Historic sites hit in Tehran and Isfahan
Heritage sites across Iran have sustained damage amid US and Israeli airstrikes, with Tehran’s Golestan Palace and Isfahan’s 17th-century Chehel Sotoon Palace among the worst affected.
The governor of Isfahan described the attacks as a “declaration of war on a civilisation,” highlighting the destruction of cultural treasures that date back to the Safavid dynasty.
Golestan Palace suffers extensive damage
In Tehran, Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to the 14th century, experienced severe damage to its hall of mirrors. Videos show shards of intricate mirrorwork scattered across the floor, caused by shockwaves from nearby blasts rather than direct missile hits.
UNESCO had previously shared the geographical coordinates of protected sites with all parties to prevent harm, but the warnings were disregarded.
Isfahan’s historic architecture affected
In Isfahan, major explosions in the city centre damaged several historical buildings, including Chehel Sotoon, Ali Qapu Palace, and mosques around Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Windows and doors were shattered, and tiles dislodged. Residents filmed plumes of smoke rising from airstrike sites.
Governor Mehdi Jamalinejad noted that despite the display of blue shield signs, which mark cultural objects under the 1954 Hague Convention, the sites were still hit. He emphasised that Isfahan is “a museum without a roof” and called the attacks unprecedented in the city’s long history.
Cultural impact and vulnerability
An Iranian geologist who has worked in Isfahan warned that the city is particularly vulnerable. “Isfahan has long been attacked from below, by land subsidence destroying Safavid-era structures, and now from above, by the Americans,” the geologist said. “Isfahan seems to have fewer friends than ever today.”
The attacks have sparked widespread concern about the protection of cultural heritage amid military conflicts and the respect for historical monuments in Iran.
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