A 17th-century palace built by the Persian Safavid dynasty, Chehel Sotoun Palace, in central Isfahan, Iran, was damaged by Israeli missiles, according to Iranian state media.
Chehel Sotoun Palace was completed by Shah Abbas I and is today an active museum; the Persian Garden was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. The complex is known as the “Forty Columns Palace,” because of how the main pavilion’s 20 columns are mirrored in an outdoor reflecting pool.
The Persian Garden’s palace was damaged by blast reverberations on March 9 and again March 10. The damage was confirmed by Rouhollah Seyyed al-Asgari, Deputy for Cultural Heritage of Isfahan Province.
Israel was targeting an administrative building in proximity to the Chehel Sotoun Palace when blast reverberations shattered the palace’s grand windows. No structural damage has been reported at this time.
A spokesperson for UNESCO acknowledged the damage that has been sustained to the Chehel Sotoun Palace and told AN the organization “reiterates its call for the protection of cultural and natural heritage everywhere.”
UNESCO “has communicated to all parties concerned the geographical coordinates of sites inscribed on the World Heritage List as well as those of national significance, to avoid any potential, irreversible damage. We shall dispatch experts on the ground as soon as the situation allows,” the spokesperson said.
Video published by Iranian outlets shows the damage to Chehel Sotoon Palace, a 17th-century historical landmark in central Isfahan.
These outlets had reported that the office of Isfahan’s provincial government, located around 110 meters from it was targeted by a strike today. https://t.co/bJnJw3yRB8 pic.twitter.com/zZTZ7SXmer
— Ghoncheh Habibiazad | غنچه (@GhonchehAzad) March 9, 2026
The Chehel Sotoun Palace was restored by the Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (IsMEO) in 1977. In 1980, the restoration project received an Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Conservation work was actively taking place at the palace prior to the strike on March 9. In October 2025, a restoration, cleaning, and lighting project began on Chehel Sotoun Palace’s main portico. On February 18, 2026, the palace’s Chaharshanbeh Suri room and Stone Museum reopened to the public.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chehel Sotoun Palace is protected under international law. Intentionally damaging UNESCO World Heritage Sites constitutes a war crime, according to the International Criminal Court.
Strikes on Chehel Sotoun Palace occurred days after Golestan Palace in Tehran was damaged by U.S. and Israeli missiles, as reported by AN.
Seyyed al-Asgari told reporters yesterday that other landmarks in the Isfahan province that have been damaged are the Rakib Khaneh Mansion, Timurid Hall, Ashraf Hall, and the Ali Qapu Palace.
Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts filed a complaint with UNESCO on March 2, after Golestan Palace was damaged. The Ministry requested UNESCO send representatives to document the damage and assist in reconstruction.
“UNESCO is already in close contact with relevant national authorities, providing expertise and technical support,” the organization’s spokesperson told AN.
“We stand ready to provide further expertise or assistance,” the UNESCO spokesperson continued. “We urge all parties to ensure that culture and heritage sites remain safe from harm and remind all involved parties of their obligations” under international law.
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