Totally dominating the low-rise skyline of Tehran’s western suburbs, Milad Tower finally opened in 2008 after 13 on-again-off-again years of construction. Standing 435m high, including 120m of antenna, in 2012 it was the world’s sixth-tallest freestanding tower. The tower bears a striking resemblance to Toronto’s CN Tower, with the octagonal concrete shaft tapering slightly up to a pod with 12 floors. The pod is home to an observation deck, a revolving restaurant, a ‘sky dome’ and various TV, radio and traffic control functions. Authorities insist the tower is built to withstand a large earthquake. For us, whether you come to the tower or not depends largely on the weather; on a rare clear day the views are worth it, but otherwise probably not. You need a taxi to get here.
