Rice fried to a golden perfection, this is often served not only as part of an entree, but as an appetizer itself.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tyanat/20-persian-foods-to-blow-your-taste-buds-away-nzgf
Series: Iranian Food – Tadig
2 Replies
Author Archives: socialinform
2014 Tehran Art Auction grosses over $4 million
Sohrab Sepehri’s untitled painting from his Tree Trunk series sold for 18 billion rials (about $550,000), setting a new auction record for an Iranian painting.
Another work by Sepehri, a 90×130 centimeter abstract painting, sold for 16 billion rials (over $485,000), fetching the second highest price at the auction.
Reza Derakhshani’s artwork “Hunting the Blue Sky” sold for 6 billion rials (over $180,000), three times the estimated price, making it the third highest selling lot at this year’s auction.
Other highlights of the sale included a calligraphy painting by Mohammad Ehsaii and a two-piece painting by Aidin Aghdashlu. A calligraphy painting by Nasrollah Afjeii and paintings by Kurosh Shishegaran, Parviz Kalantari, Farideh Lashaii, and Masud Arabshahi were also sold.
Tehran Auction Director Alireza Sami-Azar, who established the auction house in June 2012 to promote the economy of art in the country, said that the sale was beyond his expectations, which shows Iranians’ interest in art, and the creativity of the country’s artists.
Sohrab Sepehri – Untitled
Sohrab Sepehri – Untitled
Reza Derakhshani – Hunting the Blue Sky
Seyed Mohammad Ehsai – Love
Aydin Aghdashloo – from the Memories of Destruction series
Farideh Lashai – Untitled
Nasrollah Afjehei – Untitled
Koorosh Shishegaran – Portrait
Massoud Arabshahi – Untitled
Parviz Kalantari – Untitled
Complete catalogue of the auction: Tehran Auction 2014
Source: Payvand News of Iran | 2014 Tehran Auction grosses over $4 million
First female governor in Gilan Province of Iran appointed
Mona Abrufarakh has become the first woman to be chosen as a governor in Gilan Province. IRNA reports that Abrufarakh will serve as governor of central Rasht.
[…]
The Rohani administration has already appointed four women to the position of governor in Hamoon, Qasr-e qand, Bandar Torkaman and Qeshm, as well as a female prefect in Bushehr.
Ezzat Kamalzadeh, Massoumeh Prandar, Homeira Rigi and Marjan Nazghelichi are respectively serving in Qeshm, Hamoon, Qasr-e Qand and Bandar Torkaman, and Maryam Qorbani is prefect of Bushehr.
Source: Payvand News of Iran
Iranian vocalist Mohammadreza Shajarian to receive France’s highest honor
The living legend of Iranian traditional music Mohammadreza Shajarian will receive the medal of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in Paris next week.
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Shahram Nazeri, another Iranian vocalist, received the honor on September 29, 2008 for the scholarly interest he has taken in the musical interpretation and vocalization of the transcendent lyrics of Rumi.
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More about Shajarian
Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (Persian: محمدرضا شجريان) (born 23 September 1940) is an internationally and critically acclaimed Persian classical singer, composer and Ostad (master) of Persian music.[1][2][3] He has been called “Iran’s greatest living master of traditional Persian music.”[4] Shajarian is also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy, and humanitarian activities.
Shajarian was born in Mashhad, Iran, and started singing at the age of five, under the supervision of his father. At the age of twelve, he began studying the traditional classical repertoire known as the Radif.
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Invention of New Musical Instruments
Shajarian has led the invention of many new Iranian classical music instruments, many of which were showcased in his 2012 concert tour with the Shahnaz Ensemble. Among these instruments are the Kereshmeh, the Saboo, the Saghar, the Sorahi, and the Tondar.
