Way out west at the end of Azadi Ave is the inverted Y-shaped Azadi Tower, built in 1971 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the first Persian empire. After being closed for years, the tower reopened in 2006.
Like the City Theatre, Carpet Museum and Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the 50m-high structure is a mix of ‘60s modern architecture with traditional Iranian influences, most notably the iwan -style of the arch. The exterior is clad with more than 8000 cut stones, while inside you can see the complex structural engineering in concrete that forms the bones of architect Hossein Amanat’s design. The park surrounding the monument is a relative oasis compared with the maelstrom of traffic beyond. It was the scene of much protest during the 1979 revolution and remains a focal point for demonstrations today, including some huge demonstrations during the post-election crisis in 2009.
You can reach the top by stairs or lift, and will probably be accompanied. To get here, take Metro line 4 (light blue) to Meydan-e Azadi (don’t confuse it with the other Azadi station).
