# List of palaces in Iran

This is a list of palaces in Iran.
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which housed the Imperial residences. Most European languages have a version of the term (palais, palazzo, palacio, etc.), and many use it for a wider range of buildings than English. In many parts of Europe, the equivalent term is also applied to large private houses in cities, especially of the aristocracy; often the term for a large country house is different. Many historic palaces are now put to other uses such as parliaments, museums, hotels, or office buildings. The word is also sometimes used to describe a lavishly ornate building used for public entertainment or exhibitions, such as a movie palace.

## List of palaces in Iran

| Name | Location | Notes |
| Alcaraz Palace | Iran | Alcaraz palace is an ancient palace in Persia, built around 2000 BC in the time of the simurgh. It is completely made out of marble. According to ancient texts, the palace was colossal; a big city under one roof. Its walls extended from one horizon to the other, and it was situated somewhere along the coast of Persia. The palace was destroyed by rebels, 1000 years after it was built. It was wiped out from existence as well as literature after the burning of the Persepolis by Alexander the great. It has also been considered to be Atlantis, mentioned in greek mythology due to its technological advancements that surpass even modern technology. |
| Ālī Qāpū | Isfahan | Ali Qapu Palace or the Grand Ālī Qāpū is an imperial palace in Isfahan, Iran. It is located on the western side of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, opposite to Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and had been originally designed as a vast portal entrance to the grand palace which stretched from the Naqsh-e Jahan Square to the Chahar Baq Boulevard. The palace served as the official residence of Persian Emperors of the Safavid dynasty. UNESCO inscribed the Palace and the Square as a World Heritage Site due to its cultural and historical importance. The palace is forty-eight meters high and there are six floors, each accessible by a difficult spiral staircase. In the sixth floor, Music Hall, deep circular niches are found in the walls, having not only aesthetic value, but also acoustic. Ālī Qāpū is regarded as the best example of Safavid architecture and a symbol of Iran's Islamic heritage. |
| Arg of Karim Khan | Shiraz | Karim Khan citadel is located at the beginning of Karim Khan Zand (Shiraz) street on the corner of the Municipality Square (Shahrdari). Karim Khan was influenced by the Safavid architecture when his government was established in Shiraz. So that after visiting Isfahan Naghshe Jahan Square, he decided to build a large square in the northern Shiraz. This field was known as Artillery Square. To the north of the Square, located Divan Karim Khan Square and to its east, Vakil Bazaar and several inns. To the south of the Square, were located Hammam Vakil and Vakil Mosque. On the southwest, there was a garden, and to the west, the Arg citadel. After the conquest of Shiraz by Mohammad Khan, he decided to demolish the buildings of Karim Khan in a hostility to Karim Khan. |
| Ferdows Garden | Tehran | The origin of complex dates back to the reign of Mohammad Shah (1808–1848) of the Qajar dynasty, who ordered the construction of a mansion named Mohammadie in Tajrish. He died in September 1848, and the unfinished structure was subsequently disused. Later on, Hossein Ali Khan (Moayyer ol Mamalek), a courtier close to Mohammad Shah, followed up the construction of a two-floor Qajar-style mansion within the same area. During the reign of Naser ed Din Shah (1848–1896), the ownership of the enclosure was transferred to Dust-Ali Khan (Nezam od Dowle), the son of Hossein Ali Khan. He refurbished the complex and renamed it Ferdows. Afterwards, Dust-Mohammad Khan, the son of Dust-Ali Khan and the son-in-law of Naser ed Din Shah, built a new mansion to the south of the enclosure. He used the workmanship of architects from Isfahan and Yazd, and named it Rašk e Behešt, meaning "the Envy of Heaven". |
| Baqcheh Jooq Palace | Maku | Baqcheh Jooq Palace is a palace located between the border towns of Maku and Bazargan in West Azarbaijan. It is situated in a vast garden covering about 11 hectares (27 acres). This palace was built at the end of Qajar dynasty under the orders of Iqbal-ol-Saltaneh Makui, one of the commanders of Mozafaredin Shah. Being located on the main transit road between Turkey and Europe, it is visited by thousands of tourists annually. |
| Chehel Sotoun | Isfahan | he name, meaning "Forty Columns" in Persian, was inspired by the twenty slender wooden columns supporting the entrance pavilion, which, when reflected in the waters of the fountain, is said to appear to be forty. As with Ali Qapu, the palace contains many frescoes and paintings on ceramic. Many of the ceramic panels have been dispersed and are now in the possession of major museums in the west. They depict specific historical scenes such as the infamous Battle of Chaldiran against the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, the reception of an Uzbek King in 1646, when the palace had just been completed; the welcome extended to the Mughal Emperor, Humayun who took refuge in Iran in 1544; the battle of Taher-Abad in 1510 where the Safavid Shah Ismail I vanquished and killed the Uzbek King. A more recent painting depicts Nader Shah's victory against the Indian Army at Karnal in 1739. There are also less historical, but even more aesthetic compositions in the traditional miniature style which celebrate the joy of life and love. |
