Why is it said that Ali Qapu is a place to hear the magic of sound?

            Ali Qapu is a famous palace of the Persian Empire’s Safavid Era. It was built in the early 17th century and is now situated in Iran. The palace is a 48 metre tall, six-storey building constructed during the reign of Shah Abbas I.

            What makes it unique is the acoustic wonder of the Music Hall on the sixth floor. It was where royal receptions and parties were hosted by the kings.

            Let’s see what makes the sounds here special. Along the four sides of the upper half of the Music Hall walls and within the mini muqarnas – a form of ornamented vaulting ceilings, there is a double-walled design. It features a unique pattern of plaster niches that are cut out in the shapes of vases, pots, and other vessels. They absorb echoes and create a special sound system. That is, if one stands in the Music Hall and claps, he will hear no echo, in spite of the huge size and volume of the room.

            One should not forget that it was constructed long before the advent of electric power transmission.