(...)
I had been to Chehel Sotoun Palace in 2014 and it is precisely because I felt I hadn't had enough time to thoroughly look at the paintings on its interior walls, once we spent a lot of time admiring the exterior decoration, that I decided to go back.
Reflection of the columned porch in the water pool is what is believed to have led to the impressive visual effect, whose name it holds onto Chehelsotoon (forty columns). Half of the pool is situated in front of the building, though its other half extends behind it. In the middle of the porch there is a marble basin with four lions at each corner.
Used for Shah Abbas II entertainement and receptions the palace has many frescoes and paintings on ceramic depicting the battle of Chaldiran against the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, the reception of an Uzbek King in 1646, the battle of Taher-Abad and Nader Shah's victory against the Indian army at Karnal. Aesthetic compositions in the traditional miniature style celebrating the joy of love complete the beautiful ensemble of painted walls which together with the ceiling artwork had me utterly mesmerised.
I had never been to the back part of the building, which despite not being as beautifully decorated as the front part was nevertheless worth the look particularly because of some of its frescoes.
I sat in the Palace's garden for a while as I finished the visit. I had been to Isfahan for just three full days but was beginning to "feel" Iranian, in regards to the importance of the gardens and parks.
No comments:
Post a Comment