Capital of Modern Iran

Tehran is the most populous city in Iran, where tradition and modernity have converged. If included as a part of ancient Rey, the city’s history dates back to 7,000 years ago. The surrounding plain has traces from the first villagers of the world who lived in the Neolithic age, as exhibited in the settlements at Cheshmeh Ali. Cheshmeh Ali culture, with its beautiful potteries, is a term that refers to the people who lived in the area between the Central Plateau of Iran and Turkmenistan during the chalcolithic period. Tehran also had a prominent position during the Iron Age of Iran; the Qeytarieh cemetery with graves full of gray and black potteries is reminiscent of the nomad life in the Iron Age.

 

Historical References

The name Tehran is not as old as Rey and is noted only in the Islamic sources. It gained further attention during the Mongol Empire (1206-1335). At the beginning of the 13th century, the renowned Islamic geographers, Yaqut al-Hamawi and Hamdallah Mustawfi introduced Tehran as a village with underground houses and slums. “Tehran is a large village built under the ground where there is no way to its homes unless the people let you in” Yaqut al-Hamawi states in Mu’jam ul-Buldān book. The development of this city started in the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736) during the reign of the Shah Tahmasb. He commissioned the construction of a massive wall with four gates which surrounded the urban areas . He constructed 114 towers symbolizing the number of chapters in the Quran and embedded a chapter under each tower.

 

Numerous travelogues have mentioned Tehran for its beautiful attractions and history. Pietro Della Valle, the Italian traveler, declared that Tehran is the city of plane trees. The British Sir Thomas Herbert describes Tehran as a populous town with beautiful landscape. He keeps count of one thousand houses and grand bazaars in its vicinity.

Tehran as the Capital City

Finally, Tehran became the capital of Iran with the rise of the Qajars in 1796. The peak of arts and architecture in the Qajar era was during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah. Although, one can see  the glory of that period exemplified in the Sahebqaraniyeh Palace, the architectural masterpiece of the Qajar era in Tehran is the Golestan Palace, a UNESCO world heritage site. In 1867, a new developing project in Tehran commenced with the assistance of a French engineer.

 

After the Qajar dynasty, when the Pahlavi dynasty took power (1925-1979) a rapid program of development began in Tehran. The iconic Azadi Tower symbolizes this move to modernity. The modernization of Tehran continued after the Islamic revolution. The Milad Tower, 435 meters high, is the sixth tallest telecommunications tower in the world, with a fine revolving restaurant and an amazing panorama of Tehran. Its excellent museums, palaces, parks, bazaars, and mountains render Tehran a rare gem.

Tehran

Tehran is the most populous city in Iran, where tradition and modernity have converged. If included as a part of ancient Rey, the city’s history dates back to 7,000 years ago. The surrounding plain has traces from the first villagers of the world who lived in the Neolithic age, as exhibited in the settlements at Cheshmeh Ali. Cheshmeh Ali culture, with its beautiful potteries, is a term that refers to the people who lived in the area between the Central Plateau of Iran and Turkmenistan during the chalcolithic period. Tehran also had a prominent position during the Iron Age of Iran; the Qeytarieh cemetery with graves full of gray and black potteries is reminiscent of the nomad life in the Iron Age.

 

Historical References

The name Tehran is not as old as Rey and is noted only in the Islamic sources. It gained further attention during the Mongol Empire (1206-1335). At the beginning of the 13th century, the renowned Islamic geographers, Yaqut al-Hamawi and Hamdallah Mustawfi introduced Tehran as a village with underground houses and slums. “Tehran is a large village built under the ground where there is no way to its homes unless the people let you in” Yaqut al-Hamawi states in Mu’jam ul-Buldān book. The development of this city started in the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736) during the reign of the Shah Tahmasb. He commissioned the construction of a massive wall with four gates which surrounded the urban areas . He constructed 114 towers symbolizing the number of chapters in the Quran and embedded a chapter under each tower.

 

Numerous travelogues have mentioned Tehran for its beautiful attractions and history. Pietro Della Valle, the Italian traveler, declared that Tehran is the city of plane trees. The British Sir Thomas Herbert describes Tehran as a populous town with beautiful landscape. He keeps count of one thousand houses and grand bazaars in its vicinity.

Tehran as the Capital City

Finally, Tehran became the capital of Iran with the rise of the Qajars in 1796. The peak of arts and architecture in the Qajar era was during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah. Although, one can see  the glory of that period exemplified in the Sahebqaraniyeh Palace, the architectural masterpiece of the Qajar era in Tehran is the Golestan Palace, a UNESCO world heritage site. In 1867, a new developing project in Tehran commenced with the assistance of a French engineer.

 

After the Qajar dynasty, when the Pahlavi dynasty took power (1925-1979) a rapid program of development began in Tehran. The iconic Azadi Tower symbolizes this move to modernity. The modernization of Tehran continued after the Islamic revolution. The Milad Tower, 435 meters high, is the sixth tallest telecommunications tower in the world, with a fine revolving restaurant and an amazing panorama of Tehran. Its excellent museums, palaces, parks, bazaars, and mountains render Tehran a rare gem.

Tehran

Tehran is the most populous city in Iran, where tradition and modernity have converged. If included as a part of ancient Rey, the city’s history dates back to 7,000 years ago. The surrounding plain has traces from the first villagers of the world who lived in the Neolithic age, as exhibited in the settlements at Cheshmeh Ali. Cheshmeh Ali culture, with its beautiful potteries, is a term that refers to the people who lived in the area between the Central Plateau of Iran and Turkmenistan during the chalcolithic period. Tehran also had a prominent position during the Iron Age of Iran; the Qeytarieh cemetery with graves full of gray and black potteries is reminiscent of the nomad life in the Iron Age.

 

Historical References

The name Tehran is not as old as Rey and is noted only in the Islamic sources. It gained further attention during the Mongol Empire (1206-1335). At the beginning of the 13th century, the renowned Islamic geographers, Yaqut al-Hamawi and Hamdallah Mustawfi introduced Tehran as a village with underground houses and slums. “Tehran is a large village built under the ground where there is no way to its homes unless the people let you in” Yaqut al-Hamawi states in Mu’jam ul-Buldān book. The development of this city started in the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736) during the reign of the Shah Tahmasb. He commissioned the construction of a massive wall with four gates which surrounded the urban areas . He constructed 114 towers symbolizing the number of chapters in the Quran and embedded a chapter under each tower.

 

Numerous travelogues have mentioned Tehran for its beautiful attractions and history. Pietro Della Valle, the Italian traveler, declared that Tehran is the city of plane trees. The British Sir Thomas Herbert describes Tehran as a populous town with beautiful landscape. He keeps count of one thousand houses and grand bazaars in its vicinity.

Tehran as the Capital City

Finally, Tehran became the capital of Iran with the rise of the Qajars in 1796. The peak of arts and architecture in the Qajar era was during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah. Although, one can see  the glory of that period exemplified in the Sahebqaraniyeh Palace, the architectural masterpiece of the Qajar era in Tehran is the Golestan Palace, a UNESCO world heritage site. In 1867, a new developing project in Tehran commenced with the assistance of a French engineer.

 

After the Qajar dynasty, when the Pahlavi dynasty took power (1925-1979) a rapid program of development began in Tehran. The iconic Azadi Tower symbolizes this move to modernity. The modernization of Tehran continued after the Islamic revolution. The Milad Tower, 435 meters high, is the sixth tallest telecommunications tower in the world, with a fine revolving restaurant and an amazing panorama of Tehran. Its excellent museums, palaces, parks, bazaars, and mountains render Tehran a rare gem.

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