Tourism and attractions Tehran, Iran, Asia

Tehran, as Iran's showcase and capital city, has a wealth of cultural attractions. The Peacock Throne of the Persian Kings (Shahs) can be found in Tehran's Golestan Palace. Some of the well-known museums are National Museum of Iran, Sa'dabad Palaces Complex, Glassware and Ceramics Museum of Iran, The Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran's Underglass painting Museum, and Niavaran Palace Complex. The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art features the works of great artists such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The collection of these paintings was selected by the former Empress Farah Diba.[citation needed]

Tehran is also home to the Iranian Imperial Crown Jewels, also called the Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia, its is claimed to be the largest, most dazzling and valuable jewel collection in the world. The collection comprises a set of crowns and thrones, some 30 tiaras, numerous aigrettes, jewel-studded swords and shields, a vast amount of precious loose gems, including the largest collections of emeralds, rubies and diamonds in the world. It also includes other items collected by the Shahs of Iran during the 2,500 year existence of the Iranian Kingdom. The Imperial Crown Jewels are still on display in the Iranian Central Bank in Tehran.

Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) Is known to the International Publishing World as the most important publishing event in Asia and the Middle East.[22]
Recreation
The Achaemenid collection of The National Museum of Iran in Tehran.
Shahr Theater.

The most popular social activity, especially among the younger generation is cinema. Most cinema theatres are located downtown. The Azadi Cinema was inaugurated in 2008. It is the largest cinema theatre in Tehran and the Middle East with ten salons. The Iram Zoo and Iram City Game are also popular meeting points, especially for families with children. A new larger zoo is planned for 2010.

Artists often mingle at the House Of Artists. Theatre Shahr was opened in 1962. It is the largest theatre in Tehran and the Middle East. Tehran TV 1, Tehran Cinema TV, Omid TV and Tehran Show TV are among the most popular TV stations in Tehran. Tehran TV2, Tehran TV3 and Tehran Sport are planned to be launched in 2010.

The following table shows some places for outdoors activities in Tehran:
Religious Centers
Hosseiniye Ershad.

* Hosseiniye Ershad
* Soltani Mosque, built by Fath Ali Shah
* Atiq Mosque, built in 1663.
* Mo'ezz o-dowleh mosque, built by Fath Ali Shah
* Haj Seyd Azizollah mosque, built by Fath Ali Shah
* Al-javad mosque, Iran's first modernist design mosque.
* The Old Sepahsalar mosque, another prominent Qajar era mosque.
* The new Sepahsalar mosque (Madreseh e Motahari)
* Filsuf o-dowleh Mosque, Qajar era
* Moshir ol-Saltaneh Mosque, Qajar era
* Mo'ayyer ol-Mamalik Mosque, Qajar era
* Shahr Banu Mausoleum
* Javan-mard Qassab Mausoleum, a pre-Islamic semi-mythical hero
* Dozens of Imam-zadeh shrines, hundreds of years old, including that of Imam Zadeh Saleh.
* Dozens of Saqa Khanehs: traditional places of prayer
* Several Tekyehs: traditional places for mourning Muharram ceremonies for Husayn ibn Ali.
* Ebn-e Babooyeh cemetery, where many Iranian giants such as Takhti and Ali Akbar Dehkhoda are buried.
* Zahir o-dowleh cemetery, where many Iranian giants of art and culture such as Iraj Mirza, Mohammad Taghi Bahar, Forough Farrokhzad, Abolhasan Saba, Ruhollah Khaleghi, and Darvish-khan are buried.
* Kordan Tomb, Seljuqi era, Karaj.
* Maydanak Tomb, 13th century, Karaj
* The Polish Cemetery 1-north of Tehran in British Gholhak Garden, where numerous World War II western Allied soldiers are buried. 2- Polish cemetery (Catholic cemetery) Dulab south of Tehran
* Orthodox Cemetery, Dulab/The Russian Unknown Soldier's Tomb (Cenotaph) is located here with a red star over it
* Tower of silence (Dakhme gabrha). Located on Moshiryh Road behind 7th unit of Tehran cement factory. It is circular in shape.
* Naghare Khane Tower. Located on a mountain with same name (Nagharekhane) in Haftdastagh District, beside Amin Abad Road. Its age is not clear but it is related to the Seljuk Era. This tower is the tomb of a Seljuk king. Under the tower you can see other historical ruins (Einanj Dome). This place is a royal cemetery and was used in the early years of the Islamic Era in Persia.

[edit] Churches
Saint Sarkis Armenian Cathedral in Tehran cnr Nejatollahi and Karim Khan-e Zand Sts, Valiasr Sq Area

* Sarkis Cathedral, 1970 [23]
* Saint George Church, 1790
* Thaddeus Bartholimeus Church, 1808
* Tatavus Church, from the Qajar era
* Enjili Church, 1867
* Assyrian Church
* Sarbaz Church
* Armenian Church
* Tree Church
* Holy Church
* Star Church
Synagogues

* Abdollah Zadeh Synagogue
* Abrishami Synagogue
* Bagh Saba Synagogue
* Ettefagh Synagogue
* Ettehad Synagogue
* Haim Synagogue
* Fakhrabad Synagogue
* Kohan Synagogue
* Kourosh Synagogue
* Lubian Synagogue
* Pole Choobi Synagogue
* Mahariv Synagogue
* Nosrat Synagogue
* Rafi Nia Synagogue
* Rah-e Danesh Synagogue
* Synagogue of Gisha
* Tafian (Hakim)(Pesyan) Synagogue
* Yusef Abad Synagogue
* Zargarian Synagogue