ChehelSotun Palace is one of the most spectacular and historic Isfahan tourist attractions, which can draw the attention of tourists who are planning to travel to Isfahan, and is an example of a royal garden built during the Safavid period. In addition to ChehelSotun garden, it is also referred to as Garden-Museum of ChehelSotun. ChehelSoton Palace is located on the Isfahan Governor Street and has a total area of 67,000 square meters. The concept of ChehelSotun (forty columns) is understood by the reflection of 20 pillars in the existing pond facing this mansion. The number 40 in Iran represents the plurality in quantity, which in this building also represents the large number of columns in ChehelSotun majestic palace.

History of ChehelSotun Palace
ChehelSotun Garden of Isfahan is an example of a royal garden from the Safavid period. By the year 1948, due to the lack of precise history, it was difficult to comment on the history of the ChehelSotun construction. But in the same year, as a result of the excavations, on the front of the Palace Hall, there were poems in two inscriptions below the plaster, one shorter and on a pink background, attributed the construction of ChehelSotun to Shah Abbas II, and the year of its completion was 1057 AH. The second one is longer and the lines are carved in plaster on a blue background which mentions the restorations in Shah Sultan Hussein period.
One of the plans of Shah Abbas I after choosing the city of Isfahan as the capital in 1007 AH, was the construction of beautiful and long Chaharbagh Street and numerous gardens around it. The succession of the gardens, which is reminiscent of the concept of the “garden in garden”, was considered one of the principles of the city planning of Isfahan, for example, Khargah Garden, Bolbol Garden, HashtBehesht Garden, Fathabad Garden, Kaj Garden, Nastaran Gardens, Khal’at Garden, Angurestan Garden and other gardens. Today, except for HashtBehesht Garden and ChehelSotun Garden, other gardens have been destroyed and only their names are heard.
With the selection of Isfahan as the capital and the expansion of the city to the south and the construction of the Imam Square, the establishment of the royal palaces began by the Sheikh Baha'i. The selection of a vast space in a complex called "Dolatkhane", and the future studies, all reflect the talent and creativity ofSheikh Baha'i, a famous scholar of Safavid. Acollection of palaces that began from Aliqapu and continued to the main square of Chaharbaq Abbasi. In this large enclosure, where several royal palaces were also located, there were buildings such as Ashraf Hall, RakibKhaneh, KeshikKhaneh, Tavileh Hall, Hash Behesht Palace,TohidKhaneh, and some other buildings.

Views of ChehelSotun Palace
Hall of 18 columns (HejdahSotun)
Hall of Mirrors
The four-cornered lions of the central dock
Gold decoration and royal hall paintings
A picture of Shah Abbas I with a special crown
Works like the facade ofQotbiyeh Mosque and the angled facades of Kushk door and the works of Jubareh Mosque and AghasiMosque, which are mounted on the walls of the western and southern sides of the garden.
Architecture of ChehelSotun Palace
The ChethelSotun Palace is one of the first buildings in which extensive decoration, mirror works, large wall paintings and wooden columns have been used with Muqarnas chapiters as used in some other Isfahan tourist attractions. All the walls were decorated with glass mirrors and colorful and beautiful paintings, and all doors and windows were embroidered and decorated. The skills and proficiency of Iranians in the design of this palace are well observed in which the space outside the mansion with its interior is so relevant and coordinated that it cannot be determined where one ends and the other begins. The main and impressive sumptuous Iwan with numerous columns is considered to be the feature of the building.
The architecture of this palace is a combination of Chinese and Iranian art. ChehelSotun Mansion consists of a large Iwanwith a length of 3 meters and a width of 17 meters and a height of 14 meters eastward. The columns of the Iwanare octagonal and of plane tree and pine wood.
The pool in front of the mansion with a length of 110 meters and a width of 16 meters, still offers a special refinement to the palace. In the past, the fountain in the middle of the pool was the mouths of four lions located at the four corners of the pool, and the rocky fountains placed in every point in the small rivulet around the mansion gave special features to it. Pool proportions in front of the palace were designed to show the image of the palace in water and the darkness of the floor of the pool was considered to illustrate it deeply.
The Iwanof ChehelSotun Palace consists of two parts: a section with 18 wooden and high columns and 4 central columns that are mounted on 4 stone lions with carvings that two lions are shown to one human head. Water used to flow from the mouths of these four lions into the central marble pool. The other part, slightly higher, forms the entrance to the hall and in some resorts it has been called the Hall of Mirrors. This section is located on two columns and is adorned with vast and prolific mirror works, in which fine and beautiful mirrors are used as mosaics alongside the vertical and square mirrors. The ceiling of the hall consists of wooden frames with different geometric shapes. The mirror image of the marble pond in the middle of the Iwanis visible in the ceiling decoration. This mirroring is very similar to the great Iwan.
Last word
If you have plans to travel to Isfahan and looking for Isfahan tourist attractions the ChehelSotun Palace could be a great choice for you. Staying in any of Isfahan hotels you should know that the best time to visit ChehelSotun Palace is the first hours of the day or the sunset. Remember to take your own camera to hunt exclusive pictures of this monument. If you are looking for some great Isfahan tours then we recommend you to go on a sightseeing tour. Some of Isfahan hotels, which have good ratings among Iran hotels, are located near this palace.