Tehran is the capital of Iran With a population of around 8.4 million in the city and 14 million in the wider metropolitan area, Tehran is Iran’s largest city and urban area, the largest city in Western Asia and one of the largest three cities in the Middle East (along with Istanbul and Cairo).
In pre-Islamic times, part of the area of present-day Tehran was occupied by Rey. It was destroyed by the Mongols in the early 13th century. In 1796, Agha Mohammad Khan chose Tehran as Iran’s new capital, in order to remain in close reach of Iran’s territories in the Caucasus, at that time still part of Iran, and to avoid vying factions of previous Iranian dynasties. Throughout Iran’s history, the capital has been moved many times; Tehran is the 32nd national capital of Iran.
Large scale demolition and rebuilding took place beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, and Tehran has been the subject of mass migration of people from all over Iran up until the present. The city is home to many historic mosques as well as several churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples. However, modern structures, notably Azadi Tower and the Milad Tower, have come to symbolize the city. Tehran is ranked 29th in the world by the population of its metropolitan area. Although a variety of unofficial languages are spoken, roughly 99% of the population understand and speak Persian.
The majority of the inhabitants of the city are Persians, but there are also populations of other Iranian ethnicities such as Azerbaijanis, Lurs, Armenians, Kurds and other ethnic groups who speak Persian as their second language. The majority of people in Tehran identify themselves as Persians.
- A view of Tehran’s expressways
- A view of north of Tehran with the Milad tower in the background
- View of Elahiye-Tehran
- North of Tehran
Attractions
Tehran, as Iran’s showcase and capital city, has a wealth of cultural attractions. The Sun Throne (also known as the Peacock Throne) of the Persian Kings (Shahs) can be found in Golestan Palace. Some well-known museums are National Museum of Iran, Sa’dabad Palaces Complex, Glassware and Ceramics Museum of Iran, The Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran’s Underglass painting Museum, Niavaran Palace Complex, and Safir Office Machines Museum. The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art features works of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The collection of these paintings was selected by former Empress Farah Diba.
Tehran is also home to the Iranian Imperial Crown Jewels, also called the Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia, it is claimed to be the largest, most dazzling and valuable jewel collection in the world. The collection comprises a set of crowns and thrones, some 30 tiaras, numerous aigrettes, jewel-studded swords and shields, a vast amount of precious loose gems, including the largest collections of emeralds, rubies and diamonds in the world. It also includes other items collected by the Shahs of Iran during the 2,500 year existence of the Iranian Kingdom. The Imperial Crown Jewels are still on display in the Iranian Central Bank in Tehran.
Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) is known to the international publishing world as one of the most important publishing events in Asia.
- Meydan Mashq Complex
- Cafeteria of Mellat Park
- Glassware and Ceramics Museum
- A stream in Darband
- Salam Hall at Golestan Palace
- Mount Damavand (5,670 m) seen from the Dizin Ski Resort
- Chitgar Lake
- Abrisham Bridge
- National Museum of Iran
- Tochal Skiing Resort
- Hosseinieh Ershad
- Jamshidieh Mountain Park
- The Nation Park in autumn
- Mount Tochal
- Alborz Mountains
- Ab o Atash (Water and Fire) Park
- Police Palace (Today, the Building No. 9 of Foreign Ministry)
Top sights in Tehran
Sepahsalar Mosque
The Sepahsalar Mosque is one of the eldest and largest mosques in Tehran . It’s located southeast of Baharestan square in Baharestan street .It’s the... Read more
Tochal Complex
Tochal Complex consists of many recreational and sports facilities located in Velenjak, North of Tehran. Tochal Telecabin (gondola lift) Tochal Teleca... Read more
Mount Tochal
Mount Tochal (Persian: Tochāl) is a mountain in the Alborz range and a ski resort adjacent to metropolitan Tehran, Iran. The mountain has a 12 km lon... Read more
Mount Damavand
Mount Damāvand (Persian: [dæmävænd]), a potentially active volcano, is a stratovolcano which is the highest peak in Iran and the Middle East as well... Read more
Laleh Park
Laleh Park (Persian : Pârk-e Laleh, formerly called Park-e Farah after Farah Diba), is a large recreation area of the Iranian capital Tehran. It is we... Read more
Saint Sarkis Cathedral, Tehran
Saint Sarkis Cathedral is an Armenian Apostolic church in Tehran, Iran. The construction of St. Sarkis Church in Tehran began from 1964 and was comple... Read more
Jamshidieh Park
Jamshidieh Park (or Jamshidieh Stone Garden), is a park located in Tehran , in the neighbourhood of Niavaran at the base of Kolakchal mountain. The pr... Read more
Azadi Tower
The Azadi Tower (Persian: Borj-e Āzādī, literally the “Freedom Tower” or “Liberty Tower”), formerly known as the Shahyad Towe... Read more
Reza Abbasi Museum
The Reza Abbasi Museum is a museum in Tehran, Iran. It is located in Seyed Khandan. The museum is named after Reza Abbasi, one of the artists in the... Read more
Milad Tower
Milad Tower (Persian: Borj-e Milād), also known as Tehran Tower (Persian: Borj-e Tehrān), is a multi-purpose Iranian concrete tower built in 2007 in... Read more
Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, is an art museum in Tehran, Iran. The museum was designed by Iranian architect Kamran Diba, who employed elemen... Read more
Safir Office Machines Museum
The Safir Office Machines Museum is a private museum located in Tehran, Iran. It was founded in 2008 by Frashad Kamalkhani, the museum owner. It inclu... Read more
Niavaran Palace Complex
Niavaran Palace Complex is a historical complex situated in the northern part of Tehran, Iran. It consists of several buildings and a museum. The Sah... Read more
Carpet Museum of Iran
Located in Tehran, beside Laleh Park, and founded in 1976, the Carpet Museum of Iran exhibits a variety of Persian carpets from all over Iran, dating... Read more
National Museum of Iran
The National Museum of Iran (Persian: Muze ye Melli ye Irān) is located in Tehran, Iran. It is the combination of two buildings which include the Mus... Read more
Golestan Palace
The lavish Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Wes... Read more