Tourism Information of Tehran
Tehran is a cosmopolitan city, with great museums, parks, restaurants and warm friendly people.
The city can be roughly divided into two parts - north and south. The northern districts of Tehran are more prosperous, modern, cosmopolitan and expensive while southern parts are less attractive but cheaper.
At the time of the Zand dynasty, it was a little town that was significant from a strategic point of view. The first Qajar king, Agha Mohammed Khan, named Tehran as the country's capital in 1778, and most of its growth started during the reign of a subsequent Qajar monarch, Fath-Ali Shah.
At the same time, the city's population doubled. Due to the increasing significance of the city, gates, squares and mosques were built and it was at the time of Nassereddin Shah that the city's master sketch was prepared and modern streets were constructed. Later, huge central squares like Toopkhaneh square (now Imam Khomeini) and quite a few military buildings were built. Even though the Qajar dynasty was in a period of decline, Tehran soon took the shape of a modern city. The structure of large government buildings, new streets, recreation centres, urban service organizations, and academic and methodical centres were started, even as most of the old gates and buildings were destroyed and the city's old architectural fabric replaced by a contemporary one.
Tehran has also earned itself an unenviable reputation as a smog-filled, traffic-clogged and featureless sprawl of concrete bursting at the seams with 14 million residents. But you can also find an endless number of nice and cosy places in and around the city - if you know where to look. Tehran is a city of more than 800 parks, all well-kept. The city is nearly a mile high above sea level and as a result is cooler than other cities in the Middle East. Still, summer temperatures are very hot, averaging 33°C (91°F) in July and frequently exceeding 38°C (100°F). The air tends to be very dry.
A combination of factors make Tehran a pleasant place to visit: the dry climate which is cool in the evenings, the proximity of the mountains, the parks and gardens where flowers blossom all through the year, the alleys of trees in the avenues or even smaller streets, and even the water that runs down from the upper city along deep and wide gutters which look like small rivers during spring. The Alborz range on the north of Tehran, which hosts the highest peak in Iran, provides fantastic conditions for ski lovers in the winter. In winter, the mountain hotels and ski clubs at Shemshak, and Dizine are very busy. There is some world-class skiing to be done in the resorts just north of Tehran.
Crafts
It is interesting to know that you can find many colorful Iranian handicrafts from all over the country in Grand Bazaar. You can buy souvenirs at a lower price in this bazaar. Moreover, you can purchase handmade Iranian rugs and carpets from wholesalers in this marketplace.
Museums
The best places to visit in Tehran include Golestan Palace, one of the Iran UNESCO Sites, National Jewels Museum, the vibrant Tehran Grand Bazaar, Abgineh Museum, Sar Dar-e Baghe Meli, Carpet Museum, Moghadam Museum, etc. in the city center.
Saad Abad Complex, Darband Recreational Site, Niavaran Palace, Tochal Complex, Darakeh Recreational Site, Tabiat Bridge, etc., are in the northern zone.
On the other hand, there are several ski resorts with up-to-date equipment near the capital of Iran. Among them, Dizin Ski Resort, Tochal, and Shemshak are the best destinations for ski lovers.
Niavaran complex is located in a majestic, refreshing garden which measures about 11 hectares and includes monuments belonging to the Qajarid and Pahlavid eras. The beginning history of the garden is contemporaneous with the reign of Fath Ali Shah, the second Qajarid king (r. 1797-1834). To have a place of entertainment and a summer resort, Fath Ali Shah ordered the construction of a pleasing garden beyond the northern borders of Tehran. So, a canebrake near a village called "Kordeh-Vi" or "Kordeh-Beh" was chosen and the garden something much smaller than what can be visited today, was built there. As just said, the garden was built in place of a canebrake. As the word for canebrake is "Neyzar" in Farsi, the garden was titled "Ney Avaran", meaning a place which produces cane, and then it changed to "Niavaran".
The present garden includes Saheb Qaranieh palace, comprising Jahan Nama and Howz Khāneh museum, the Special Niavaran palace, Royal library museum, Ahmad Shahi pavilion, the Royal car museum and the Relief garden.
The Ancient Iran Museum is the first building in Iran specifically designed and built as a museum. It was designed by the French architect André Godard and constructed by two Iranian masons, Abbas-Ali Me’mar and Morad Tabrizi between 1933 -1936. Its facade and portico were inspired by the famous arch of Taq-e Kasra of Ctesiphon, one of the famous examples of the architecture of the Sassanian period; the building’s brickwork exhibits the Persian tradition of brick construction.
The permanent exhibition covers a surface area of some 4,800 square meters on two floors and a basement, containing selected artifacts in chronological order, from the Lower Paleolithic period (ca. 1,000,000 years ago) to the end of Sasanian times (651 CE). The first-floor galleries contain prehistoric objects including Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic artifacts. The ground floor galleries contain historic objects including Bronze Age, Elamite, Iron Age, Median, Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanian artifacts
Tehran Milad Tower became a new symbol of Tehran right after its construction. It is a multipurpose building, proudly standing on the north of Tehran and visible from almost every part of the city.
