Ali Qapu

Isfahan, Iran

Shah Abbas had great plans for Isfahan as his new capital. He built Naqsh-e Jahan Square in the new city centre, with two mosques and a ceremonial gate for the bazaar. The Ali Qapu Palace was originally designed to be the entrance to the royal residential complex located on the west side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Originally only two floors, over the next century it expanded to become the beautiful five-storey palace overlooking the square that it is today.

The construction of Ali Qapu went through several phases. The first building was a two-storey atrium which was built around 1590–1595 CE. Then, when the square was renovated in 1602–1604 CE, two more floors were added. And finally, around 1614 CE, a final floor which became the hall of music (because of the acoustic feature of hollow muqarnases in the ceiling) was built at the top. As the building had initially been constructed to be an entrance, another twostorey gatehouse was built in front of it. In 1643 CE, the palace was completed with a columned porch like the one in front of the Chehel-Sotoun Palace, on top of the newly built gatehouse, which was used for special occasions such as watching polo played in the square.