The decision to register the monument on the list was made during the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sunday, UNESCO announced on its website.
The committee described the Golestan Palace as “a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences.”
“…It became a center of Qajar arts and architecture of which it is an outstanding example and has remained a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day. It represents a new style incorporating traditional Persian arts and crafts and elements of 18th century architecture and technology.”
The Golestan Palace is one of a group of royal buildings that were once enclosed within the mud-thatched walls of Tehran’s Arg (Citadel).
The citadel was built during the reign of Safavid king Abbas I (1571-1629), and was later renovated by Karim Khan Zand (reigned 1750-1779), the first ruler of the Zand dynasty after the collapse of the Safavid dynasty.
The founder of the Qajar dynasty, Agha Mohamd Khan (1742–1797) chose Tehran as his capital and the citadel became the site of the dynasty (1794–1925).
Some other buildings were constructed in the complex during the Qajar period and the Golestan Palace became the official residence of the royal family of the dynasty.
During the Pahlavi era (1925–1979) Golestan Palace was used for formal royal receptions and the Pahlavi dynasty built their own palace in Niavaran neighborhood.
The most important ceremonies held in the palace during the Pahlavi era were the coronations of Reza Khan (reigned 1925-1941) and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (reigned 1941-1979).
In between 1925 and 1945 a large portion of the buildings of the palace were demolished by orders of Reza Shah, who believed that the centuries old palace should not hinder the growth of a modern city. In the place of the old buildings modern 1950s and 1960s style commercial buildings were constructed.
The Golestan Palace is currently used as museum complex displaying artifacts mostly dating back to the Qajar period.
Following is a list of the Iranian sites previously registered on the World Heritage List:
1. Chogha Zanbil, Khuzestan Province, 1979
2. Persepolis, Fars Province, 1979
3. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan Province, 1979
4. Takht-e Soleiman, West Azerbaijan Province, 2003
5. Pasargadae, Fars Province, 2004
6. The city of Bam and its Cultural Landscape, Kerman Province, 2004
7. Soltanieh Dome, Zanjan Province, 2005
8. Bisotun, Kermanshah Province, 2006
9. Historical churches of St. Thaddeus and St. Stephanus, West Azerbaijan Province, and Dzordzor (Zorzor), East Azerbaijan Province, 2008
10. Shushtar’s ancient water system, Khuzestan Province, 2009
11. The Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili, Ardebil Province, 2010
12. Tabriz Bazaar, East Azerbaijan Province, 2010
13. The Persian Garden (nine gardens from the provinces of Fars, Yazd, Isfahan, South Khorasan, Mazandaran, and Kerman), 2011
14. Qabus Tower, Golestan Province, 2012
15. Isfahan Congregational Mosque, Isfahan Province, 2012
MMS/YAW
MNA
MNA
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