Awards and distinctions
- One of NPR‘s 50 great voices.[6] (2010)
- Nushin medal (2008)
- The UNESCO award – the UNESCO Mozart Medal[7] (2006)
- Nominated for Grammy award in Best World Music (2006)
- Nominated for Grammy award in Best World Music (2004)
- Iran’s best classical vocalist (2000)
- Golden Picasso Medal (1999), one of UNESCO‘s highest honors
- National radio and television golden cup (1977)
- Prize presented by Turkish parliament speaker (1976)
2500 years old Iranian love
Tehran, break of dawn
Iranian artists come together to support World Food Programme
100 prominent Iranian artists have donated artworks to support the United Nations World Food Programme in its fight against hunger. The collection will be exhibited on World Food Day in October 2014 and will be displayed for a week before being sold to raise funds for WFP activities in Iran.
Parviz Tanavoli, Abbas Kiarostami, Jalil Rasouli, Maryam Zandi, Parviz Kalantari, and Gizella Varga Sinai are among the many famous masters who support WFP.
Shargh Newspaper published an article and interview with Negar Gerami, WFP Representative and Shokoufeh Malekkiani, the curator about this initiative in their Jun 11, 2014 issue.
Click here to read the interview in Persian.
http://www.payvand.com/news/14/jun/1128.html
Series: Interesting photos from the FIFA worldcup 2014 – from inside Iran
Posts on Iranian women: https://theotheriran.com/tag/women/
All posts with photos: https://theotheriran.com/tag/photos/
Series: Interesting photos from the FIFA worldcup 2014
Other interesting photos from Iran: https://theotheriran.com/tag/photos/
FREEDOM: A SHARED DREAM – International Jury Announcement
Farhang Foundation announces the panel of jurors for the international urban art competition pertaining to the ideals of cultural freedom and human rights.
LOS ANGELES, July 1, 2014 — Farhang Foundation announces its collaboration with an esteemed panel of jurors for the international urban art competition to design a site-specific artwork that commemorates the concepts of religious diversity and freedom as human rights as inspired by the ideals of Cyrus the Great. The competition Freedom: A Shared Dream is an opportunity for professional artists, designers and architects from around the globe to create a monument to humanity which will be gifted to the city of Los Angeles as a permanent installation on behalf of the Iranian American community by Farhang Foundation.
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The competition timeline will be as follows:
- May 1, 2014 — Artist Qualification Application – Phase One
- August 1, 2014 — Phase One Deadline
Full post:
http://www.payvand.com/news/14/jul/1021.html
Series: Interesting photos from the FIFA worldcup 2014 – kids
Check out other cool Iran related photos here: https://theotheriran.com/tag/photos/
Photos: young women and men decorating walls in Tehran
Series: Interesting photos from the FIFA worldcup 2014 – national team in bus
Israeli reporter approaches Iranian fans in Brazil at World Cup 2014
Series: Interesting photos from the FIFA worldcup 2014
Ronny Edry and Iranian Jewish Iran fans in Tel Aviv cheering for the Iranian team
“The idea is to show solidarity from the Israeli side,” said Ronny Edry, who set up the Facebook page two years ago, and continues to promote communication between the sides over social media. “It’s pretty easy through sports.”
In fact, several days earlier a group of partying Iranian soccer fans in Brazil for the World Cup pre-empted Mr. Edry’s move. When approached by a Israeli television reporter, one fan bellowed “Israel good! Israel good!” and then kissed the reporter while another fan insisted, “Israel and Iran are brothers.”
Watch the full video here:
Israeli reporter approaches Iranian fans in Brazil at World Cup 2014
Related Article:
https://theotheriran.com/iran-israel-the-people/
Volleyball: Iran trounced powerhouse Poland 3-1 in the 2014 FIVB World League, a huge step towards the Final Six.
“Iranian spectators were fantastic and the fans were like Iran’s seventh player,” said Iran’s Serbian coach Slobodan Kovac.
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“Iran deserved the victory as they played much better than us. I’m not happy with our performance. It was a good experience thanks to an amazing audience. We hope we can play better in the second match,” said Poland’s coach Stephane Antiga.
The hosts will take on visiting Poland again on Sunday.
Iran is currently in the second spot with 16 points, after Italy with 19, and is followed by Poland and Brazil each with 11 points.
