View source for Azadi Tower

{{Short description|Building in Tehran, Iran}}
{{Infobox building
| native_name      = {{lang|fa|Borj-e Āzādi}}
| name             = Azadi Tower
| image            = Azadi Tower (29358497718).jpg
| etymology        = "Freedom Tower"
| former_names     = Shahyad Tower (tr. Shah's Memorial Tower)
| client           = Council of Celebrations
| caption          = 
| mapframe-zoom = 15
| mapframe-stroke-width = 1
| mapframe-point = none
| pushpin_label    = Azadi Tower
| website          = {{URL|1=https://azadi-tower.ir/?lang=english}}
| location         = [[Tehran]], Iran
| coordinates      = {{coord|35|41|58|N|51|20|16|E|type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}
| roof             = {{convert|45|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| inauguration_date = October 16, 1971
| opened_date      = January 14, 1972
| cost             = $6&nbsp;million
| embedded         = {{Infobox designation list
| embed                   = yes
| designation1            = INHL
| designation1_offname    = 
| designation1_type       = 
| designation1_criteria   = 
| designation1_date       = March 17, 1975
| delisted1_date          = 
| designation1_partof     = 
| designation1_number     = 1008
| designation1_free1name  = 
| designation1_free1value = 
| designation1_free2name  = 
| designation1_free2value = 
| designation1_free3name  = 
| designation1_free3value = 
}}
| architect        = [[Hossein Amanat]]
| structural_engineer = [[Arup Group|Ove Arup & Partners]]
| main_contractor  = MAP Company
}}

The '''Azadi Tower''' ({{langx|fa|برج آزادی}}, {{Transliteration|fa|''Borj-e Āzādi''}}; "Freedom Tower"), formerly known as the '''Shahyad Tower''' ({{lang|fa|برج شهیاد}}, {{Transliteration|fa|''Borj-e Šahyād''}}; "Shah's Memorial Tower"), is a monument on [[Azadi Square]] in [[Tehran]], Iran. It is one of the landmarks of Tehran, marking the west entrance to the city, and is part of the Azadi Cultural Complex, which also includes an underground museum.

The tower is about {{convert|45|m|ft}} tall and is completely clad in cut marble.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//090615/481/383faf99533649c7bc4b9f2a555f322d/#photoViewer=/090615/481/383faf99533649c7bc4b9f2a555f322d|title=Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines|publisher=news.yahoo.com|access-date=1 September 2015|archive-date=19 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619191648/http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo/090615/481/383faf99533649c7bc4b9f2a555f322d#photoViewer=/090615/481/383faf99533649c7bc4b9f2a555f322d|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Hureau, Jean. Iran Today, 2nd. Ed, editions j.a.</ref> It was commissioned by [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], the last [[Shah]] of Iran, to mark the [[2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire]] and completed in 1971. It also serves as the country's [[kilometre zero]].

After winning a competition, architect [[Hossein Amanat]] was tasked to design the tower. His ideas were based upon classical and [[Post-classical history|post-classical]] Iranian architecture,<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2009/07/090718_mg_azadi_sq_tehran.shtml|title=BBC فارسی – ايران – 'برج آزادی پس از۲۰ سال شسته می شود'|website=BBC Persian|date=18 July 2009 |access-date=1 September 2015|language=fa}}</ref> popular influences on art in the 1960s following the [[White Revolution]].

==History==
===Name===
The first name associated with this monument was ''Darvāze-ye Kuroš'' ("Gate of Cyrus"), and at the time of the Centenary Celebrations, [[Asadollah Alam]], who chaired the Council of Celebrations, referred to the monument as ''Darvāze-ye Šāhanšāhi'' ("Imperial Gate"). The monument's ultimate official name was decided before the announcement of the competition for the monument's design in September 1966. Bahram Farahvashi, a scholar and professor of ancient Iranian languages who worked with the Council of Celebrations, came up with the officially designated name of the structure, ''Šahyād Āryāmehr''.<ref name="Khashayar">{{Cite web| url = http://summit.sfu.ca/item/15619| title = A Monument of Destiny: Envisioning A Nation's Past, Present, and Future Through Shahyad/Azadi| last = Khashayar| first = Hemmati| date = 2015-08-20| website = summit.sfu.ca| access-date = 2016-02-28}}</ref> Built in 1971 in commemoration of the [[2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire|2,500th year of the foundation of the Persian Empire]], this "gateway into Tehran" was named the ''Šahyād'' ("Shah's Memorial") in honor of the [[Shah]] ([[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]]), but was later renamed ''Āzādi'' ("Freedom") following the [[Iranian revolution|1979 revolution]].

