UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran damaged by US-Israeli airstrike

The Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site and masterpiece of 19th-century Persian architecture, has been damaged by a joint US-Israeli airstrike on March 1, 2026. The raid targeted Arag Square in southern Tehran, but shockwaves from the explosions shattered historic windows, damaged ancient doors, and cracked mirrors in the famous Mirror Hall (Talar-e Aineh), compromising gilded ornaments and raising dust among mosaics. Human rights activist Pegah Moshir Pour expressed sorrow on Facebook, describing the palace as an immense site with invaluable historical archives. The Golestan, meaning 'garden of roses,' was built in the 16th century and expanded between the 18th and 19th centuries, serving as the official residence of the Qajar dynasty. It features eight main pavilions, ornate niches, polychrome tiles, floral and geometric frescoes, and mosaic-cut mirrors. Under Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (r. 1848–1896), the palace took its most famous form, inspired by his 1889 visit to the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The Marble Throne witnessed coronations, and the complex symbolized Qajar modernization. Later, the Pahlavi dynasty used the palace for ceremonies; Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was crowned in the Mirror Hall in 1967. Closed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it reopened in 1998 and received UNESCO recognition in 2013. The damage strikes at centuries of art, diplomacy, and cultural aspirations.