Iran

Hasht Behesht Palace

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Hasht Behesht Palace

Hasht Behesht Palace, a Monument in the Heaven

Hasht Behesht Palace is one of the precious Safavid-era monuments, located in Isfahan. This palace lies in a beautiful garden of the same name that has turned into park nowadays. It was constructed in the late 16th century in the reign of Shah Suleiman Safavid. At first, this palace functioned as a private mansion.

The Naming Reasons of Hasht Behesht Palace

The name of this palace is derived from two words; Hasht, literally means eight, and Behesht, literally means heaven. Historians bring up different theories about the name of this palace. One of the theories is attributed to the inhabitants and the other one is referred to the architectural style of this palace.

The initial inhabitants of this palace were eight royal consorts of Shah Suleiman Safavid. Actually, the king built this palace for his eight favorite wives that had special positions in the court. Four of the women settled in the upstairs and four other women settled in the downstairs. As a result, some people associate number eight to the eight favorite wives of the king.

According to the second theory, the octagonal structure of this mansion is a firm reason to choose this name. It is interesting to know that all the rooms and even some of the pools of this mansion have octagonal structure.

The Exterior view of Hasht Behesht Palace

The Establishment of the First Isfahan’s Modern School in Hasht Behesht Palace

One of the first modern schools of Isfahan was established in Hasht Behesht Palace in the Qajar era. At the time, this mansion needed to be renovated, so this project was carried out under the supervision of the best architects. Finally, this two-story mansion changed to a school with 30 classrooms.

This royal school had different sections based on educational requirements, like other modern schools. The downstairs were dedicated to classrooms and the upstairs were dedicated to educational workshops and library. In addition, a small mosque was considered for this school.

Most of the teachers occupied in this royal school were leading graduates of Tehran Darolfunun School. Some of them were also the graduates of European universities. According to the curriculum of this school, students learned French language and military trainings.

Hasht Behesht Palace in the Eyes of the Most Famous Architects and Tourists

The architectural style of this palace is well described in some of the books written by famous architects and tourists. One of the most distinguished ones is André Godard, the well-known French architect. He states: “Hasht Behesht, with a chamber open from all sides, has preserved the grace of the old days. In addition, none of the sections are similar to each other in terms of shape, decorations, and formation.”

Pascal Coste, the French orientalist and architect, has also visited this palace. In description of this site, he states: “this complex is in octangle shape. While four facades of this structure have common appearance features, they are not similar to each other. Since this construction is 2 meters above the ground level, the stairways are designed in a way that you can enter the mansion from each side.”

Engelbert Kaempfer, a German tourist, is one of the famous people who have visited this palace. He traveled to Iran with a commercial delegate and described this palace and its surrounding trees to heaven.

Ceiling architecture of Hasht Behesht Palace

The Architectural Style of Hasht Behesht Palace at a Glance

Hasht Behesht Garden, located at a flat garden, is an example of Safavid-era architectural style. This two-story mansion was set 2 meters above ground on a platform. The most stunning thing about the first floor is beautiful stuccos. The second floor includes a collection of rooms, each of them have been embellished with different decorations.

The Decorations of Hasht Behesht Palace’s Rooms

Each of the rooms has been decorated with different patterns. You observe beautiful mirror works applied in the interior rooms, as well as ceilings and walls having been decorated with Iranian paintings. Some of the rooms include small ponds that have doubled the beauty of the space.

In addition, the lattice doors and windows on the second floor give an elegant appearance to the exterior of the palace.

The Decorations of Hasht Behesht Palace’s Rooms

The Octangle Pearl Pond of Hasht Behesht Palace

On the first floor, you can see an octagonal pond, located at the center of the hall. This pond is made from marble and is designed in such a way that the water seeps through its holes like a pearl. That is why it is known as “the Pearl Pond”

National and Epic Symbols Depicted on the Mosaics

The façade of this palace features a variety of mosaic works, some of which include national and epic symbols. Looking in details, you understand that the mosaics depict heroic and informative stories.

Hasht Behesht Palace

Flowery Gardens Along with Tall Green Plane Trees

As mentioned, this palace lies at the center of a green beautiful garden. The space around this palace is full of Rose and Jasmine surrounded with tall plane trees. A small stream is stretched at the center of this garden through which the surplus water coming from the interior pond of the palace moves. Finally, this small stream flows into the big pool in front of the palace.

Flowery Gardens Along with Tall Green Plane Trees

Visiting Hasht Behesht Palace as a Sumptuous Safavid-era Palace

On your trip to Iran, don’t forget to miss this palace where you observe the delicacies of Safavid-era architecture. You also take the opportunity to have a break and enjoy a pleasant photography.

1001 Nights Tours has considered this palace in classic and combined tours. To study the details of these tours, click here. You can also click here to know about the other attractions of Isfahan. To share your ideas, don’t hesitate to contact us via email.

 

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Country: IRAN
City: Isfahan