Ali Qapu Palace is the Safavid palace in Isfahan famous for its six-story music hall with decorative acoustic niches.
The palace stands on the western side of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, opposite Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Shah Abbas I began developing the complex in the early 17th century, and Ali Qapu served as a ceremonial entrance and royal reception building rather than a private residence alone.
Its upper music hall is especially distinctive. The walls contain shaped niches that are both ornamental and associated with the room’s acoustics, creating a memorable interior unlike the palace’s more formal audience spaces. The building also has a prominent terrace overlooking the square, where the Safavid court could watch ceremonies and public events.
Ali Qapu is sometimes confused with Chehel Sotoun and Hasht Behesht, two other Safavid palaces in Isfahan. Those buildings are separate monuments, while Ali Qapu is directly integrated into the great square, now called Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site.