Series: Provinces of Iran
Great photos from Iran: https://theotheriran.com/tag/photos/
Iran’s Isfahan Province: Kashan – Fin Garden Series
Fin Garden in Kashan, Iran
Iran’s 5200-year-old Shahr-e Sukhteh (Burnt City) joins UNESCO World Heritage List
The 5200-year-old Shahr-e Sukhteh (Burnt City) located in southeastern Iran was registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on Sunday. The site was registered with no opposing vote during the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee …
Located 57 kilometers from the Iranian town of Zabol in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, the Burnt City was excavated for the first time by the Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente (IsIAO) team led by Maurizio Tosi in 1967. […]
After a 19-year hiatus, a team led by Professor Seyyed Mansur Sajjadi began studies on the Burnt City and conducted 22 seasons of excavations at the site.
A 10-centimeter ruler with an accuracy of half a millimeter, an artificial eyeball, an earthenware bowl bearing the world’s oldest example of animation and many other artifacts have been discovered among the ruins of the city in the course of the 22 seasons of archaeological excavations conducted by Iranian teams. […]
An archaeological team, which will be led by Sajjadi, is scheduled to reconstruct the ancient society of the Burnt City during the new excavation season this year in October.
Sixteen Iranian ancient and historical sites have previously been registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
More photos: Payvand News of Iran
Volleyball: Iran beats 4 time World Champion Italy in FIVB World League two times in a row
On Friday, Iran beat Italy in straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-15) at a packed Azadi Hall in Tehran.
http://www.payvand.com/news/14/jun/1144.html
and on Sunday:
Iran saw off Italy with a four-set (25-22, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory in the FIVB Volleyball World League Pool A match in Tehran’s Azadi Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Photos: Iranians celebrate their teams performance in the Football World Cup after Iran-Argentina game
Although Iran lost the game with the last minute goal by Lionel Messi, the Iranian team, regarded as the obvious underdog against the powerhouse Argentina, surprised all expectations blocking every attack in the first half and even raised hopes of a possible victory in the second half with several strong strikes against the Argentine goal.
More photos:
Talesh in province Gilan
Talesh Gilan Iran
Andranik Teymourian – Christian captain of Iran’s national team and national hero
Andranik Timotian-Samarani, known as Andranik “Ando” Teymourian, born March 6, 1983 in Tehran, Iran to ethnic Armenian parents. […]
Teymourian is an Iranian footballer who currently plays for Esteghlal in the Iran Pro League. He usually plays as a defensive midfielder, but can also play as a wide midfielder. From 2006 to 2010, he played for three clubs in England, including Bolton and Fulham in the Premier League.
He started to be recognized as a national hero in Iran because of the passion he showed for his country in the 2006 World Cup. […]
Teymourian played his first match for Iran in 2005, and has featured in the Iranian squad for the 2006 and 2014 World Cups, and also the 2007 and 2011 Asian Cups. He is notably the first Christian to captain the Iranian national team. Ref: Wikipedia
The American Soccer Coach on Iran’s Bench
Dan Gaspar coaches Iran’s goalkeepers for 2014’s Football World Cup in Brazil
[…] “It’s been a fantastic experience these last three years in Iran,” Gaspar tells TIME. “I’ve never felt being an American was a detriment. I have found it interesting, and everyone has been very respectful.” […]
“It’s quite a challenge. We look it as an advantage — our guiding principle has always been team above individual,” says Gaspar. “We have established a team that is humble, committed, that’s willing to follow a discipline that we have created.” […]
Read the full story here: Time | The American Soccer Coach on Iran’s Bench
Chabahar – Iran
Ali Mosaffa: Awarded Iranian actor and director
Ali Mosaffa (born December 1, 1966 in Tehran) is an Iranian actor and director. His parents are professors for Persian literature at the University of Tehran. His father, Mozaher Mosaffa, is a renowned Persian poet and his mother, Amir Banoo Karimi is the eldest daughter of the Persian poet, Amiri Firuzkuhi.
