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Dating back
to 1759, this building was a part of the interior residence of
Karim Khan Zand. The basic
structure of the Khalvat-e-Karim Khani is similar to Takht-e-Marmar.
Like the latter, it is a terrace (iwan). There is a small
marble throne inside the terrace. The structure is much smaller
than Takht-e-Marmar and it has much less ornamentation.
There was once a small pond with a fountain in the middle of this
terrace. Water from a
subterranean stream (the king’s qanat) flowed from the
fountain into the pond and was later used to irrigate the Palace
grounds.
Nasser-ol-Din
Shah was fond of this corner of Golestan Palace. He is said to have spent much time here in
rest and repose– smoking his water pipe in quite reflection. In fact, some believe that it was he who dubbed
the structure Khalvat (a cozy corner).
It seems extraordinary, but the valuable gravestone of
Nasser-ol-Din Shah finally found its way to this quite corner
of the Palace after being misplaced for sometime.
This marble stone with a craved image of Nasser-ol-Din
Shah is indeed a site to behold.
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