Milad tower is the 6th tallest tower in the world and the tallest building in Tehran. It provides not only a bird’s-eye view of the city but also some business activities and entertainment events. It is 435 meters long. The construction took 11 years, headed by Iranian architect Mohammad Reza Hafezi.
The tower includes 5 parts, which are the foundation, entrance lobby, shaft, head structure, and antenna. The lobby consists of 6 floors and includes trade units, exhibition halls, and food courts. Six elevators bring visitors along a concrete shaft to the upper floors at the speed of 7 meters per second. The head of the tower consists of 12 floors.
Azadi Tower is one of the symbols of the great Tehran city. The architect, Hossein Amanat, started constructing the tower in 1972 after he won a competition to design a monument. The last Shah of Iran commissioned the monument. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi wanted the tower to commemorate the 2500th year of the Persian Empire. Azadi Tower represents Iran’s great history and heritage in tandem with contemporary achievements and development.
The architect of the monument, Hossein Amanat, won the nationwide competition. They first referred to the tower as Darvaze ye Kurosh – The Gate of Cyrus. They decided to name it officially to Shahyad Aryamehr (Shahyad tower)– Shah’s Memorial Tower. For the next seven years, the name remained the same, resembling the 2500th anniversary of the Persian empire until the Islamic revolution. In 1979 (after the 1979 Islamic revolution), the tower got the name we know today – (Borj-e Āzādi), which literally means freedom; Freedom Tower.
The unique collection of national jewels mirrors the grand history of Iran, reminding the visitor of the victories, failures, honors, and dishonors this great country has gone through. Wander through the glitter of these gems, representing Iranian art, culture, and opulence. The recorded history of the treasury of jewels began with the Safavid monarchs. However, a great amount of these jewels were scattered or stolen during later periods. For example, when Mahmud Afqan invaded the country and defeated the last Safavid king, Shah Sultan Hossein, a part of these jewels were sent to India. Then, Nader Shah Afshar tried to recollect the looted parts, but his assassination in 1747 put an end to his efforts. The reason for this failure was that one of his commanders plundered the treasury he had made great efforts to recollect.
Maybe the most important item was the diamond named Kuh-e- Nur (Mountain of light) which never returned to Iran. Being the largest cut diamond in the world, Kuh-e Nur finally found its way to the British crown. During the rule of Reza Shah, the first Pahlavi king, a major part of the treasury was transferred to Melli Bank to bolster the monetary system of the country. So, the jewel collection was moved to its present location in 1955, and was deposited with the Central Bank after its establishment in 1960.
The collection encompasses various diamonds ranging from less than one carat to 152.16 carats. This treasure includes plate covers, vases, candelabrums, hookah jugs, and combat equipment like sword, dagger, quiver, and buckler, all encrusted with precious gems. It also contains gold belts, hats, watches, cloaks, and other accessories like brooches, watches chains, kings’ medals, together with thrones and crowns, all showing off power and wealth.
This bewildering collection is so precious that even the world-known expert evaluators have not been able to estimate its value. It can be seen as a glimmering entrance to the sometimes dark and violent tales of history hidden behind it.
The majestic diamond, Darya-ye Nur (the sea of light) is probably the most important item among Iran’s royal jewelries. Its form, weight (circa. 182 carats), and marvelous pink color make it an extremely rare diamond in the whole world. Finally, after its long journey through history, Darya-ye Nur became Naser al-din Shah’s favorite jewel. He believed that it had decorated the crown of the Great Cyrus.
The lavish Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. The walled Palace, one of the oldest groups of buildings in Tehran, became the seat of government of the Qajar family, which came into power in 1779 and made Tehran the capital of the country. Built around a garden featuring pools as well as planted areas, the Palace’s most characteristic features and rich ornaments date from the 19th century. It became a centre of Qajari arts and architecture of which it is an outstanding example and has remained a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day.
It represents a new style incorporating traditional Persian arts and crafts and elements of 18th century architecture and technology.
The Sa’dabad Palace Complex is a 300-hectare complex built by the Qajar and Pahlavi monarchs, located in Shemiran, Greater Tehran, Iran. Today, the official residence of the President of Iran is located adjacent to this complex. The complex includes more than 180 hectares of natural forest, streets, qanats, galleries, mansions/ palaces and museums. The complex was initially built and inhabited by Qajar dynasty off monarchs in the 19th century. After extensive expansions, Reza Shah of the Pahlavi Dynasty resided there in the 1920s. His son, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, moved there in the 1970s. After the 1979 Revolution, the complex became a public museum. White Palace is the largest mansion in this complex. In addition to ceremonial and official affairs, this building was used as a summer residence of Mohammad Reza Shah (the second king of Pahlavi dynasty) and the queen Farah.