He is a graduate of Civil Engineering from the University of Tehran where he showed an interest in acting. His acting film debut was 1991 in Omid. In the following year he won the Best Actor Award at the 10th Fajr International Film Festival for his role in Darius Mehrjui’s film, Pari. On the set of Leila, Mehrjui’s 1996 film, met Mosaffa his future wife, Iranian actress Leila Hatami.
He directed his first short film, Incubus, in 1991. Neighbors (Hamsaye-ha) in 1999 was chosen Best Experimental Film at the Iranian Short Film Fest. His first feature film, Portrait of a lady far away (Sima-ye zani dar doordast) starring Leila Hatami and Homayoun Ershadi, in 2005. The film was shortlisted for the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival.
Portrait of a lady far away subsequently won the People’s Choice Award at the Chicago International Film Festival and was nominated for the Crystal Globe at the 2005 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
In 2012 was the international premiere of his second film, The last step (Pele-ye akhar) starring Leila Hatami, at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where Leila Hatami received the Best Actress Award and Ali Mosaffa the FIPRESCI Prize.
In October 2012, Mosaffa joined Oscar winning director of A Separation, Asghar Farhadi in Paris; starring alongside Bérénice Bejo and Tahar Rahim for Farhadi’s first foreign language film The Past (Le Passé) which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2013.
Filmography (as an actor)
– 2014: What’s the time in your world? (Dar donya-ye to saát chand ast?) by Safi Yazdanian
– 2013: The past (Le passé) by Asghar Farhadi
– 2012: The last step (Pele-ye akhar) by Ali Mosaffa
– 2011: Beloved sky (Aseman-e mahboob) by Dariush Mehrjui
– 2010: There are things you don’t know (Chizhaie hast ke nemidani) by Fardin Saheb-Zamani
– 2006: Who killed Amir? (Che kasi Amir ra kosh?) by Mehdi Karampoor
– 2003: Another place (Jayi digar) by Mehdi Karampoor
– 2001: Mix by Dariush Mehrjui
– 2000: Dear Cousin is Lost (Segment in Tales of an Island by Dariush Mehrjui)
– 2000: Party by Saman Moghadam
– 1999: Lost Girls
– 1998: Leila by Dariush Mehrjui
– 1996: Minou Tower (Borje Minou) by Ebrahim Hatamikia
– 1994: Pari by Dariush Mehrjui
– 1992: All My Daughters by Esmail Soltanian
– 1991: Omid by Habib Kavosh
Filmography (as a director)
– 2012: The last step (Pele-ye akhar)
– 2005: Portrait of a lady far away (Sima-ye zani dar doordast)
– 1996: The deceit of poesy (Farib-e-she’r), a documentary short film
– 1999: Neighbors (Hamsaye-ha), short film
– 1991: Incubus, short film
Television Series
– 2000: The English Bag (Keef-e Eenglisi)
– 2007: Paridokht
Awards
– Best Supporting Actor Award at the 13th Fajr International Film Festival for Pari in 1995
– People’s Choice Award for “Portrait of a Lady Far Away”, from Chicago International Film Festival, 2005
– Crystal Simorgh (Phoenix) for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 30th Fajr International Film Festival in 2012 for The last step (Pele-ye akhar)
– FIPRESCI at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for The last step (Pele-ye akhar) in 2012
– Best Adapted Screenplay at the 16th Iranian House of Cinema Film Festival for The last step (Pele-ye akhar) in 2014
Sources: Wikipedia | Ali Mosaffa, Festival Scope | Ali Mosaffa
Iran – Kelardasht
Photos: Animal Hospital in Tehran, Iran
Ceiling and wall art
German traveler Josh about Iran after Hitchhiking, Couchsurfing through the country
This is what Josh writes about Iran and Iranians on his site:
What is Iran like?
Iran is full of terrorists and you will be shot right at the border because George W. Bush said so. BULLSHIT…
Iran is the most inviting country in the world and its people the nicest I have ever met in my entire life. A Persian person is the perfect human being and makes us Europeans, Americans especially and perhaps Australians look like terrorists. I can vouch for that.
