Tehran
The capital is essentially a modern city, but the best of the old has been preserved. The Shahid Motahari Mosque has eight minarets, from which the city can be viewed. The Bazaar (open every day except Friday and religious holidays) is one of the world’s largest; another bazaar, catering mainly for local communities, can be found in the Tajrish suburb. Located in the north of the capital, an endless maze of vaulted alleys, everything from fine carpets to silver- and copperware to exotic aromatic spices can be found here. There is a separate section for each trade practised and craftsmen can be seen at their work.
Tehran has several good museums, including the Abgineh Museum of Iranian Pottery; the Rea Abbasi Muesum, housing a rare collection of Iranian calligraphy and paintings; the National Museum of Iran (Iran Bastan Museum), which displays mostly archaeological and anthropological exhibits; the Rassam Cultural and Art Foundation of Carpet, which includes a carpet museum and carpet weaving school; the Carpet Museum, whose oldest carpet is 450 years old; and the Anthropological Museums in Golestan Place and Saad Abad. Iran’s capital also has a number of cultural centres (including Azadi, Bahman and Khavaran) as well as a National Library, a City Theatre, a Zoo and a University.
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