Chihil Sutun
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Chihil Sutun
| native_name = چهلستون
| native_name_lang = Fa
| image = Hendaki Palace, the Emir's residence, Kabul Wellcome L0025004.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| map_type =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_size =
| former_names = Hendaki
| alternate_names = Chihilsitoon
| etymology = Forty Columns
| status =
| building_type = Palace
| architectural_style =
| location_city = Kabul
| location_country = Afghanistan
| coordinates =
}}
{{For|the pavilion in Iran|Chehel Sotoun}}
Chihil Sutun ({{langx|fa|چهلستون}}, meaning "Forty Columns"), also spelled Chehel Sutoon, Chelsutoon, Chehelseton or Chihilsitoon, is a historic palace with gardens located about {{convert|3.6|km|mi}} east of Darulaman neighborhood in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was built in 1796 by Emperor Zaman Shah Durrani. The palace and neighborhood are part of District 7 of the city.
History
Chihil Sutun was developed in the late 18th century by Zaman Shah, one of rulers of the Durrani Empire.{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/arts-culture-176942 |title=Renovation Of Chihil Sutun Palace Completed |website=TOLOnews |date=3 March 2022 |access-date=2023-05-11}} The current palace and pavilion were originally built at the same location by then-Emir Abdur Rahman Khan at the end of the 19th century. Historic maps also refer to both the palace and area as Hendaki.{{cite web |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/cehel-sotun-kabul |title=ČEHEL SOTŪN, KABUL |publisher=Encyclopaedia Iranica |work=Nancy H. Dupree}}
The palace's commemorative plaque was set in 1888. It was expanded with paved walkways and marble fountains by his successor Habibullah Khan. It had been used at times as a state guesthouse during the 20th century, notably being the visiting residence of U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and during the communist era, was used as a government media hub.{{cite web|url=https://archnet.org/sites/2736|title=Chihil Sutun Palace - Archnet|website=archnet.org}} The site was heavily damaged by civil war and laid in ruins for years, before it was fully rebuilt and reopened in 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/kabul-gardens-historic-afghan-park-restored-glory-191009120414825.html|title=Kabul Gardens: Historic Afghan park restored to glory|date=9 October 2019|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=2019-10-10}}
Chihilsitoon is located on the outskirts of the city's urban area, just east from the Kabul River that streams south towards Char Asiab. The Chihilsitoon Road links it towards central Kabul to the north and Darulaman to the west. Like other places of District 7, it is an unplanned area and generally poor.[https://iwaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/KBL-Municipality-CSC-FINAL-REPORT.pdf Community Scorecard of Kabul Municipality 2016] Integrity Watch Afghanistan
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
Gallery
File:Entrance and stairs leading to the Hendaki Palace Wellcome L0025003.jpg|Entrance and stairs leading to the palace
File:Plain towards Chihil Sutun, south of Kabul (1924) (NO-NB BLDSA GM2a307n).jpg|A plain looking towards Chihil Sutun from the Gardens of Babur in 1924
File:War damaged Chilsetoon Palace, Kabul.png|War damaged Chihil Sutun palace in the mid 1990s
External links
- {{YouTube|HMjh8gQu7c4|Exploring Chihilsitoon Garden's peaceful view in 4K}} (May 11, 2024)
- {{YouTube|Xf3JB6lWIhI|Chilston park and palace Kabul Afghanistan}} (Apr. 16, 2023)
{{coord|34|28|N|69|10|E|display=title|region:AF_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}}
{{Portal|Afghanistan}}
{{Kabul Province}}
Category:Neighborhoods of Kabul
Category:Palaces in Afghanistan
Category:Royal residences in Afghanistan