Chehel Sotoun
چهلستون
A Safavid reception palace where twenty wooden columns reflected in the long pool appear to be forty, giving it the name “Forty Columns”; the interior murals depict battles and banquets.
Chehel Sotoun was built in the mid-17th century as the palace where Shah Abbas II received envoys and held banquets, and it is part of the World Heritage “Persian Gardens.” The twenty slender cedar columns of the porch are reflected in the long pool in front, making them look like forty, which gives the palace its name. Large murals in the main hall depict scenes such as the Battle of Chaldiran and court banquets, and a small gallery displays Safavid-era ceramics and manuscripts. An admission ticket is required. The garden is shaded by trees, making it a good place to slow down.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–18:00 (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Ali Qapu Palace
- Hasht Behesht Palace
- Isfahan Music Museum
- Naqsh-e Jahan Square
- Hakim Mosque
- Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque)
- Grand Bazaar of Isfahan
- Chaharbagh School