TEHRAN – Authorities have started modern lighting installation at the Chehel Sotoun Palace complex in Isfahan, provincial cultural officials announced on Sunday.

The 17th-century palace/pavilion is located inside Bagh-e Chehel Sotoun, which, along with several other Persian gardens, has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage list under the title the Persian Garden.

“The lighting enhancement operation at the Chehel Sotoun Palace pavilion has officially started, using an advanced lighting technology,” the provincial tourism chief Amir Karamzadeh said.

“According to the current schedule, we expect the project to be completed by the end of September this year.”

Chehel Sotoun, meaning “Forty Columns,” is a Safavid-era Persian pavilion built by Shah Abbas II. The palace was used historically for entertainment and hosting dignitaries and ambassadors on its terrace or in grand reception halls.

The pavilion’s name derives from its twenty wooden columns, which, when reflected in the pool in front of the building, appear as forty.

The palace features intricate architectural and decorative designs, including wall and ceiling patterns known as Lachak Toranj, combining painting, tiling, and other elements. It is considered a prime example of Safavid Persian architecture.

Today, the site functions as a museum displaying artworks from various periods of Iranian history.

The lighting upgrade is part of ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance the site for cultural and tourism purposes.

AM