The Great Shah Abbas and His Buildings in Isfahan The Great Shah Abbas I reigned from 1588-1629. He was a ruler who relocated the capital from Saljuq to Isfahan, in the center of the country. This was his attempt to centralize political and religious authority, develop capital, and institute Safavid Iran as a world power, both economically and politically. Shah Abbas began his renovations with the transformation of the little Timurid palace into the Ali Qapu, or ‘sublime port’ an entrance to the royal gardens. Abbas made it his headquarters while his architects began the creation, under his direction and often under his personal supervision, of his new capital. Abbas built the Ali Qapu with a balcony from which he was able to observe the activities in the court below him. The columned porch provided an elevated reviewing stand for royalty and guests. The interior is decorated with hanging plaster vaults that are decorated like Chinese porcelains, similar to Persian lusterware. The rooms are decorated in red, white, blue and gold, the walls painted with landscapes and Hunting scenes, the floors covered with carpets of silk and gold. There are figure paintings on the walls of the upper rooms that are blandly erotic. In front of the Ali Qapu there is a rectangular shaped pool filled with water. The water was transported to the pool by means of hydraulic machines worked by oxen. The upper level contained a music room at the very top of the building. The Music room was intricately decorated with small niches that were filled with glass, pottery, enameled metal and semi-precious stones, this may have been an attempt to improve the acoustics of the room. The threshold of the main gateway was regarded with high respect during Safavid times. No one was allowed to walk over the threshold, and even the Shah dismounted to pass through, some even kissed the gate as they passed through. The garden precinct behind th...
