Sa'dabad is the summer palace complex of the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties — a large forested estate in the Shemiran district of northern Tehran that served as the royal residence during the hot months when the smog-laden lower city became unbearable. It is now a museum complex of 18 buildings spread over 110 hectares of mature gardens at around 1,600 metres altitude.
The most important building is the White Palace (Kakh-e Sefid), the former main royal residence, whose rooms have been preserved more or less as they were left in January 1979 when the Shah fled Iran for the last time. The carpets, the furniture, the Sèvres porcelain dinner service, and the royal bedroom are all intact. The Fine Arts Museum within the complex has works from European masters (acquired by the Pahlavi court) alongside significant 20th-century Iranian painting. The combination of mountain setting, garden walks, and historical resonance makes Sa'dabad the most satisfying single afternoon in Tehran.