TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has appreciated the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization for fully restoration of the landmark Ali Qapu Palace.

“Preservation of ancient works are of especial importance,” Rouhani wrote on November 3 in a letter to CHHTO Director Ali-Asghar Mounesan, ISNA reported.

“I appreciate the organization. Preservation of ancient works [of art], particularly magnificent monuments in Isfahan, are of especial importance. Provincial governorates and municipalities should cooperate in this regard,” the letter reads.

Some 13 years of rehabilitating projects on Ali Qapu has recently come to an end as scaffoldings are removed from the facade of 17th-century monument.

Built at the very end of the 16th century as a residence for Shah Abbas I, a Safavid king, the six-storey palace overlooks the UNESCO-registered Imam Square.

Profusion of tree-lined boulevards, Persian gardens and important Islamic buildings give Isfahan a highly touristic appeal that is unmatched by many other Iranian cities. In addition, the city is home to many versatile artisans who underpin its reputation as a living museum of traditional culture.

AFM/MG