Takyeh Dowlat

The Takyeh Dowlat (Persian: تکیه دولت, lit. 'State Takyeh'^[1]) was a royal theater in Tehran, Iran. It was the most famous of all the ta'zieh performance spaces, for the Mourning of Muharram. It had a capacity for more than 4,000 people. Built in 1868^[2] by the order of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, south-east of the Golestan Palace on the site of the Síyáh-Chál, the royal theater's sumptuous magnificence surpassed that of Europe's greatest opera houses in the opinion of many Western visitors.^[3] Samuel Greene Wheeler Benjamin said on his first visit that it was comparable to Verona Arena.

Takyeh Dowlat

Takyeh Dowlat by Kamal-ol-Molk
Location	Tehran, Iran
Coordinates	35°40′42.65″N 51°25′15.93″E
Owner	Royal court of Iran (Qajar dynasty)
Genre(s)	Takyeh Theatre First Constituent assembly of Iran
Construction
Opened	1868
Demolished	1946
Architect	Hossein-Ali Mehrin

According to Karim Pirnia, Hossein-Ali Mehrin was the architect of this building.^[4]

Notable events

It was here that Reza Shah proclaimed the downfall of the Qajar dynasty.^[5] The Takyeh Dowlat was destroyed in 1947 and a bank building was constructed on its site.^[6]

Gallery

• 
  The Takyeh Dowlat, Tehran, Iran.
• 
  The Takyeh Dowlat adjacent to Emarat-e Bādgīr (the Windcatcher Mansion) in Golestan Palace
• 
  Main Entrance
• 
  Naser al-Din Shah Qajar's funeral at the Takyeh Dowlat
• 
  Reza Shah taking an oath at the Constituent assembly
• 
  Spectators at the Takyeh Dowlat
•