From the time of the powerful pre-Islamic empires, Isfahan had always enjoyed a special importance and credibility. The construction of the new city began on the southern outskirts of the ancient city and was cleverly expanded towards the Zayandehrood River, projects such as Naghsh-e-Jahan Square and its surrounding governmental and religious buildings, the extension of the bazaar from the Old Friday Mosque to Qeysariyyeh Gate opening to this grandiose square and finally the construction of the huge Chaharbagh boulevard, the Dowlat Gate and the Hezar Jarib Garden, all contributed to this grand scheme. Chehelsotoon edifice with the beautiful Jahannama Garden serv- ing as its site creates an important link between governmental struc- tures and Naghsh-e-Jahan Square on the one hand and the grand axis of Chaharbagh on the other. The large area of the garden today (measuring about 67’000sqm) is a remainder of a much larger area on the four sides with an area of 42 acres. The presence of vital formal elements such as the middle pavilion and the wide pond in front of it, the water circulation network used for mollifying the atmosphere and watering the green, orga- nization of areas dedicated to planting large trees, strips of flowers connected to the pavilion and the middle pond, proper orientation of the edifice with regards to the proportions and dimensions of the garden, proper division of the green areas, the location of the gate and the main entrance axis, all and all demonstrate a skillful design and client’s thorough familiarity with the values of large Achaemenid struc- tures (such as the Apadana Palace) entail as well as the philosophy behind Iranian gardens and their considerable influence on Iranian architectural and urbanism. With an area of 2120sqm, the palace is mainly built out of brick and hammer-dressed stone on a stone platform rising one meter above the ground. The tall and the enormous Ivan measuring 38 by 17m is situated on the eastern wing with 18 wooden columns, measur- ing 14m each. It occupies an area of 646sqm. The columns have a polygon section with 8 or 16 sides and are made out of pine or plane tree wood. On the back of the Ivan, there is a large 33 by 18m hall known as the Royal Hall with three domes. On the north and south of the Ivan there are two large rooms. The western façade accommodates a Shahneshin measuring 7 by 5.5m and two rooms on the sides. Apart from these spaces, there are two long rectangular Ivans on both northern and southern wings, each supported by four tall wooden columns functioning both as structural and decorative elements. In the inner space, the tall walls of the palace are decorated with white slabs of marble and delicate paintings on the lower parts, and a variety of colourful gypsum decorations on the top. The wide surface of the Royal Hall resembles illustrated pages of history demonstrat- ing the important events and occasions of the powerful kings of this dynasty. These paintings continue the tradition of Ghaznavid murals and are executed in oil and tempera by several famous Iranian, and according to certain evidence, by some Dutch painters. The paintings of the Chehelsotoon Palace are perfect examples of Isfahan school of painting in the 17th and 18th centuries, some ascribed to the true master of that time, Reza Abbasi and his school of painting, and to his son, Agha Shafi’ and to Mommad Sadegh.
* Babak Zirak graduated in architecture at Iran National University. He has been director manager for Aran Consulting Engineers company and chairman of some research project and has published more than 42 articles on Iran’s historical architec- ture and urbanism in professional journals.