Discovering Iran One City At A Time

Join Joshua Berida as he explores the beautiful and colorful country of Iran

- Joshua Berida

For so long, I’ve heard conflicting stories about Iran; some were good and some not. I wanted to find out if any of these were true. The curiosity stirring in me made me want to visit this country despite the warnings and misconceptions I have read. I finally got the guts to book a flight to its capital, Tehran.

TEHRAN: A GLIMPSE OF THE COUNTRY

Tehran is a sprawling urban jungle that truly defines the meaning of hustle and bustle—with traffic jams, people on the go, motorbikes or old cars, and towering buildings interspersed with decrepit abandoned structures. Its offices and museums also have hints of prehistoric Persian and Islamic design influence. The metro system somehow managed to organize the disorganized.

I saw signs of the old and ancient with the new and modern as I explored the city from end to end.

Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Center, is a remnant of the city’s storied past. This complex has structures that include palaces and museums that display Persian history through different periods. The detailed and intricate carvings showcased Iranian artistry.

The palace’s Brilliant and Mirror Halls were exceptional, and the elegance of royalty was in their full splendor as I explored these two sites. But the Edifice of the Sun is, in my opinion, the most remarkable structure in the complex. Its opulent windows, beautiful arches, and towers were real works of art.