Chihil Sutun

Chihil Sutun
Chihil Sutun
چهل‌ستون
Former names	Hendaki
Alternative names	Chihilsitoon
Etymology	Forty Columns
General information
Type	Palace
Town or city	Kabul
Country	Afghanistan
Estimated completion	1796

Chihil Sutun (Persian: چهل‌ستون, meaning "Forty Columns"), also spelled Chehel Sutoon, Chelsutoon, Chehelseton or Chihilsitoon, is a historic palace with gardens located about 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) east of Darulaman in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was built in 1796 by Emperor Zaman Shah Durrani.^[1] The palace and neighborhood are part of District 7 of the city.

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History

Chihil Sutun is a historical site. It 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 civil war and laid in ruins for years, before it was fully rebuilt and reopened in 2019.^[4]

Chihilsitoon is located in 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.^[5]