Every day I was invited by strangers to eat with them. They helped wherever they could and hosted me when I was lost in the middle of the night in the streets of Tabriz. Not a single time was I asked for money or anything. Even when I tried to force them to take my money or whatever they wouldn’t, I didn’t stand a chance.
I’m pointing this out because I’m tired of hearing how bad Iran and its people are. They aren’t terrorists, only bad politicans who don’t represent the majority of the Iranian folk. Not in my opinion anyway.
no.8 – What to see in Iran?
You could spend months or maybe even years in Iran and you wouldn’t get bored. It is full of history and culture. For some people Iran may appear like a big desert but even the countryside has a lot to offer. Tabriz for example in the north, was Iran’s former capital. Not far from there you can find Lake Urmia, the biggest lake in the Middle East and the third largest saltlake in the world. Other attractions of course include Tehran, Iran’s massive capital and one of the largest cities on earth, the Caspian Sea and the former city of Persepolis.
Travel your way from north to south. Don’t miss out on Isfahan, Yazd and Shiraz. Isfahan especially caught my attention and I was stunned by its architecure. In the center of the city you will find the Naqsh-e Jahan square. It was so amazing that I sat there all day long and went for a little time travel back in the days when kings still ruled this amazing country. This square had such an impact on me and I won’t ever forget this special occasion.
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generally speaking, you will be surprised how easy it is to hitchhike in Turkey, Iran or Romania.
http://www.gotravelyourway.com/2013/07/25/the-how-to-hitchhike-to-iran-guide/#.U25nKaJmMek
Event at Asia House in London: “Real Fictions: Unlocking The Iranian Cinema”
Iranian cinema has its own distinct cinematic language that champions the poetry in everyday life and the ordinary person by blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, feature film with documentary – Rose Issa
Accompanied by clips from important films, this talk will unlock Iranian cinema and explore how its poetic, humanistic and visually striking style has led to it becoming one of the most important regional cinemas in the world today.
Please find attached a flyer containing more details. The following is a list of recommended films for pre-viewing:
- Where Is the Friend’s Home (1987), dir. Abbas Kiarostami
- Crimson Gold (2003), dir. Jafar Panahi
- Turtles Can Fly (2004), dir. Bahman Ghobadi
- The Past (2013), dir. Asghar Farhadi
Tickets for this event are available at the booking page for a £10 donation.
Christian Composer and Coductor Loris Tjeknavorian – one of the most celebrated cultural figures in Iran
Loris Tjeknavorian (also spelled Cheknavarian, Armenian: Լորիս Ճգնավորյան; Persian: لوریس چکناواریان, born 13 October 1937) is an Iraniancomposer and conductor. He is one of the most celebrated cultural figures in Armenia and Iran.
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As a composer Tjeknavorian has written 6 operas, 5 symphonies, choral works (among them God is love, The Life of Christ, the oratorio Book of Revelation, and a requiem), chamber music, ballet music, piano and vocal works, concerti for piano, violin, guitar, cello and pipa (Chinese lute), as well as music for documentary and feature films.
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Born in Borujerd, Iran in 1937 to immigrant Armenian parents, …
Following this fruitful period of education, Tjeknavorian went back to Iran in 1961, where he taught music theory at the Tehran Conservatory of Music. At the same time, he was appointed director of Tehran’s Music Archives and put in charge of…
View original post 536 more words
Environment week sees 40 Iranian hunters swear off hunting
Forty hunters in Mazandaran Province took part in Environment Week by taking an oath to give up hunting and guns. IRNA reports that the hunters expressed remorse for hurting nature and they signed a promise and recited an oath never to take up a gun or go hunting.
Nasser Mehrdadi, the head of Mazandaran Environmental Protection, lauded the hunters and said: “Farewell oaths by hunters and asking forgiveness from nature are aimed at promoting the culture of environment and wildlife protection.”
The Sabz Chia Association, an environmental group, received the National Environment Award for its campaign against hunting in Kurdistan.
