Azadi Tower

The tower was constructed at the centre of a large square, positioned along the main road leading from Imam Khomeini International Airport to Tehran. The first sight that greets visitors to the capital is the Azadi Tower, earning it the nickname "the Gateway to Tehran."

Architecture of the Azadi Tower

The design of the Azadi Tower was developed through a competition held to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. The winning design, created by Hossein Amanat, a 24-year-old architecture student in Tehran, was deemed the best. This project established Amanat as the first Iranian avant-garde architect, skilfully blending elements of traditional Achaemenid and Sassanid architecture with bold geometry and modern designs.

According to the architect's vision, the arch of the tower symbolises hands clasped in a prayerful gesture. The exterior is clad in 25,000 blocks of pristine white Isfahan marble, while the inner arch features a lattice design adorned with traditional Persian motifs. The Azadi Tower has nine stripes on each side and nine windows at its peak. The square surrounding the tower spans 68,000 square metres and is laid out in a complex geometric pattern of pathways, lawns, and fountains.

The Azadi Tower as the Freedom Tower

The tower was completed in 1971 and officially inaugurated in the presence of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Initially, it was intended to be named Darvaz-e Kurush (Persian: The Gate of Cyrus), but the name Borj-e Shahyad (Persian: Memorial of the Shah) was selected instead. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, both the square and the tower were renamed Azadi (Persian: Freedom).

The Archaeological Museum of the Azadi Tower

Today, an underground cultural and archaeological museum is housed beneath the Azadi Tower. In its dimly lit galleries, visitors can explore a collection of pre-Islamic artefacts from across Iran, including gold and enamel jewellery, as well as a selection of Persian miniatures spanning the past ten centuries. One of the main exhibits is an exact replica of the Cyrus Cylinder, inscribed in cuneiform with the benevolent deeds of the Persian king Cyrus the Great, which Iranians regard as the world's oldest declaration of human rights. The tower also features a library, a conference room, and a 5D cinema. An observation deck at the top offers breathtaking views of the surrounding park complex.