The capital city of Iran is Tehran, a diverse and wondeful city that offers everything from traditional Iranian culture and architecture to modern services and buildings.
As the capital city of Iran, Tehran is a diverse and beautiful city combining the ancient civilisation of Iran with modern developments and living. It is positioned at the base of the Alborz mountain range in Northern Iran and is home to the usual tourist attractions such as museums, shopping centres, art galleries and palaces. In addition to being the cultural centre of Iran, Tehran is also home to key sociological, economic, and political activities. The respective authorities in Tehran have made great efforts to further cultivate and grow leisure facilities for it’s inhabitants, such as parks and theatres.
Tehran is split into 22 municipal districts. Each municipal district in turn operates its own administrative centre.
Modern high rise developments in Tehran demonstrate the architectural progress being made in this great city and particular areas of bland housing demonstrate the speed at which this progress was made within some places. Fortunately, the loss of quality to quantity seems to have come to an end and further breath taking designs are being built within Tehran.
Excavations of Tehran demonstrate that this area was home to civilisations as far back as 6,000 years BC and along with the rest of Iran it has a profound ancient history. It is clear however, that Tehran served only as a village to a relatively small population until a King of Iran during the period 1524 – 1576 fell in love with the region and it’s welcoming climate. Buildings were subsequently erected there and the city has continued to grow ever since. It did not become the capital of Iran however until the 19th century.
Tourist attracts across Iran are immense and varied. However, an example of just a few attractions within Tehran are as follows:
The Golestan Palace (Rose Garden), Tehran, Iran
The Golestan Palace was once a royal residence and it now boasts a stunning tranquil garden coupled with a museum which displays objects from the Qajar period. It is the oldest historical monument within Tehran.
The Alborz Mountain Range, Tehran, Iran
Although the highest peak in the Alborz Mountain range (and also the highest peak in Iran) is an extinct volcano, villagers are still able to hear rumbling from deep within the mountain. It is covered with snow for most of the year and is the subject of many Iranian legends.
During the winter periods this area makes a great place for skiing and the quality of the snow is recognised globally as being some of the best in the world.
The Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran
The Azadi Tower was built in 1971 in celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. It is 148 foot tall and is the first landmark that visitors come across when arriving at the Tehran Airport.
