Marble Throne Terrace
Ivan Takht Marmar or Marble Throne Terrace is the oldest building in Golestan Palace, its construction dates back to the era of Karim Khan Zand (summer of 1759 AD). Ivan Takht Marmar is the place where the Qajar kings used to sit on the throne in the middle of the terrace during the greeting ceremonies or on special occasions and holding public reception for people from different classes. The history of this several thousand years old custom can be found in different historical periods of Iran.
This mansion underwent many changes during the Qajar period. When Agha Mohammad Khan captured Shiraz in 1206 AH, he ordered that the Vakil Palace be destroyed and its relics and precious works be moved to the Divan Khaneh's terrace (Marble Throne Terrace) in Tehran.
These transferred works include: two integrated marble columns made from marbles of Shiraz quarries and two silver inlaid doors by Mohammad Jafar Shirazi, elephant ivory, carved camel bone, etc... which verses of Saadi were engraved on them and decorated with beautiful plant patterns paintings.
Ivan Shahi was the main part of the building where public ceremonies (receptions, greetings and other official ceremonies) and coronation were held, and during the reign of Pahlavi I in 1925 AD, the last public ceremony was held in this Ivan. The two side rooms which are called Ghoshvareh or Earrings were also used to receive the guests who participated in the ceremony. The terrace sash consists of five vertically opening windows. The upper part, which is called the inscription, is made by Girih tiles technique. In the upper part of the terrace, there are six paintings behind the glass, which are gifts from the French court to Naser al-Din Shah. There are two mirrors in the upper part of the terrace, which are part of the gifts from Alexander I of Russia to Feth Ali Shah. The terrace and two Earring rooms were restored during different periods. The roof and floor underwent changes, once in the second Pahlavi period, and again in 1995 AD.
The marble throne was carved in 1806 AD by the order of Fath Ali Shah Qajar from the finest marble of the Yazd mines in Isfahan and was placed in the middle of the terrace. This throne was built based on the story of Suleiman’s throne, which was placed on the shoulders of demons and fairies. The design of the throne was done by the master Mirza Babai Shirazi, a painter of the Qajar court, and its carving was done under the supervision of master Mohammad Ebrahim Isfahani and other masters such as Mohammad Hossein, Mohammad Baqer, Morteza and Gholam Ali. The height of the throne is about one meter and is made of 65 pieces of large and small marbles (5 pieces of smooth marble with a thickness of 12 cm, which are connected to each other from below, there are one stair with 7 steps, 21 pieces of baluster, bases and columns and statues carrying the throne are 21 pieces, and small statues around the thrones are 12 pieces) and placed on the shoulders of 3 demons and 6 angels or humans.
Two dragons in the middle of the stair and two lions on the sides of the first step were carved. There are inscriptions all around the throne and each of which has a verse by Fath Ali Khan Saba (Malek al-Shoara or The King of Poets) in praise of Fath Ali Shah and the description of the marble throne. These verses were engraved in Nastaliq script by Nastaliq master, Mehdi Tehrani.