Harvard Business Review: What It’s Like Being a Business Traveler in Iran
With a sense that a new dialogue may be happening between this remarkable culture and the West, about a dozen CEOs from the U.S., U.K., and Canada with extensive experience in emerging markets persevered to take a closer look. […]
Throughout our ten days this month in Tehran, the religious center of Qom and historic Kashan, Isfahan, and Shiraz, little of what we experienced was expected. […]
We almost immediately learned that Iran is an astoundingly lovely place, with very little of the deep poverty one sees intertwined into the societies of most emerging markets. We visited some of the greatest historic and cultural centers we have ever seen. There is an excellent education system – their engineering, in particular, is globally competitive. We didn’t see a fraction of the religious tension we expected. Everywhere we went, people (especially young people) came up to us even on the streets, tourist spots and restaurants to say hello, to thank us for being there, to express affection. […]
Coke and Pepsi were everywhere. […]
Today, in a country of roughly 70 million, there is well over 100% mobile penetration – meaning many people have more than one “dumb” phone – but 3G is coming and their over 60% Internet penetration is rising (albeit service speed is slow by western standards.) […]
And despite the sanctions and difficulty in buying apps, we were told that there are some 6.5 million iPhones in the country. Despite government restrictions for access to social networks, every young person we saw has found works-arounds to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. […]
The new generations were born after the taking of our Embassy, so it’s not part of their world-view. They have little interest in their parents’ politics or religion, and in being told what to do.
Read the complete post here:
Harvard Business Review | What it’s like being a business traveler in Iran
Iranian Volleyball team wins (3-0) against the nine time champion of the world league Brazil in Brazil
Tehran, Iran Roudaki Opera House aka Vahdat Hall
Tehran, Iran Roudaki Opera House aka as Vahdat Hall
Vahdat Hall or Talar-e Vahdat (built 1967) is an opera house in Tehran, Iran. Architect Aftandilian designed the building, partly modelled after the Vienna State Opera. Prior to 1979 it was known as Talar-e Rudaki. Among the performances: Dundee Repertory Theatre, Mohammad Esmaili, Parvaz Homay, Leningrad Ballet, Marcel Marceau, Bagher Moazen, Gorgin Mousissian’s choir, Nour Ensemble, Pari Samar in Carmen, Tehran Symphony, Loris Tjeknavorian, Peyman Yazdanian. Other events in the space have included the Tehran Art Expo.[2]
Pharell Williams – Happy IV – In the streets of Tehran, Iran
Check also the other Happy Videos here on this blog:
https://theotheriran.com/tag/tehran/
5000-year-old water system discovered in western Iran
An archaeological team led by Mrs. Leili Niakan has been carrying out a second season of rescue excavation since March after the Seimareh Dam came on stream, the Persian service of CHN reported on Monday.
The team plans to save ancients artifacts and gather information about the ancient sites, which are being submerged by the dam that became operational in early March.
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Over 100 sites dating back to the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Copper Age, Stone Age, Parthian, Sassanid, and early Islamic periods were identified at the dam’s reservoir in 2007.
Afterwards, 40 archaeological teams from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) were assigned to carry out Iran’s largest rescue excavation operation on the 40 ancient sites at the reservoirs of the dam in the first season.
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More photos and more Info:
http://www.payvand.com/news/14/jun/1024.html
Yazd – Ceiling
Tomb of famous poet Hafez II
Shiraz, Iran -Tomb of Hafez
Tomb of famous poet Hafez I
Shiraz, Iran -Tomb of Hafez
Hafez was born in Shiraz, Iran. His parents were from Kazeroon (Fars Province).
Modern scholars generally agree that Hafez was born either in 1315 or 1317.
Today, he is the most popular poet in Iran. Libraries in many other nations other than Iran such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia contain his Diwan.[6]
Much later, the work of Hāfez would leave a mark on such Western writers as Thoreau, Goethe, and Ralph Waldo Emerson—the latter referring to him as “a poet’s poet.”[citation needed] His work was first translated into English in 1771 by William Jones.
