Chihil Sutun

Chihil Sutun
چهل‌ستون
Interactive map of the Chihil Sutun area
Former namesHendaki
Alternative namesChihilsitoon
EtymologyForty Columns
General information
TypePalace
LocationKabul, Afghanistan
Estimated completion1796[1]
For the pavilion in Iran, see Chehel Sotoun.

Chihil Sutun (Dari: چهل‌ستون, meaning "Forty Columns"), also spelled as Chehel Sutoon, Chelsutoon, Chehelseton or Chihilsitoon, is a historic palace with gardens in Kabul, Afghanistan. The 30-hectare park is fully walled and located in the city's historical Chihilsitoon neighborhood,[2] about 3.6.km east of the Darulaman neighborhood.

The Chihil Sutun Palace was built by Emperor Zaman Shah Durrani in 1796. Many people visit the site for pleasure and leisure purposes.[1] The park and neighborhood are part of District 7 of the city. Bagh-e Babur is a few kilometers to the north.

History

Chihil Sutun was developed in the late 18th century by Zaman Shah, one of rulers of the Durrani Empire.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] The site was heavily damaged by the 1990s civil war and laid in ruins for years, before it was fully rebuilt in 2018.[4][5]

Chihil Sutun Palace is located in the Chihilsitoon neighborhood in the southern part of the city, just east from the Kabul River. 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.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Chihil Sutun Palace: A 200-Year Legacy in Kabul". TOLOnews. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Dupree, Nancy Hatch (15 December 1990). "ČEHEL SOTŪN, KABUL". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Chihil Sutun Palace - Archnet". archnet.org.
  4. ^ "Renovation Of Chihil Sutun Palace Completed". TOLOnews. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Kabul Gardens: Historic Afghan park restored to glory". Al Jazeera. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  6. ^ Community Scorecard of Kabul Municipality 2016 Integrity Watch Afghanistan
  • Entrance and stairs leading to the palace
  • A plain looking towards Chihil Sutun from the Gardens of Babur in 1924
  • War damaged Chihil Sutun palace in the mid 1990s

34°28′N 69°10′E / 34.467°N 69.167°E / 34.467; 69.167

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