TEHRAN – The Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has expressed concern over the protection of World Heritage sites following escalating violence in West Asia, citing damage to the centuries –old Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.
The organization has said that the palace sustained damage due to shellfire and an explosion stemming from an aerial attack on the Arg (a former royal district) within its protective zone.
“On Monday, March 2, the Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was reportedly damaged by debris and the shock wave following an airstrike….,” UNESCO stated in a social media post on X.
The palace complex, one of Iran’s most significant historical monuments, suffered damage to arches, wooden doors and windows, stained-glass panels, among others, according to relevant officials.
UNESCO continues to closely monitor the cultural heritage situation in Iran and throughout the region to ensure its protection,” the organization said. The UN cultural body has provided the parties involved with the geographical coordinates of all World Heritage sites and nationally significant sites to prevent any further damage, ISNA reported.
UNESCO also cited the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its supplementary protocol, alongside the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, as relevant international legal frameworks protecting cultural assets in armed conflicts.
In that regard, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, visited the site on Monday, confirming the damage and stating that a report would be submitted to UNESCO regarding the incident, citing a breach of international rules. Additionally, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Ali Darabi, confirmed that the Golestan Palace site had suffered serious damage. He noted that protective measures, including the installation of “Blue Shield” (a UNESCO initiative), had been put in place to safeguard the site.
Located in the heart of Tehran’s historic core, the palace complex is one of the oldest in the city, originally built during the Safavid dynasty within the historic walled city. Over time, it underwent several expansions, receiving its most defining features in the 19th century, when it was designated as the royal residence and seat of power by the Qajar ruling family.
The palace complex comprises eight main palace structures, primarily used as museums, along with the eponymous gardens, a central green space surrounded by an outer wall with gates, exemplifying the architectural and artistic achievements of the Qajar era, including the integration of European motifs and styles into Persian art. It served not only as the governing base of the Qajar kings but also as a residential and recreational compound and a center of artistic production during the 19th century. Through these activities, it became a primary source and hub of Qajar art and architecture.
Moreover, the property offers a unique and rich testimony to the architectural language and decorative arts of the Qajar period, particularly reflecting the legacy of Naser al-Din Shah. The palace showcases European-inspired artistic motifs alongside Persian traditions, representing some of the earliest examples of a synthesized European-Persian style. This blend became a defining characteristic of Iranian art and architecture in the late 19th and 20th centuries, with parts of the palace complex regarded as foundational to the modern Iranian artistic movement.
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