There is no definitive version of his collected works (or Dīvān); editions vary from 573 to 994 poems. In Iran, and Afghanistan,[10] his collected works have come to be used as an aid to popular divination.
Twenty years after his death, a tomb (the Hafezieh) was erected to honor Hafez in the Musalla Gardens in Shiraz. The current Mausoleum was designed by André Godard, French archeologist and architect, in the late 1930s. Inside, Hafez’s alabaster tombstone bears two of his poems inscribed upon it.
Goethe fans will also know this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West-%C3%B6stlicher_Diwan
Shiraz – Narenjestan e Ghavam
Qavam House (also widely called “Narenjestan e Ghavam“) is a traditional and historical house in Shiraz, Iran.
It was built between 1879 and 1886[1] by Mirza Ibrahim Khan.
During the second Pahlavi era, the House became the headquarters of Pahlavi University‘s “Asia Institute”, directed by Arthur Upham Pope and Richard Nelson Frye. Frye and his family also lived in the house for a while.
The house today is a museum and is opened to the public.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qavam_House
German Iranologist Heidemarie Koch honored in Tehran
The Persian literary monthly Bokhara paid tribute to German Iranologist Heidemarie Koch, author of “Persepolis, Shiny Capital of the Persian Empire”, during a ceremony at the Mahmud Afshar Foundation in Tehran on Thursday.
Heidemarie Koch smiles during the ceremony in Tehran on May 29, 2014. Archaeologist Guntram Koch, who is Heidemarie’s husband, is also seen in the photo.
Speaking at the ceremony, Heidemarie Koch, a professor of Iranian Studies at the University of Marburg, talked about her interest in archaeology and the history of Iran.
She said that she was a teacher of mathematics but became familiar with archeology when she married Guntram, who was studying archaeology at university.
Her interest in archaeology led her to study in that field and then she learned Persian and began her studies about Iran.
“It took a long time for me to travel to Iran and see Persepolis. When I was asked if what I saw was like what I read about Iran, I was happy to say yes. I visited Persepolis several times afterwards but still I like it,” she added.
Tehran – Azadi (Freedom) Tower Series
Tehran – Azadi Tower
Shiraz – typical atrium
Tehran – Day Series
Tehran, Iran
Esfahan – Ali Qapu Palace Music Room
Ali Qapu (Âli Qapı from Ottoman Turkish High Porte) is a grand palace in Isfahan, Iran.
It is forty-eight meters high and there are seven floors, each accessible by a difficult spiral staircase. In the sixth floor music room, deep circular niches are found in the walls, having not only aesthetic value, but also acoustic.
The building, another wonderful Safavid edifice, was built by decree of Shah Abbas the Great in the early seventeenth century. It was here that the great monarch used to entertain noble visitors, and foreign ambassadors.
The chancellery was stationed on the first floor. On the sixth, the royal reception and banquets were held. The largest rooms are found on this floor. The stucco decoration of the banquet hall abounds in motif of various vessels and cups. The sixth floor was popularly called (the music room).
Here various ensembles performed music and sang songs. From the upper galleries, the Safavid ruler watched polo, maneuvers and the horse-racing opposite the square of Naqsh-i-Jahan.
Source: Wikipedia | Ali Qapu
Tehran – Azadi (Freedom) Tower Series
Facts
One of the most familiar landmarks of Tehran.
Included in the building is a cultural centre with a library, a museum and several art galleries.
The entrance of the tower is directly underneath the main vault and leads into the Azadi Museum on the basement floor.
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The main display is occupied by a copy of the Cyrus Cylinder (the original is in the British Museum).
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The monument acts as a grandiose gateway to the Iranian capital, and is surrounded by a large plaza (approx. 50,000 m²).
Built in 1971 in commemoration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire, this “Gateway into Iran” was named the Shahyad Tower, meaning “Kings’ Memorial”, but was dubbed Azadi (Freedom) after 1979. It is 50 meters (164 ft) tall and completely clad in cut marble.
More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azadi_Tower
Tehran Night Series
Tehran, Iran
The other Iran 