Our first day of touring in Tehran.
We went to the Golestan Palace, built by the Qajars, the dynasty just before the Pahlavis - the last Shah was a Pahlavi. This is one section where we could take photos. Apparently mirrors were transported from Venice, but many were broken, so the art of mosaic using small pieces of mirror was born - or so the story goes. It seems to me that they liked it so much that they kept on smashing mirrors anyway. Some rooms were absolutely covered in these pieces and I imagine you could light a huge room with a tiny bulb.
Thanks to Google, this is an image of what we could not photograph.
We also saw the National Jewels of Iran. Security was huge, 3 lots of scanning. No pics. Thanks to Google, this is the crown made in 1967 by Van Cleef and Arpels from various jewels that they lying around in the Treasury. It was made for the coronation of the last Shah's wife.
And also thanks to Google, here is the Shah's...
And there were lots, lots more. Some of them beautiful, others just staggering. I remember looking at a lovely white fringe, then seeing it was made of the tiniest of pearls strung together. No wonder these jewels are part of Iran's reserves.
This is a pic of Kin Mun at the Azadi Tower. You will recognise it when you see it. The last Shah built it in 1971 and it was on the route to the old airport. The present airport is in the other direction, and you no longer see this tower, but you do pass the shrine of Khomeni.
Today was much milder than any other day - max I think about 15 I think - which made things much easier.
Our last tour day is tomorrow (Sunday) and dinner will be at a chinese restaurant, I think the organisers are aware that the food is repetitive. We are so lucky in Australia and Singapore at the variety of cuisines we can get. Not that the food here is awful - it isn't - but there is so little variety. Not to mention a glass of wine. I say I don't miss it, but then it does come to mind when we sit down to dinner!
We went to the Golestan Palace, built by the Qajars, the dynasty just before the Pahlavis - the last Shah was a Pahlavi. This is one section where we could take photos. Apparently mirrors were transported from Venice, but many were broken, so the art of mosaic using small pieces of mirror was born - or so the story goes. It seems to me that they liked it so much that they kept on smashing mirrors anyway. Some rooms were absolutely covered in these pieces and I imagine you could light a huge room with a tiny bulb.
Thanks to Google, this is an image of what we could not photograph.
We also saw the National Jewels of Iran. Security was huge, 3 lots of scanning. No pics. Thanks to Google, this is the crown made in 1967 by Van Cleef and Arpels from various jewels that they lying around in the Treasury. It was made for the coronation of the last Shah's wife.
And also thanks to Google, here is the Shah's...
And there were lots, lots more. Some of them beautiful, others just staggering. I remember looking at a lovely white fringe, then seeing it was made of the tiniest of pearls strung together. No wonder these jewels are part of Iran's reserves.
This is a pic of Kin Mun at the Azadi Tower. You will recognise it when you see it. The last Shah built it in 1971 and it was on the route to the old airport. The present airport is in the other direction, and you no longer see this tower, but you do pass the shrine of Khomeni.
Today was much milder than any other day - max I think about 15 I think - which made things much easier.
Our last tour day is tomorrow (Sunday) and dinner will be at a chinese restaurant, I think the organisers are aware that the food is repetitive. We are so lucky in Australia and Singapore at the variety of cuisines we can get. Not that the food here is awful - it isn't - but there is so little variety. Not to mention a glass of wine. I say I don't miss it, but then it does come to mind when we sit down to dinner!
I remember seeing the Azadi tower in 1972; didn't visit the palace as the Shah was still residing there. Visited at a time when Tehran was celebrating the Crown Prince's birthday, and also remember the long main street, called "Pahlavi Ave". Wonder what it's called now.
ReplyDeleteI wondered about where the Shah lived. I think there is also another palace outside Tehran, now open to visitors. There is no Pahlavi Avenue to be seen anywhere now! It
ReplyDeletewould have been interesting to be here back in 1972.