Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower)
Azadi Tower “starts from the ground and stretches to the sky”, This is how the architect of the tower, Hossein Amanat, saw the history and destination of Tehran.
Standing guard like a sentry at the gates of Tehran, Iran, is the impressive Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower), built in 1971 and comprised of eight thousand white marble blocks. A combination of both Islamic and Sassanid architectural styles, the fifty-foot high tower commemorates the formation of the Persian Empire and is an interesting combination of both modern and ancient cultures.
The architect, Hossein Amanat, won a competition to design the monument, which combines elements of Sassanid and Islamic architecture. It is part of the Azadi cultural complex, located in Tehran’s Azadi Square in an area of about 50,000 meters. There are several fountains around the base of the tower and a museum underground.
Azadi Tower is one of the symbols of the great Tehran city. Laconic, simple forms of snow-white marble structure rise on the hill in the west part of the city. Memorable architecture made the tower on the list of top Tehran attractions.
Remarkably, the monument represents a strong connection between past and future, history and ambitions, culture and progress.
Golestan palace
Golestan Palace is the former royal Qajar complex in Iran’s capital city. The Qajar family came into power in 1779 and made Teheran the capital of the country and chose this palace as their seat of government.
The Palace is all that remains of Tehran’s Historical Citadel which once glittered like a jewel. This historical citadel was built at the time of Shah Tahmasb I in Safavid period. It was reconstructed at the time of Karim Khan Zand and was chosen as the venue of the royal court and residence at the time of Qajar Kings. Nassereddin Shah introduced many modifications in Golestan Palace buildings during his reign.
The Royal Court and Residence occupied more than one third of citadel. Like traditional Iranian houses it had two interior and exterior quarters. The exterior quarters consisted of the administrative section of the royal court and a square shaped garden known as Golestan (rose garden). These two parts were separated by several buildings that were destroyed in Pahlavi period.
The most important ceremonies held in the Palace during the Pahlavi era were the coronation of Reza Khan (r. 1925-1941) in Takht-i Marmar and the coronation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (r. 1941-deposed 1979) in the Museum Hall.
Golestan Palace is a fasnitaing model of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. 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.
In its present state, Golestan Palace is the result of roughly 400 years construction and renovations. The buildings at the contemporary location each have a unique history.
Tabi’at (Nature) Bridge
Tabi’at Pedestrian Bridge is located in the northern part of the city of Tehran dedicated to cultural spaces such as libraries and museums, as well as public parks. This bridge was designed in order to address the need to improve access for pedestrians between the two parks, which are divided by major highways.
The idea was to make a curved path with variable width and changes in slopes, to slow down the users and create a sense of mystery about the destination. The width of the deck varies from 6m to 13m along its length.
The structural concept was to have a spatial structure large enough to create an inhabitable architectural space while at the same time acting as the structure. The result was a dynamic form made up of a 3 dimensional truss with two continuous deck levels that sits on three tree shape columns. Where the truss meets the branches of the columns, it becomes the highest and widest. At these points the bridge becomes three levels, the third level areas act as viewing platforms, providing a wide open space which can also be used for public performances.
The project was awarded as The Best Steel Structure in Bridge Section on the 4th Conference of Steel and Structure 2013, Tehran, Iran.
It was also awarded The Golden Brick of Tehran in Development of Leisure & Touristic Spaces on the World Cities day presented by UN-Habitat and Tehran Municipality, 2014, Tehran, Iran
Museums
The National Museum of Iran
The National Museum of Iran is the main archaeological museum of Iran (formerly Iran Bastan Museum) and the brainchild of André Godard, the French archaeologist and architect who was its first director. The National Museum was Iran is very first museum and houses Iran’s foremost collection of archaeological and cultural treasures. It opened in 1937 in Tehran
In all, the National Museum of Iran has over 300,000 exhibits.
It comprises two institutions in separate buildings: the Museum of Ancient Iran and the later Museum of the Islamic Era.
The Museum of Ancient Iran was designed (and until 1960, also curated) by the French archaeologist and architect Andre Godard. The two-floor building was built to resemble the palace of Ardeshir I in Firuzabad and the red brick entranceway and dome are reminiscent of the Sassanid and Arsakid styles.
The main building houses a collection of artefacts from prehistoric Iran to the end of the Sassanid period, including pottery dating from before 10,00BC, Elamite artefacts discovered at Susa and Chogha Zambil and a wealth of Achaemenid period decorations from Persepolis. A copy of the stela carved with Hammurabi’s Laws serves as a reminder that the original, now in the Louvre, was discovered in Iran.
