Architecture of Tehran

Tehran has grown dramatically since Mohammad Khan Qajar chose it as the capital of the Qajar dynasty in 1796. Despite the occurrence of earthquakes during the Qajar period and before, some buildings still remain from Tehran’s era of antiquity. However, most of Tehran’s historic architecture has been obliterated by the wave of hasty modernization that swept through the capital over the last 40 to 50 years. Of the eight city gates of old Tehran, none remain today.

The Qajar culture flowered into a mature form of vernacular architecture, and many relics today remain of this tradition. Most, however, are government offices and residences of the royal elite. The “Kushak” of Ahmad Shah in the Niavaran Palace Complex is a fine example of this tradition.

Many of the urban designs of modern Tehran are attributed to Victor Gruen. Gruen devised a master plan for many of northern Tehran’s neighborhoods between the years 1963–1967. Many palaces were built and by the late 1970s. Tehran had grown so large that Ray, a former satellite and city in itself, became connected to the ever-expanding “Greater Tehran”.

Pahlavi architecture tried incorporated themes from European Modern architecture. The “White House” of Sadabad Palace and the main Palace of Niavaran are examples of this style of design.

Features of the city include gates and palaces. Despite the chaotic sprawl of Tehran, many designers are gradually incorporating aesthetics in their designs, and international awards have been given to projects in the city.

The oldest surviving architectural monuments of Tehran are from the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. Although, considering the area of Greater Tehran, monuments dating back to the Seljuk era remain as well; notably the Toqrol Tower in Ray. There are also remains of Rashkan Castle, dating back to the ancient Parthian Empire, of which some artifacts are housed at the National Museum; and the Bahram fire temple, which remains since the Sassanian Empire.

Tehran only had a small population until the late 18th century, but began to take a more considerable role in Iranian society after it was chosen as the capital city. Despite the regular occurrence of earthquakes during the Qajar period and after, some historic buildings have remained from that era.

Tehran is Iran’s primate city, and is considered to have the most modernized infrastructure in the country. However, the gentrification of old neighborhoods and the demolition of buildings of cultural significance has caused concerns.

Previously a low-rise city due to seismic activity in the region, modern high rise developments in Tehran have been built in recent decades in order to service its growing population. There have been no major quakes in Tehran since 1830.

Tehran’s International Tower is the tallest residential building in Iran. It is a 54-story building located in the northern district of Yusef Abad.

The Azadi Tower, a memorial built under the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty, has long been the most famous symbol of Tehran. Originally constructed in commemoration of the 2,500th year of the foundation of the Imperial State of Iran, it combines elements of the architecture of the Achaemenid and Sassanid eras with post-classical Iranian architecture. The Milad Tower, which is the sixth tallest tower and the 24th-tallest freestanding structure in the world, is the city’s other famous landmark tower. Leila Araghian’s Tabiat Bridge, the largest pedestrian overpass in Tehran, was completed in 2014 and is also considered a landmark.

Theater
Under the reign of the Qajars, Tehran was home to the royal theater of Tekye Dowlat, located to the southeast of the Golestan Palace, in which traditional and religious performances were observed. It was eventually destroyed and replaced with a bank building in 1947, following the reforms under the reign of Reza Shah.

Before the 1979 Revolution, the Iranian national stage had become the most famous performing scene for known international artists and troupes in the Middle East, with the Roudaki Hall of Tehran constructed to function as the national stage for opera and ballet. The hall was inaugurated in October 1967, named after prominent Persian poet Rudaki. It is home to the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, the Tehran Opera Orchestra, and the Iranian National Ballet Company.

The City Theater of Tehran, one of Iran’s biggest theater complexes which contains several performance halls, was opened in 1972. It was built at the initiative and presidency of empress Farah Pahlavi, and was designed by architect Ali Sardar Afkhami, constructed within five years.

The annual events of Fajr Theater Festival and Tehran Puppet Theater Festival take place in Tehran.

The architectural development of Tehran according to Richard Frye
Prominent Iranologist Richard Nelson Frye launched the May 2004 Tehran architecture conference with a candid critique of Tehran’s architectural development. He stated that municipal authorities have turned their backs on Tehran’s heritage and looked toward the West – Paris, London and New York — for inspiration. “I think they abandoned Tehran”, he is quoted as saying, “Innovation, yes. But not slavish copying. Forgetting your heritage, forgetting your background is not recommended.”

Frye continued that modern buildings in Tehran should maintain a Persian style and sensibility and “not be a copy of the bad architecture that sweeps the world in globalization”, he remarked. “I think it’s essential that the heritage of a people be preserved. If Wal Mart came to Isfahan, what would happen to the bazaar?”

Frye has urged Iranians to work hard to preserve their identity.

Source From Wikipedia