The Ghaznavid palace

Also known as the Palace of Mas‘ud III

An important exemple of Iranian palace architecture of the medieval period

Brought to light during excavations in the years 1958-1966, its remnants were conserved and opened to the public. The site is largely dismantled today. The excavators associated it to the Ghaznavid Sultan Mas‘ud III (r. 1099-1114) and dated it to 505/1112, with Ghurid phases in the second half of the 12th century. After the Mongol invasions, the building fell into disrepair. The site became a small cemeterial area that included a domed ziyara, still standing today above the west side of the palace (ziyara of Ibrahim). 

The palace had a central rectangular courtyard surrounded by four iwans and by a continuous sequence of antichambers, each leading to an inner room. The south iwan lead to a domed throne room; a mosque was accessed via the north-west antichambers. Two large domed rooms flanked the entrance in the north area. The south-west part of the building accomodated the private quarters, which were arranged around a smaller courtyard. 

The palace was decorated with polychrome wall panelings in marble, terracotta, and stucco. Highlights of the marble decoration included a dado with a poem in Persian, one with benedictory wishes in Arabic, a stepped paneling with an octagons pattern,  and panels with a whirls pattern. A large variety of terracotta and stucco panelings covered the upper part of the walls. 

Image gallery

New hypotheses for the history and the reconstruction of the palace

A private residence of the medieval period

The excavators attributed it to the Ghurid period, suggesting that its abandonment dates back to the Mongol conquest of Ghazni in 1221. 

Mosques, mausoleums, cemeteries

Monuments of religious devotion preserving traces of Ghazni's medieval past