The royal palace of Ali Qapu is located in the west of Naqsh-e Jahan square and against Sheikh Lotf Allah mosque. The palace was built by the order of Shah Abbas in 1597. It is a rectangular building, 48 meters high with five stories that were connected by spiral staircase. There is a massive balcony in front of the palace that was covered with paintings, wooden roof and decorated wooden columns. The balcony was used by Safavid kings to watch ceremonies such as polo-games, horse-racings and other events held in the square below.
Ali Qapu Palace, Music Hall- Isfahan, Iran
The most important part of this palace is its miniature paintings, and the most decorated room is located on the sixth floor. Reza Abbasi and his skilled students performed the paintings. It was later named “the music room” the upper part of the walls is filled with stucco niches in shape of various vessels motifs including bottles and flasks. Unlike the one made in Sheikh Safi Al din mausoleum, this room was not used as displays of vessels. As the name signifies, the room was used as a music room and the stucco niches stopped the echo of the room and helped the listeners to hear sounds better.
