The terrace
Views over the square.
Z.foroughi240 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mohammadfattahi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wojciech Kocot — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fatidaneshgar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mehria Badooshi — CC BY-SA 4.0
Ali Qapu, the «Grand Gate», is a royal palace on the west side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, opposite the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. It is part of the square's UNESCO World Heritage Site and is counted among the finest examples of Safavid architecture. Shah Abbas the Great ordered it in the early 17th century as a vast portal to the Safavid palaces that stretched from the square to Chaharbagh Boulevard. Here the Safavid kings received noble guests and foreign ambassadors. The palace rises 48 metres over six floors joined by narrow spiral stairs. Its broad terrace on wooden columns overlooks the whole square, and on the sixth floor the Music Hall has deep round niches cut into the plaster, as much for sound as for beauty. The stairs are narrow and steep, so take your time. The terrace gives the best view of the square, especially at sunset. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran and warns that British nationals risk detention, so check official guidance before making any plans. We could not confirm the current state of this site.
Views over the square.
Carved plaster niches.
Facing Sheikh Lotfollah.
West side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan, Iran
Naqsh-e Jahan SquareNaqsh-e Jahan Square, meaning image of the world, is a huge square at the centre1 minute walk
Sheikh Lotfollah MosqueSheikh Lotfollah Mosque stands on the east side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfah2 minutes walk
Shah MosqueThe Shah Mosque, officially known today as the Imam Mosque, stands on the south 3 minutes walk
Chehel SotounChehel Sotoun, the «Forty Columns», is a 17th-century pavilion and garden in Isf6 minutes walk
Si-o-se-polSi-o-se-pol, officially the Allahverdi Khan Bridge, is the largest of the eleven20 minutes walk«Grand Gate», as the entrance to the Safavid palaces.
The spiral stairs are narrow and steep.