| Golestan Palace | Tehran | Tehran's arg ("citadel") was built during the reign of Tahmasp I (r. 1524–1576) of the Safavid dynasty (1502–1736), and was later renovated by Karim Khan of the Zand dynasty (r. 1750–1779). Agha Mohammad Khan of the Qajar dynasty (1742–1797) chose Tehran as his capital. The arg became the seat of the Qajars (1794–1925). The court and palace of Golestan became the official residence of the Qajar dynasty. The palace was rebuilt to its current form in 1865 by Haji Ab ol Hasan Mimar Navai. |
| Hasht Behesht | Isfahan | As indicated on its name, the two-story pavilion of Hasht Behesht was built on the hasht-behesht plan, that is a type of floor plan consisting of a central hall surrounded by eight rooms. The building is of an octagonal shape, and has two main entrances. Four larger sides of it feature large balconies (iwans), under which some tall and thin wooden columns are raised. The pavilion is decorated with mural paintings, perforated woodwork, prismatic mirrors, tilework, and plasterwork. |
| Jahan Nama Palace | Farahabad | Jahan Nama Palace is a Palace in Farahabad, Mazandaran province and is part of the Farahabad Complex. The Palace was built during the Abbas the Great period and was destroyed by the Kazakhs. |
| Niavaran Complex | Tehran | During the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty, a new palace named Niavaran was built for the imperial family of Mohammad Reza Shah (1919–1980). The palace was designed in 1958 and completed in 1967. It served a variety of purposes for the imperial court including as a home for the Shah and Empress as well a place to entertain visiting foreign heads of state. The Shah and Empress left basically everything behind when they left Iran in January 1979. All of the peripheral buildings of the Saheb Qaranie, with the exception of the Ahmad Shahi Pavilion, were demolished, and the present-day structures were built to the north of the Saheb Qaranie. The Ahmad Shahi Pavilion was then used as an exhibition centre for presents from world leaders to the Iranian imperial monarchs. |
| Palace of Ardashir | Firuzabad | The structure contains three domes, among other features, making it slightly larger and more magnificent than its predecessor, the nearby castle of Dezh Dokhtar. However, it seems that the compound was designed to display the royalty image of Ardashir I, rather than being a fortified structure for defense purposes. That is why perhaps it would be best to refer to the structure as a "palace" rather than a "castle", even though it has huge walls on the perimeters (twice as thick as Ghal'eh Dokhtar), and is a contained structure. From the architectural design, it seems the palace was more of a place of social gathering where guests would be introduced to the imperial throne. |
| Pearl Palace | Karaj | The majority of the complex is currently occupied by a local Baseej unit who are neglecting its upkeep. Small parts are open to the public as a result of pressure from the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran. The building was recognized as a cultural heritage only in 2002, and registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran. It is currently in need of repairs; in November 2020, it was scheduled to undergo some rehabilitation works. |
| Qasre Abunasr | Shiraz | Qaṣr-i Abu Naṣr, Qasre Abunasr, or Takht-e Sulayman is the site of an ancient settlement situated in city of Shiraz in the Fars province of Iran. According to archaeological studies the fortress was built during the Parthian period, and was an important and strategic location in the Sassanid Empire. Archaeologists have found various artifacts and coins belonging to various historical periods, such as the Achaemenid, Seleucid Empire, Parthian and Sassanid. This site is recorded in an Iranian historical list from 1932 as "Takht e Sulayman" ( Throne of Solomon). When Muslims invaded Iran, and conquered it, they called this palace "Father of Victory" (Qaṣr-i-Abu Naṣr) |
| Ramsar Palace | Ramsar | The Ramsar Palace was established on a land of 60,000 square meters in 1937. The area was a historical garden in Ramsar. The palace was used as a summer residence by Reza Shah and then by his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his second spouse Sorayya Esfendiari spent their honeymoon in the palace. |
| Sa'dabad Complex | Tehran | The complex was initially built and inhabited by Qajar dynasty of monarchs in the 19th century. After extensive expansions, Reza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty resided there in the 1920s. His son, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, moved there in the 1970s. After the 1979 Revolution, the complex became a public museum. |
| Shams-ol-Emareh | Tehran | Before his visit to Europe, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, the fourth king of Qajar dynasty, was thinking of building a mansion in his capital to compete with Isfahan's Ālī Qāpū. A tall building that he could stand on its roof and see the entire Tehran. By his order, Shams-ol-Emareh building was started in 1865 and was finished in two years. Naser al-Din Shah took his guests to the roof of this building to see the capital. Building's designer was Moayer al Mamalek and the architecture was Ali Mohammed Kashi. The style of this building is a combination of traditional Iranian and Western architecture. |