A rather bizarre exhibit is The Salt Man, discovered in Zanjan, which is the head and foot of a salt miner who died in the 3rd or 4th century CE and whose remains have been preserved by the salt in which he was working.
MUSEUM OF THE ISLAMIC ERA
An extension built in 1997 houses treasures from the early years of the Islamic era to the present. At the heart of the collection are handwritten copies of the Holy Quran displayed in an atmosphere of quiet reverence and spirituality along with other complementary elements of a mosque, such as an altar prayer chamber.
Other handwritten books include the poetic works of Ferdowsi, Nezami Sadi and Hafez. The uppers floors of the building chart the flourishing of Iranian art in fields such as pottery, glassware, miniature painting, carpets, metal engravings, textiles and calligraphy.
The National Museum of Iran also hosts temporary exhibitions.
Iranian Holy Defense Museum
Iranian Holy Defense Museum, educates present and future generations on their military heritage, preserves historical artifacts and will help to ensure that the memory and the meaning of eight years of Iran-Iraq war and defense will never be forgotten. The museum is located on the Abbas Abad main cultural and entertainment district of Tehran. Museum succeeds in meeting the client’s requirement of a landmark building. This epic-scale museum, on a landscaped site of 21 hectares, is dedicated to the Iran–Iraq War, a bloody eight-year conflict that claimed a million lives. The main building consists of seven halls that commemorate the war’s martyrs and run you through the history of the conflict in forensic detail. It may sound harrowing, but it is, in fact, a fascinating and imaginative response to a deeply scarring episode in modern Iranian history. Outside, huge rockets and tanks flank the Garden Valley, at the centre of which is a 6000-sq-metre lake where, in the summer months, a fountain and laser-light show plays. The complex also includes a separate silver-sphere building where you can view a 15-minute film shown on a panoramic screen that depicts the besieged town of Khorramshahr before, during and after the conflict. The main building of museum is consisted of 8 halls; each displays a specific concept of war through many monitors, video projectors, hologram showcases and some other modern technologies.
Treasury of National Jewels
The incomparable “Treasury of the National Jewels”, which is open to public, is a collection of the most expensive jewels of the world, collected over centuries. The value of the objects in the Treasury of National Jewels is not limited to their economic value, but is also a reflection of the creativity and taste of Iranian craftsmen and artist over the different eras of history, and represents the artistic and cultural heritage of the vast country on Iran.
These jewels and rarities were decorations for the rulers during the past eras, and often showed the glory and extravagance of their courts, as well as their power and wealth. Owned by the Central Bank and accessed through its front doors, the cavernous vault that houses what is commonly known as the ‘Jewels Museum’ is not to be missed. The Safavid, Qajar and Pahlavi monarchs adorned themselves and their belongings with an astounding range of priceless gems and precious metals, making this collection of bling quite literally jaw-dropping. Star pieces include the Globe of Jewels and the Peacock Throne. Each piece recalls memories of bitter-sweet victories and defeats, the pride and arrogance of the rulers who were powerful or weak.
This treasure chamber, on the other hand, represents the culture and civilization of the Iranian people who have had an adventurous past and, on the other hand, repeats the silent tears of the oppressed people who labored hard, and instead, the rulers could show their arrogance power with their gold and jewels.
The National Botanical Garden of Iran
The National Botanical Garden of Iran based in the west of Tehran is a beautiful natural site to experience. Based on a site of 150 hectares, the botanical garden is home to some 160,000 plants from several regions around the world. It is also the national site of the herbarium of Iranian plants and the stock of facilities are continually being expanded to give visitors a greater understanding of the natural world.
The garden also contains Iran’s most significant arboretum in the country, six lakes, paths for walking and hills that represent several mountainous regions in Asia including the Alborz and Zagros mountain range. There is also a recreation of the Himalayas, according to the site of the park. The Garden is home to 3000 species of plants, shrubs and trees. Throughout a full visit around the garden, you can see different species of plants. The really fascinating fact about this garden is that it is supposed to present real patterns of gardens of Iran with all sorts of climate. Regardless of various plants, there are beautiful waterfalls, lakes, wetlands, deserts, and rock gardens. Furthermore, the National Botanical Garden of Iran aims at preserving those species that are in danger of being extinct. Hence, performing as a rich gene bank, it keeps the sources of these plants. If you are a nature tourist, you will have a great time in the whole region.