US and Israeli strikes on Iran have caused damage to at least 120 museums, historic buildings and cultural sites since the war began nearly a month ago, Iranian authorities announced, in what is shaping up as one of the most significant assaults on a nation’s cultural heritage in recent memory.
Golestan Palace
“At least 120 museums, historic buildings and cultural sites in various provinces have been directly targeted and have suffered severe structural damage,” said Ahmad Alavi, head of the cultural heritage committee of the Tehran city council, according to Iranian state television.
A UNESCO World Heritage site — the Golestan Palace in Iran — was damaged during airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/tTQXJNTrtt
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 2, 2026
Alavi identified several landmark sites among those affected, including the UNESCO-protected Golestan Palace — often compared to Versailles — the Marble Palace, the House of Teymourtash and the Saadabad Palace complex, one of Tehran’s most visited attractions, which encompasses an extensive park and museums dedicated to Iranian history. The Saadabad complex also houses the residences of the Iranian president and the governor of Tehran province, with judicial facilities and Revolutionary Guards installations located nearby.
Golestan Palace
The United Nations said at least four of Iran’s 29 UNESCO World Heritage sites have sustained damage in the conflict: Golestan Palace, Chehel Sotoun Palace, the Masjed-e Jameh mosque in Isfahan, and the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley.
Iran, with a history spanning more than a millennium, possesses a vast cultural heritage that has largely remained off the beaten path of mass tourism.
Golestan Palace
