Ali Qapu | A Fantastic Picture of the Main Hall

Ali Qapu is one of the most important historical buildings built in the post-Islamic period. This palace was constructed by Abbas The Great in Isfahan at the end of the 16th century AD.

Ali Qapu purpose

It was a palace where Abbas worked on the country’s administration and entertained guests. Abbas also watched the polo play and other ceremonies held at Naghsh Jahan Square from the Ali Qapu porch.

Ali Qapu palace architecture and plan

The palace has six floors and an area of 1800 meters. The height of the porch reaches 20 meters, and from there, Naghsh Jahan square can be seen. ( To see beautiful pictures from the history of Iran, refer to the Architectural Photography Examples article. )

The palace halls are decorated with stucco, patterned flower and plant paintings, and miniature paintings. In the plastering inside the building, designs of pots and utensils can be seen. The name of the work’s creator and the date are not found in the murals, which has made the story difficult to distinguish.

On the mansion’s first floor, two halls were used for administrative work during the Safavid period.

The building looks like three floors from Naghsh Jahan Square and five floors from behind, but in reality, it has six floors and is 48 meters high.

The large porch of the mansion is located on the third floor and has 18 wooden columns. The decoration of the palace was completed during the reign of Abbas’ successors.

The porch’s roof is beautifully decorated, and the wooden pillars are mirrored, which are now gone.

Gilding can also be seen among the interior decorations of the magnificent mansion, on the walls, arches, and ceilings. In this style of gilding, after placing a layer of porcelain on the desired parts, gold is coated on that part to fill the grooves with gold water, which makes them shine and beauty doubly effective.

Ali Qapu location

The palace is located in Naqsh-e Jahan square in Isfahan. On the opposite is the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, which the king named after his father-in-law. Sheikh Lotfollah was also a high-ranking cleric. The Shah Mosque can also be seen on the right.