Close your eyes and think… What does a fairytale look like? For some it will be a white world, like heaven. For others, it will be dazzling. Nonetheless, a fairytale is miraculous, something so extraordinary that it makes us believe in the magic of this world. Visitors to Tehran, Iran’s richly cultural capital city can say they have seen what a fairytale looks like, thanks to the brilliant, shimmering and heaven-like Golestan Palace the city is most known for.
The Golestan Palace is perhaps one of the most important palaces in the country. To understand just how relevant, consider this: three kings were crowned inside this palace. It consists of 17 structures, all of which were completed at different times. The palace is, unsurprisingly, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the monumental historical facts it presents and the cultural identity it preserves.
While all the structures are truly heroic in their beauty and significance, the Mirror Hall, also known as the Diamond Hall, is a singular sight in the world. Glittering, gleaming, glinting, shimmering – the words, though apt, do not encompass the profound beauty and magic of the Mirror Hall.
In Persian, this small room is called the Talar-e Aineh. It is located on the west side of the reception ball in front of the lobby of the grand palace.
Those who step in the Hall of Diamonds do not come out the same – it is as if they just witness a higher power, the magic of light suspended on uncountable mirrors all reflecting their light back into their eyes.
All the mirrors in the room are tiny suncatchers and make one believe in the miraculous gift of life.
The hall was constructed during the reign of Fath Ali Shah, and the divine ornamentation was modified at the time of Naser-e-Din Shah. The extraordinary decoration was designed by Haj Abdol Hossein Memar Bashi, and is just as loved now aa as it was when first filled with glorious mirrors.
There is, clearly, nothing in the world that would come even remotely close to the experience of being in a glittering hall. This is reason enough to visit the historical city of Tehran.
You’ll also love this mausoleum.
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