Narration of the entrances of Golestan Palace in the context of history

Tehran’s only world record, Golestan Palace, has gone through many ups and downs throughout history and the number of its entrances has been reduced along the way. The 440-year-old Golestan Museum Palace is one of the most unique historical collections. It is Iran. The name of Golestan to this complex is rooted in the foundation of a hall called “Golestan”, which is one of the buildings of the era of Fath Ali Shah Qajar and was built in 1216 AH.

Golestan Palace has undergone changes from the Safavid era to the contemporary era. Although the foundation of Golestan Palace started during the reign of Shah Abbas Safavid and with the construction of four gardens inside the fence of Shah Tahmasb Safavid and later during the reign of Shah Suleiman Safavid (1109-1078 AH) with the construction of a court in the same area of ​​Shah Abbasi Chenarestan, but Today, there are no traces of those foundations and the existing assets of Golestan Palace are limited to a part of the monuments and buildings from Zandieh era and do not go beyond that.

We talked to Abbas Khaksar, a researcher at the Museum Palace and Golestan Palace, about the ways to enter this historical monument.

North entrance of Arg Square (entrance mansion, door of happiness, Aali Qapo)

He said: The foundation of the Sardar mansion dates back to the Zandieh period, which was the entrance to the Marble Throne Court and was rebuilt in the Nasserite period. This magnificent building was built on two floors, which had large and small arches and arches on the lower floor, which were decorated with Mogharnas on top and decorated with colored tiles around the arches, and on the upper floor, on the porch, corridors and rooms. Below, there was a large hall and rooms with earrings, decorated with sash and latticed windows and beautiful beds. Below were the royal guards and guards.

Khaksar said: Shah was sitting upstairs watching various ceremonies in Arg Square. One of these ceremonies is held every year on the third day of Eid. After performing various programs, the warriors fought each other in pairs until one of them finally won, and the king gave him the heroic armband (arm nut). This entrance, from inside and overlooking the marble throne porch, had another entrance that depicted Rostam’s struggle against the white demon with colored tiles, and was dated 1273 AH.

South entrance of Arg Square (old house tin door)

He added: The entrance of Naqara Khaneh, which was located in the south of Arg Square and in the direction of the northern entrance, was connected to the gate of Takht-e Pol, which was located in front of Sabzeh Maidan, and connected the royal citadel to the city. The building had two floors, in which soldiers and guards lived, and was later used as a dormitory (prison).

The museum expert added: ‌ This gate was closed at night after the citadel trumpet sounded. Above the south gate of Arg Square, there was a doorless room with a window where, several times a day, royal drummers sounded their drums or trumpets and trumpets and performed the ancient royal tradition of Iran; The pearl ball was in front of the tin door. After building a gate at the entrance of Topkhaneh Square to Dolat Street (Almasieh Street or Bab Homayoun Street), it was called the New House Bell and the south entrance of Arg Square was called the Old House House.

Asad al-Dawla Gate or Government (Head of the New Bell House)

The researcher of Golestan Palace added: The northern gate of the royal citadel (Asad al-Dawla or the gate of the government), which was created as a refuge to escape the enemy attack during the Afghans and was closed during the reign of Karim Khan Zand, in a new form and as a large gate, Fath Ali Shah was reopened, so that Moriah, one of the tourists of Fath Ali Shah period, in his description of Tehran, considered the northern and southern gates of the citadel as among the gates of the city.

He added: ‌ Simultaneously with the creation of Almasieh Street, a very large gate with a long and magnificent head was built by Ala al-Dawla, which was known by its old name, “Government Gate”. This gate, which opened to the artillery field, had three large doors or three openings, which were larger in the middle and smaller in the other two doors, and people moved from the artillery to the citadel through the same doors. Was applied.

According to Khaksar, the gate gates were made of solid cast iron at the Dar al-Khalafah factory (government slaughterhouse) after the installation of the steam wheel, and there was no record of such large and integrated gates in Iran until then.

Diamond Gate (Great Chapter, Old Diamond Gate)

This museum expert said: In 1288 AH, to enter the shrine (inner) from Darb-e-inner street, a magnificent entrance was built, which was known as the entrance of Almasieh (Bob Homayoun). This entrance was built by Ala Al-Dawlah, who in addition to Nasqachi Bashi, also held the position of Farashbashi, and was located in front of Dolat Street (Almasieh or Bab Homayoun), which reached the palace from the new artillery square and was connected with Darb-e-Indrun Street. (Surasrafil), crossed.

He said: ‌ The entrance of Almasieh had an attic where Naser al-Din Shah used to sit during the celebration and fireworks. The entrance and exit of the Shah to the shrine (inside) was done from this entrance, and often the diamond entrance was used for exit, for riding and recreation. Behind the Diamond Gate, there was a large courtyard built instead of a trout tower, which the king passed through on his way out.

Shams Al-Amara Gate (Great Chapter, New Diamond Gate)

He added: In 130 AH, a magnificent entrance will be built for the Shams al-Amara door, which opens to Nasiriyah Street (Naser Khosrow). At the top of this entrance, there was a mirror hall where the Shah sat. The first in Bab Homayoun Street was called the entrance of the old diamond and the second in Nasiriyah Street (Naser Khosrow) was called the entrance of the new diamond.

Long door

Khaksar said: ‌ On the west side of the porch of the Marble Throne, a door opened to Nayeb Al-Saltanah (Davar) Street, which was known as the long door due to its location in front of the Mobarakeh stables. Muzaffar al-Din Shah, on his first entry after the death of Nasser al-Din Shah, enters the marble throne court through this door. Instead, there is now a metal (cast iron) fence door.

Interior door alley

He said: “Some scholars believe that the inner gate alley (Sur Israfil) from east to west divided the royal citadel into two parts and with its large doors, Nasiriyah (Naser Khosrow) and Jalilabad (Khayyam) streets together.” It was connected and also intersected at two points, Almasieh Street (Bab Homayoun) and Nayeb Al-Saltanah (Davar) Alley. This alley, before filling the eastern moat of the citadel and constructing Nasiriyah Street, was connected to the eastern part of the city by a wooden bridge, which was called the “new bridge slab”. Because near the end of the alley, next to Nasiriyah Street, a door opened from the inside to the alley, which was used by the people of the shrine and the Khawajas, usually through this door, hence this alley was called the “inner door”.

Among the doors of Golestan Palace, only one entrance, namely the entrance of Shams Al-Amara (High Chapter), is still standing today and the rest have been destroyed.