===Construction===
[[File:Shahyad Tower Plans.jpg|left|thumb|Plans of the Shahyad Tower.]]
During the 1960s, Iran became a [[OPEC|major oil-exporting country]], and using the newly-found wealth, the Shah launched programs to modernize and industrialize the country. This followed a cultural growth that architect [[Hossein Amanat]] describes as "a mini renaissance".<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Riazati|first1=Rozita|title=The man behind Iran's most famous tower|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35295083|website=BBC News|access-date=22 February 2017|date=14 January 2016}}</ref> In 1966, Amanat won a competition to design the building.

Due to governmental concerns, Amanat was required to sign underneath contracts "on condition of the approval of the Council of Celebrations", which would serve as the client. Amanat planned to contract the British company of [[Arup Group|Arup]] to assist in the structural design of the tower, as he was impressed by their contributions towards the design and construction of the [[Sydney Opera House]]. He initially faced opposition from the head of the council, as well as several conservative and nationalistic Iranian engineers, as he was turning to a foreign engineer for assistance. Despite that, the Shah supported Amanat, sending a letter to the council which would leave the decision to the architect. [[Shahbanu]] [[Farah Pahlavi]] was also supportive of Amanat's decisions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hossein Amanat with Benjamin Tiven|url=http://www.bidoun.org/magazine/28-interviews/hossein-amanat-with-benjamin-tiven/|publisher=Bidoun|access-date=24 May 2015}}</ref>

Amanat told the [[BBC World News]] in an interview that "overall, the building starts from the base and moves up towards the sky." He states that he was inspired to design the tower in this way because he felt that Iran "should be moving towards a higher level." According to him, the main [[Vault (architecture)|vault]] is a [[Sasanian architecture|Sassanian]] arch representing the classical era, while the broken arch above it is a popular medieval form of arch representing the post-classical era. The "network of [[Rib vault|ribs]]", which connects the arches together, would represent the connection between classical and post-classical Iran.<ref>{{cite interview|last=Amanat|first=Hossein|subject-link=Hossein Amanat|title=The Freedom Tower in the name Ayush patel Tehran|work=Witness|publisher=BBC World Service|date=January 14, 2016|interviewer=Rozita Riazati}}</ref>

Built with white [[marble]] from [[Isfahan province]], the monument includes 8,000 blocks of stone. The stones were all located and supplied by Ghanbar Rahimi, who was well known for his extensive knowledge of quarries, often known as the ''Soltān-e Sang-e Irān'' ("Iran's Sultan of Stone"). Computers were used to "define its complex woven surfaces," which, at the time, was a new technological technique.<ref>{{cite web|title=AMANAT ARCHITECT – SHAHYAD MONUMENT|url=http://www.amanatarchitect.com/shahyad/index.php?lang=english|website=amanatarchitect.com|access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref> The main contractor for the construction of the tower was the MAP Company, supervised by Ghaffar Davarpanah Varnosfaderani, a renowned Iranian stonemason.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Grigor|first1=Talinn|title=Of Metamorphosis Meaning on Iranian Terms|journal=Third Text|date=2003|volume=17|issue=3|pages=207–225|doi=10.1080/0952882032000136858|s2cid=144973612 }}</ref> The project was mainly funded by a group of five hundred Iranian industrialists. According to a report by [[MEED]], the construction cost about six million dollars.<ref>{{cite journal|title=MEED|journal=Middle East Economic Digest|date=29 October 1971|volume=15}}</ref>

On October 16, 1971, the inauguration of the tower took place.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran Travel Photos. Tourism pictures from Iran – CountryReports|url=http://www.countryreports.org/travel/Iran/pictures.htm#!shahyad-tower-tehran|website=countryreports.org|access-date=20 February 2017|language=en}}</ref> However, it was not until January 14, 1972, that the tower was open to the public.<ref name=":0" />

==Azadi Tower Museum==
[[File:Asadi Tower Museum Tehran - old cameras and equipment.jpg|thumb|Collection of old cameras and equipment]]
The Azadi Museum is located at the basement level. Among the earliest items on display are square [[flagstone]]s, gold sheeting, and [[terracotta]] tablets from [[Susa]] covered with cuneiform characters. The museum also features a section of old cameras and equipment dedicated to the history of photography in Iran.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Asadi Tower Museum|url=https://thefinancialdaily.com/azadi-park-tehran-a-haven-of-tranquility-in-the-heart-of-irans-capital/|access-date=24 May 2025}}</ref>

Before the 1979 Revolution, the main display was occupied by a copy of the [[Cyrus Cylinder]], the original being kept at the [[British Museum]]. Next to the Cyrus Cylinder was a gold plaque commemorating the original presentation of the museum to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi by the Mayor of Tehran. Pottery, ceramics, varnished [[porcelain]] (such as a seventh-century blue and gold dish from [[Gorgan]]), an illuminated [[Quran]], and miniatures highlighted milestones in the country's history up to the 19th century, which were represented by two painted panels from Empress and the structure was to represent [[Farah Pahlavi]] as in is stated in some ancient texts.

