Tehran

Tehran, a City for All

Tehran, the important city of Iran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran province. With a population around 8.7 million in the city and 15 million in the larger metropolitan area of greater Tehran. Tehran is home to divers ethnic and linguistic groups from all over the country, but the number of foreign resident is low. This city, is the most populous city in Iran and Western Asia, the second largest metropolitan area in the Middle East. It is ranked 24^th in the world by the population of its metropolitan area.

Tehran used to be a village of the “Ray”. The history of residence in Tehran goes back to 5000 BC. Discovering a 7000-year-old skeleton of a woman in Molavi district in Tehran is evidence of the city’s antiquity.

As a cosmopolitan city, Tehran has great museums, parks, restaurants, and warm friendly people. It is home to many historic and natural touristic sites.

History

The process of transforming Tehran into a strategic city, began from Safavid era. When Shah Tahmasb I, were traveling to “Shah Abd-ol Azim” holy shrine, he found Tehran interesting because of its beautiful gardens and ordered to ditch around the city and built 114 towers (because of Quran’s Sure’s) and four gates on four sides of the city. During the Shah Abbass I, many bridged, palaces and inns were built in Tehran and in the north part of the Towers, Chahar Bagh and Chenarestan were built, which were later walled and converted into a palace (Golestan Palace) and government place.  The process of completing the tower continued until the end of Safavid era, and Tehran became a resort for caravan.

In Zandie era, the importance of this barrow was added, until Karim Khan Zand (the King of Zandie dynasty), for four years, made Tehran the center of his government and built new buildings in the citadel.

Eventually, Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, in Norouz 1164 SH (Solar Hijri), Chose Tehran as his capital and was crowned in this city.

UNESCO’S world Heritage

Tehran Province has more than 890 registered sites in the National Heritage List of Iran and 1 in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Transporter

Tehran has an international airport (Imam Khomeini Airport), a domestic airport (Mehrabad Airport), a central railway station, the rapid transit system of Tehran Metro, Bus rapid transit system, taxies.