Chehel Sotoun is a royal garden of Safavid era that was designed by Shah Abbas II. There is a large pond in front of the palace. This palace is named Chehel Sotoun, due to the reflection of twenty wooden columns in this pool. This palace contains an Iwan with columns that called Satavand in Iranian Architecture. Chehel Sotoun placed in Isfahan city that called as half of the world.

• Chehel Sotoun Garden

Chehel Sotoun Garden is separated from the other urban elements in Isfahan. With a glance at the connection between Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the other public historical buildings, you can comprehend the urban structure of Isfahan in the Safavid era. You can enter this garden via three entrance gate that the oldest one placed on the east side of the garden. When you enter, an axis guides you by trees on both sides to reach the palace. To flow water throughout the garden, some streams with a low gradient has designed in this garden.

• Chehel Sotoun Palace

This palace built based on a combination of Iranian, Chinese, and Western Europe architectural style. One of the bold features of Chehel Sotoun Palace is the existence of an octagonal porch with 18 wooden columns that located eastwards. These columns are made of plane trees and pine. The porch has a length of 38 meters, a width of 17 meters and a height of 14 meters. Four columns in the middle are placed on the stone lion pedestals. Two columns located on the other part of the porch as the portal of the Mirror Hall. You will see fabulous Aina-Kari and ceiling with wooden frames in the Mirror Hall. Moreover, this palace includes other ornamentations such as frescoes, paintings on ceramic, Khatam, Wood carving, the wooden column with Muqarnas on the capital. There are three decorated domes above the centeral hall of the palace. The king bedroom is locating on the top of the Chehel Sotoun palace.

• What is the best time to go?

You can visit this eye-catching palace from late March till late May.  Also, it is better to know visiting the Chehel Sotoun for foreign visitors costs 200,000 IRR. The visiting hour starts from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

• Getting there?

The Chehel Sotoun is located on the Ostandari Ave., Imam Hossein Sq., Isfahan City, Isfahan Province, Iran. You can reach the Chehel Sotoun via private car or public transportation such as metro, taxi, and bus.

Metro: You can get off at the Shohada station on the Chahar Bagh Boulevard. After that, you can reach the Chehel Sotoun with a taxi or walking to the south.

Bus: You should use Imam Hossein Square to Laleh Square line and get off at the Shahrdari station.

Taxi: The Chehel Sotoun is laid near to the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. You can take a taxi to get there.