Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province.

Most Iranian industries are headquartered in Tehran. The industries include the manufacturing of automobiles, electronics and electrical equipment, military weaponry, textiles, sugar, cement, and chemical products. It is also a leading center for the sale of carpets and furniture. There is also an oil refinery located in south of the city.

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province.

Most Iranian industries are headquartered in Tehran. The industries include the manufacturing of automobiles, electronics and electrical equipment, military weaponry, textiles, sugar, cement, and chemical products. It is also a leading center for the sale of carpets and furniture. There is also an oil refinery located in south of the city.

Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia. It is also the hub of the country's railway network. Although a relatively new city that does not evoke the history of other Iranian cities such as Isfahan, Shiraz, or Tabriz, Tehran has numerous large museums, art centers, palace complexes and cultural centers.

In the 20th century, Tehran faced a large migration of people from all around Iran. Today, the city contains a mix of various ethnic and religious minorities, and is filled with many historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples.

Tourism and attractions

• The Former US Embassy now renamed US Den of Espionage (Taleghani St; Metro: Taleghani) is all that remains of the US embassy in which 66 American citizens were held hostage for over a year; a major embarrassment that is believed to have cost President Carter his reelection. You'll know you've arrived when you ascend the steps from Taleghani metro station and are confronted with the words "Down with the USA" painted on its wall. The compound walls are now decorated with typically anti-US paintings depicting the evils of the "Great Satan" and you can still make out a somewhat battered national crest on the front gate. A bookshop near the metro station sells copies of shredded documents found at the embassy--outlining coup plots, CIA agent covers and other James Bondish details--that were laboriously glued back together by Tehrani students. The building was opened to visitors during March 2005 as the "US Democracy Fair", but appears to have closed again. Keep an eye out in case it re-opens.
• If you want to drool over some truly excessive wealth, take a look at the Treasury of the National Jewels (Ferdosi St, near the corner of Jomhuriyeh Eslami Ave; Metro: Saadi; look for the heavy iron gate and rife wielding guards beside the Central Bank). For the IR 30,000 admission fee you'll get to see a collection of some of the most expensive jewels in the world. Highlights include the world's largest uncut ruby, the world's largest pink diamond (the Sea of Light) and a free standing golden globe made from 34 kilograms of gold and an astounding 51,366 precious stones. An informative IR 6,000 information book is available at the ticket counter.
• The National Museum of Iran has ceramics, stone figures and carvings dating all the way back to around the 5th millennium BC.
• The gigantic Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini (Metro: Haram-e-Motahar) is on the southern edge of the city. The sheer size of the shrine / shopping center is enough to make the trip worth it. Entrance to the actual mausoleum is free.

Museums

• Golestan Palace,  the oldest of the historic monuments in Tehran.
• Niavaran Palace,
• Kolahstudio-an Art Basement,
• Sa'd Abad Gallery of Fine Arts,
• Glassware Museum of Tehran,
• Iran's National Rug Gallery,
• Reza Abbasi Museum,
• Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art,
• Tehran Theater of the Performing Arts (Te'atr e Shahr)
• Talar Vahdat Theater
• National Museum of Iran,
• Darabad Museum of Natural History
• Saadabad Palace,
• Time Museum, Evolution of time-measurement instruments. Located in Farmaniye district, north of Tehran
• Money Museum, Coins and banknotes from different historic periods. Located in Mirdamad street.
• National Arts Museum, Located in Baharestan district.
• Ebrat Museum, The prison of Shah ages.

A1one Graffiti

A1one (aka Alonewriter, tanha) graffitis and street art works are a sort of interesting stuff in Tehran's Urban Space. A famous local graffiti artist at the center of controversy about whether his work is art or vandalism. You can see his early works on the Tehran-Karaj Expressway, on the southern side walls UP in Ekbatan and Apadana districts, and a more recent stencil is located on the entrance of the Saba Art Institute.

Ski

• Take a ride up the Tochal gondola lift (تله‌کابین توچال) on the northern outskirts of the city. Tickets range from IR 10,000 to IR 50,000 depending on how far up the mountain you want the telecabin to whisk you. If you're poor and energetic, you can simply hike all the way up, or just start walking and hop on the telecabin at the next station when you get tired. If you're going to the top, you may want to bring a jacket, even in summer, at over 4,000 metres the summit is chilly. To Tochal, take the Metro line 1 to Mirdamad, then bus line 33 for 25 minutes to Tajrish Square (ask the driver to let you off at Meidan Tajrish). If you visit on a holiday when Tehranis flock to the mountain, you should be able to jump in a shared taxi to the telecabin entry gate for IR 4,000 otherwise charter one privately. From the entry gate a minibus service (IR 1,500) will take you to the base station.
• The Darband chair lift is an alternative to the one at Tochal. Taxis to Darband go from Tajrish Square.
• For skiers a ride to the Dizin Ski Resort is a must do! Iran's best ski area, Dizin, is located in the Alborz mountains north of Tehran. Driving time is about 2.5 hours from the capital city. Note that there are two roads leading to Dizin. One directly passing through Shemshak which is the fastest but is often closed due to . The other road goes via Karaj and is a safer option but it is longer, maybe three hours. The road to Dizin is of a good quality but four wheel drive or chains are required for the last 10 or 12 km (6 or 7 mi) when there's snow - which is frequently the case. Dizin ski amenities includes one hotel (420,000 to 540,000 rials per night for double), 19 cottages and 4 restaurants. The ski activity in Dizin complex is not confined to winter season.  A day-pass costs between 120,000 and 150,000 rials (more on the weekend). A snowboard can be rented for 100,000 per day, but can go as high as 300,000 per day depending on where you rent and quality. For the cheapest rent in Shemshak or at the parking-lot on the top of Dizin. The shops in the hotel and by the parking-lot in the bottom of the slope is the expensive option.

Bazaar

• Wander around Tehran's massive bazaar (بازار) in the city's south (Metro: Panzdah-e-khordad). The main entrance on 15 Khordad Ave leads to a labyrinth of stalls and shops that were once the engine room of Iran's commodity markets and one of Imam Khomeini's greatest sources of conservative, pro-Revolution support. As usual shops are clustered according to the products they sell. If you're planning on heading out into remote areas, the bazaar is an ideal and cheap place to stock up on almost anything you need.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehran
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tehran


No formId