Tehran Attractions
The Golestan Palace (Persian: کاخ گلستان, Kākh-e Golestān) is the former royal Qajar complex in Iran's capital city, Tehran. One of the oldest historical monuments in the city of Tehran, and of world heritage status, the Golestan Palace belongs to a group of royal buildings that were once enclosed within the mud-thatched walls of Tehran's arg ("citadel"). It consists of gardens, royal buildings, and collections of Iranian crafts and European presents from the 18th and 19th centuries
The Grand Bazaar is an old historical bazaar in Tehran, Iran. It is split into several corridors over 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) in length, each specializing in different types of goods, and has several entrances, with Sabze-Meydan being the main entrance. The architecture, old mosques, and cultural difference will catch tourists eyes for good. It's convenient to buy whatever you want in one place. It has access to the rapid transit system of Tehran Metro through the stations of Khayam and Khordad 15th.
The National Museum is an institution formed of two complexes; the Museum of Ancient Iran and the Museum of the Islamic Era, which was opened in 1937 and 1972, respectively. The institution hosts historical monuments dating back through preserved ancient and medieval Iranian antiquities, including pottery vessels, metal objects, textile remains, and some rare books and coins. It also includes a number of research departments, categorized by different historical periods and archaeological topics. The building, designed by French architect André Godard and completed in 1928, is one of the more attractive modern buildings in Tehran, blending Sassanian principles such as the grand iwan-style entrance with art deco–style brickwork.
The national treasury of the jewelry of Iran namely the Treasury of Royal Jewelry was established in Tehran in 1955 in order to take care of the national jewelry of Iran. Most of the royal jewelry of Iran is in display in this museum from Safavid, Afsharid, Ghajarid and Pahlavid dynasties such as the Darya-ye-Noor dimond (the sea of light), Naderi Paisley, the crown of Queen Farah Pahlavi, Kiyani crown, the gemmed globe, the Peacock bed (Ghajarid) (The sun bed), and the Naderi bed.
Saadabad is a cultural and historical complex that covers an area of 110 hectares and is located at the northern part of Tehran. The complex contains 18 palaces belonged to the royal families of Qajar and Pahlavi, in a unique and beautiful garden. The complex was first built and inhabited by Qajar monarchs in the 19th century. After an expansion of the compounds, Reza Shah of the Pahlavi Dynasty lived there in the 1920s, and his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, moved there in the 1970s. After the 1978 Revolution, the complex became a museum.
Niavaran Palace Complex is situated in the northern part of Tehran, Iran in 9000 square meters area. It consists of several buildings and a museum. The Sahebqaraniyeh Palace from the time of Nasir al-Din Shah of Qajar dynasty is also inside this complex. The main Niavaran Palace, completed in 1968, was the primary residence of the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and the Imperial family until the Iranian Revolution. The main palace was designed in 1337 AH (1958) by the Iranian architect Mohsen Foroughi, and following a short delay in its construction, it was completed in 1346 AH (1967) and used in 1347 AH (1968). Presently, it is comprised of five museums (Niavaran Palace Museum, Ahmad Shahi Pavilion, Sahebqaraniyeh Palace, Jahan Nama museum and the private library), and other cultural, historical and natural attractions including the Blue Hall, Private Cinema, Jahan Nama Gallery, and Niavaran Garden.
The inverted-Y-shaped Azadi Tower, built in 1971 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the first Persian empire, is one of Tehran's visual icons. Designed by Hossein Amanat, it ingeniously combines modern architecture with traditional Iranian influences, most notably the iwan-style of the arch, which is clad in 8000 pieces of white marble. It's worth going inside to see the complex structural engineering that forms the bones of the design and for the view from the gallery at the top. You can reach the top by stairs or lift. At the base are galleries with changing exhibitions and a cafe.
Milad Tower also known as the Tehran Tower is a multi-purpose tower in Tehran. It is the sixth tallest tower and the 17th tallest freestanding structure in the world. It is located between the Qarb Town and Gisha District, standing at 435 m from base to the tip of the antenna. The head consists of a large pod with 12 floors, the roof of which is at 315 m. The tower is a part of a complex called International Trade and Convention Center of Tehran. The complex also includes a five-star hotel, a convention center, a world trade center, and an IT park. The Milad Tower was considered the 4th tallest free-standing telecommunication tower in the world.
Tabiat Bridge is the largest pedestrian bridge built so far in Iran. Located in north of Tehran, it connects two public parks by spanning over Shahid Modarres, one of the major highways of the city. ‘Tabiat’ means ‘Nature’ in Persian language. The bridge is about 270 meters long and consists of a 3 dimensional truss with two continuous levels that sits on three tree shape columns. There are two platforms on top of the main columns forming the 3rd level viewpoints. All the levels are connected to each other by stairs and multiple ramps, providing multiple paths throughout the bridge to get from each level to another. Even though the bridges are usually considered as structural projects, here the approach is more architectural.
Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, also known as TMoCA, is among the largest art museums in Iran. It has collections of more than 3,000 items that include 19th and 20th century's world-class European and American paintings, prints, drawings, and sculptures. TMoCA also has one of the greatest collections of Iranian modern and contemporary art. The museum was inaugurated by Empress Farah Pahlavi in 1977, just two years before the 1979 Revolution. TMoCA is considered to have the most valuable collections of modern Western masterpieces outside Europe and North America.
Tabiat Bridge is the largest pedestrian bridge built so far in Iran. Located in north of Tehran, it connects two public parks by spanning over Shahid Modarres, one of the major highways of the city. ‘Tabiat’ means ‘Nature’ in Persian language. The bridge is about 270 meters long and consists of a 3 dimensional truss with two continuous levels that sits on three tree shape columns. There are two platforms on top of the main columns forming the 3rd level viewpoints. All the levels are connected to each other by stairs and multiple ramps, providing multiple paths throughout the bridge to get from each level to another. Even though the bridges are usually considered as structural projects, here the approach is more architectural.
If you ever visit Iran, a trip to the neighborhood of Darband in North Tehran, at the foothills of Mount Tochal and the central Alborz Range is a must. Darband, which used to be a village before becoming part of Tehran, is located at the start of the hiking trail (or chairlift if hiking doesn’t interest you) up to Mount Tochal, which towers over Tehran and contains several popular ski resorts. It is one of the most popular places in Tehran because of it's clean and cool weather, river, mount, and restaurants. People usually go there early in the morning to reach the summit by noon and enjoy the amazing view of Tehran, and also you can visit this place at night.