palace Archives - Iran News Daily

Tehran palace complexes named most-visited during new year holiday

mahla — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:07:33 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –The three historical palace complexes of Sa’dabad, Golestan, and Niavaran were named the most-visited “cultural heritage museums and sites” in Iran during the two-week New Year (Noruz) holidays, which ended on April 2, the museum director has said.

“Some 1,245,000 people visited cultural heritage museums and sites during this Noruz as the Sadabad Cultural-Historical Complex received the topmost number of visitors during Noruz,” Mohammadreza Kargar, the director of museums and historical properties at the tourism ministry, announced on Saturday.

The UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace and Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex were named the second and the third respectively, the official noted, adding that Hafezieh, where illustrious Persian poet Hafez is laid to rest in Shiraz, was the fourth most-visited cultural site during the holiday.

Visits to Iranian museums fell by one-fifth during Noruz holidays in comparison to the same period two years ago, when the new coronavirus was not yet an issue, according to the official. “Visits to cultural heritage museums fell by one-fifth during the Noruz holidays of the current year (1400) in comparison to the same period in the year 1398.”

Cultural heritage museums were closed during the Noruz holiday last year (1399) due to strict social distancing measures, the official said.

Currently, 740 museums are active across Iran, of which 285 have been established since August 2013, when President Hassan Rouhani began his first administration, Kargar said in March. Back in 2018, he publicized that some three million historical objects were being kept at museums affiliated with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Ministry.

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, embracing settlements dating back to 4000 BC. It also hosts some of the world’s oldest cultural monuments including bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, gardens, rich natural, rural landscapes as well as 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The name of Iran, formerly known as Persia, mostly conjures up the first Persian Empire, ruled by the Achaemenids (ca. 550 – 330 BC) and sites such as Pasargadae and Persepolis. However, there are tens of prehistorical sites as the Burnt City in Sistan-Baluchestan, Tepe Sialk in Kashan, Susa, and Chogha Zanbil in the Khuzestan province, and Ecbatana in Hamedan which predate the Achaemenid period.

From a wider point of view, Iranian history can be divided into Pre-Islamic and Islamic eras. The Medes unified Iran as a nation and empire in 625 BC. The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656) that put an end to the mighty Sassanid Empire (224–651) was a turning point in the history of the nation.

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Bishapur Palace City South of Iran

reporter 1222 — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 18:00:32 +0000

TEHRAN – Bishapur was an ancient city in Iran on the ancient road between Persis and Elam. The road linked the Sassanid capitals Estakhr (very close to Persepolis) and Ctesiphon. It is located south of modern Faliyan in the Kazerun County of Fars Province, Iran.

Bishapur, “the beautiful [city] of Shapur”, as the name indicates was founded by king Shapur (241-272 AC). Like the bridge at Shushtar, it was built by Roman soldiers who had been captured after the defeat of the Roman emperor Valerian in 260.

Many aspects of Bishapur’s architecture look Roman, e.g. the “Hippodamian street plan” (or the grid plan). Outside the city, Shapur decorated the sides of the Bishapur River gorge with huge historical reliefs commemorating his triple triumph over Rome. Bishapur and its inhabitants fell into decay after the Arab’s invasion to Persia.

The core of the city is the old castle, situated in a steep rock. The fort is on the left side of this rock. The walls, 10 meters high, are well-preserved. The foundations of towers can be discerned; they are round, which made easier the use of catapults.

There was a palace with its cruciform throne hall. According to French archaeologists, there was a large dome (20 meters) covering the entire area, but the walls appear to be not strong enough to support a heavy superstructure. Perhaps, the building consisted of four half vaults (Ivan) and an open square.

As for the interior of the palace, there are the sixty-four niches, decorated with statues. They are decorated with patterns from Greek art, like leaf scrolls. Traces of yellow, black, and red paint can still be seen.

Mosaics were found in several rooms. There is a human face that has a laurel wreath, a Roman symbol not known in Sassanid Persia. Probably, the makers of the mosaic were from Antioch, which was well-known for its mosaic makers and was captured by Shapur in 253 and 260. Another mosaic from Bishapur, showing a lady with flowers, is on display in the National Archaeological Museum in Tehran.

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Yemen fires missile targeting Riyadh Royal Palace

reporter 1222 — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:43:18 +0000

TEHRAN – Yemen has announced the launch of a ballistic missile targeting Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, according to a statement by the Yemen’s force’s spokesman on Twitter.

The missile launched by the Yemeni forces targeted the Riyadh Royal Palace.

The official Spokesman of Ansarallah Mohamed Abd Al-Salam confirmed that they have fired a Burkan 2-H missile at Al-Yemama Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Reuters also reported they have heard a blast in Riyadh on Tuesday and saw a plume of smoke rising above the Saudi capital.

Saudi-led coalition has claimed it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemenis targetting the south of Riyadh.

The Al-Yemama Palace in Riyadh is the official headquarter of the Saudi Arabian kingdom located in the west of Riyadh. The Royal Court of Saudi Arabia is also in the same palace.

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