Golestan Palace

Golestan — the “Palace of Flowers” — is the oldest group of historic buildings in Tehran and was the seat of the Qajar kings who made the city their capital. Set around a garden of pools and plane trees, its pavilions mix Persian craftsmanship with the European styles that fascinated the 19th-century court. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.

Highlights include the Marble Throne terrace, the dazzling Mirror Hall, and the Shams-ol-Emareh, a tall “Building of the Sun” with twin towers from which the shah could look over his city. Outside walls are covered in colourful tiles showing scenes from Persian legend, European landscapes and court life. Several pavilions are visited on separate tickets — choose a few rather than rushing all of them.