==Events==
[[File:1979 Iranian Revolution.jpg|thumb|Azadi Tower during the [[Iranian revolution|1979 Iranian revolution]]]]

===Audiovisual theatre (1971)===
The original show, devised in 1971, was replaced in 1975 by a new one which invited visitors to discover Iran's geographic and natural diversity along with its fundamental historical elements. It exhibited a number of national achievements, technical undertakings, calligraphed poems, and miniature paintings. The project, devised by a [[Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovak]] company, required 12,000 metres of film, 20,000 color slides, 20 movie projectors, and 120 slide projectors. The audiovisual programmes were directed by professor Jaroslav Frič (1928–2000). Five computers operated the entire system.<ref name="Khashayar"/>

===''Gate of Words'' light show (2015)===
German artist Philipp Geist organized a projection mapping installation named ''Gate of Words'' at the Azadi Tower, on the occasion of the [[German Unity Day]].<ref>[[The Guardian]]: ''[https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/gallery/2015/oct/07/german-artist-tehran-freedom-arch-pictures German artist lights up Tehran's freedom arch – in pictures]''. 7 October 2015.</ref> The show was held from October 3 to 5, 2015.

In this project, the artist visualized the topics of freedom, peace, space and time in a poetical manner. Geist developed a light installation made of colored words and concepts in different languages, and abstract painterly compositions of images. The glowing words were in English, German and Persian, moving in synchronization with live music on the walls of the tower.<ref>Philipp Geist was invited by the German Embassy to propose such a project at the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the German Reunification.</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Azadi Square & Azadi Tower, aerial view 1971.jpg|Shahyad Square in 1971
File:Azadi Tower at night, September 2016.jpg|Azadi Tower during a [[full moon]]
File:میدان آزادی، میدان شهیاد، برج آزادی، برج شهیاد، تهران Azadi Tower, Azadi Square, Meydea-e Azadi, Meydan-e Shahyad, Tehran province, Iran Flag colors - panoramio.jpg|The tower in colors of the [[Iranian flag]]
File:3rd Day - The Green Protest Rally.jpg|The tower during the [[2009 Iranian presidential election protests|2009 presidential election protests]]
File:Azadi Tower interior 2016.jpg|The Azadi Tower observation deck
File:آزادی نمای پایین.jpg|A low-angle view of the tower
File:Azadi tower 1.jpg|Inside the Azadi museum
File:Azadi tower 7.jpg|Inside the Azadi museum
File:Azadi tower 2.jpg|Inside the Azadi museum
File:Azadi tower 8.jpg|Inside the Azadi museum
File:Banknote of second Pahlavi - 200 rials (rear).jpg|Azadi Tower on the reverse of a 1974 200-[[Iranian rial]] banknote
File:2018-09-26 Iran, Tehran, Azadi Tower (2).jpg|View of the tower
File:2018-09-26 Iran, Tehran, Azadi Tower (3).jpg|View of the tower
File:2018-09-26 Iran, Tehran, Azadi Tower (4).jpg|View of the tower
</gallery>

==Junctions==
* [[File:Expressway in Iran.svg|20px]] [[Saidi Expressway]]
* [[File:Iran First Level Road 32.png|20px]] [[Road 32 (Iran)|Karaj Special Road]]
* [[File:Expressway in Iran.svg|20px]] [[Mohammad Ali Jenah Expressway]]
* [[File:Avenue in Iran.svg|20px]] [[Azadi Street]]

==External links==
* ''[https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/gallery/2015/oct/07/german-artist-tehran-freedom-arch-pictures German artist lights up Tehran's freedom arch – in pictures]'' (Images)

==See also==
{{Commons category|Azadi Tower}}
*[[Milad Tower]]
*[[Iranian architecture]]
*[[Martyrs' Memorial, Algiers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Towers in Iran}}
{{Tehran Province}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towers in Iran]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Tehran]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tehran]]
[[Category:Towers completed in 1971]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List]]
[[Category:Kilometre-zero markers]]
[[Category:Museums in Tehran]]