace was built and rebuilt over nearly 100 years, starting from the reign of Shah Abbas I the Great and ending with the reign of Shah Sultan Hussein (late 16th to early 18th century), in five stages:
The first stage: Construction of the entrance
Simultaneously with the construction of the Safavid palace, an appropriate entrance for the palace had to be built. The gates, showcasing the grandeur and glory of the royal palaces of the Safavid era, were designed. Initially, the Ali Qapu building was constructed with two floors.
The second stage: Expansion of the palace
During this time (15th-16th centuries), the Safavid dynasty was at the height of its power, glory, and fame, and this period can be considered the golden age of the Safavids. At this stage, the third, fourth, and half of the fifth floors were added to the mansion, transforming Ali Qapu into a ceremonial building. The completion of construction at this stage was due to the expansion of the capital and the growing population of the city.
The third stage: Construction of the music hall
During this stage, the residential areas of Ali Qapu Palace were restructured to accommodate special guests, and new parts were added to the palace. The most important of these was the music hall on the top floor. The music hall was distinctly different from the lower floors in terms of architecture and interior decoration, and its construction contributed to the formation of the tower-like structure of the palace.
The fourth stage: Construction of the balcony
In the fourth stage, to increase the length of the palace and make it appear larger, the width of the veranda overlooking Naqsh-e Jahan Square was expanded. Safavid kings used this balcony for gatherings, watching polo matches, horseback riding, wrestling contests, and other events held in Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
The fifth stage: Completion of the construction.
In this stage, 18 columns were built on the balcony, and a wooden roof was placed on top these columns. Other changes during the fifth stage included the construction of royal staircases leading to the balcony, the completion of the water supply system to provide water to the upper floors, and the creation of a copper pond located on the balcony.
It is worth noting that in recent years, Ali Qapu Palace has undergone restoration. For example, in 1384 (2005), scaffolding was built around Ali Qapu, and after several years of reconstruction and restoration, the renovation was completed.
Ali Qapu Palace consists of two main parts:
The front entrance and the building itself
The first floor: Entrance to the palace
During the Safavid era, Ali Qapu Palace had five entrances, located in different parts of the palace. The most important door faced Naqsh-e Jahan Square, near which were other royal buildings and mansions, such as Dolat Khane, the Chahar Bagh Palace (Raqib Khane building), Jebe Khane (the Museum of Contemporary Art), Timuri Hall, the Chehel Sotoun Palace, and others.
The entrance to the palace is adorned with paintings and seven-colored tiles. The domed space of the entrance, the veranda, and the side rooms are decorated with painted and carved ornaments of flowers and birds. Immediately after the entrance, there are halls where, in the past, administrative and governmental matters were conducted, judicial decisions were made, public issues were addressed, and rooms for the staff and guards were located.
The staircase of Ali Qapu Palace
The height of Ali Qapu Palace is 48 meters, and its six floors are connected by three staircases: two spiral staircases located on the northwest and southwest sides of the building, an annexed staircase on the southern side, and the royal staircase.
The second floor:
On both sides of the mezzanine are similar rooms and corridors. The water supply system, pond, and water source are located in the northern part of the floor. This area is the most important part of the water supply system.
The third floor:
The third floor of the Ali Qapu Palace consists of two parts: a balcony with columns and the Shahneshin and Barama halls.
The balcony
The balcony with the colonnade can be considered the most famous part of the Ali Qapu Palace, as the first thing that catches the eye when looking at the building from Naqsh-e Jahan Square is the wide balcony with 18 columns. Each of the columns is made of plane trees and stands 12 meters tall. To reach the balcony, one must climb 45 royal steps. The roof of the balcony is adorned with wooden details and carvings in Chinese style.
Ali Qapu Palace
It consists of numerous floors and rooms built at different times. In its northern part, there is an inscription in Nastaliq script telling the story of the restoration of the palace during the reign of Shah Sultan Hussein Safavi.
The copper pond
In the middle of the colonnaded balcony is a copper pond, that is 7 by 5 meters and 60 cm deep. It served as both an ornament and a source of cool, fresh water.
The Shahneshin and the public hall
The royal hall was used as a venue for court proceedings, official meetings, and coronations. In the rooms on the sides of the hall, servants were stationed. An interesting fact is that the Shah's concubines could observe the ceremonies and events held in Naqsh-e Jahan Square through the triangular windows at the top of the hall.
The fourth floor:
The northern and southern parts of the floor are adorned with paintings of plants and animals, as well as scenes of royal hunting, mostly created in Kushta Berry (a type of plaster with a very slight relief).
The fifth floor:
The spiral staircase leads to the fifth floor. The entrances to this mezzanine were blocked with walls during the period. The decoration of this floor is similar to that of the fourth, featuring flowers, animals, and birds.
The sixth floor: the music hall
This floor, covering an area of 63 square meters, consists of a central hall and two smaller side rooms, along with several other chambers. The ceiling and walls of the music hall are adorned with stucco decorations, which vary in shape, with around twenty different figures. These unique and characteristic figures are hollow, and the hollow form of the stucco has a significant impact on the acoustics, enhancing the purity and clarity of musical sounds. It is also worth noting that this hall was not only used for musical performances; Shah Abbas would also entertain special guests on this floor.
The music hall consists of forty columns adorned with stucco reliefs, depicting musical instruments such as drums, harpsichords, lutes, horns, and flutes, crafted from precious metals like gold and silver. The walls feature scenes from Persian mythology, as well as depictions from the Shahnameh (an epic poem written by Ferdowsi). The floor also houses several balconies, offering stunning views of the Isfahan horizon.