TEHRAN – As a city with a long history and rich culture, Tehran has long been an attractive destination for culture enthusiasts and history buffs.

Several museums, historical palaces, old mansions, and different cultural centers, scattered across the Iranian capital, have always been on the bucket list of domestic and foreign tourists.

In the meantime, if one wishes to see the modern face of the city, the Milad Tower might be a great place to go.

Dominating the skyline of Tehran’s western suburbs, Milad Tower is 435m high, including 120m of antenna, making it, in 2017, the world’s sixth-tallest free-standing tower.

The tallest building in Tehran, immediately after its construction, the tower became a new symbol of the city.

The multipurpose building can be seen from almost every part of the city.

Besides providing a bird’s-eye view of the city, it also hosts some business events and entertainment.

Bearing a striking resemblance to Menara Kuala Lumpur, its octagonal concrete shaft tapers up to a pod with 12 floors, including both enclosed and open observation decks, a gallery, a cafe, and a revolving restaurant.

The Milad Tower is part of the International Trade and Convention Center of Tehran. In addition to a convention center and a world trade center, Milad Tower also hosts events and exhibitions.

Observation decks are of particular interest to regular visitors. These are located at the pinnacle of the head structure. It provides a stunning 360-degree view of the mountains and city.

In addition, you can browse the art gallery and museum in the tower. A revolving restaurant offers breakfast (on weekends), lunch, and dinner, as well as the opportunity to watch the city go by.

Beyond all the recreational facilities, Milad Tower's conference hall is one of Tehran's most important conference centers that usually hosts the most important Iranian festivals and international festivals, such as the International Fajr Film Festival.

This conference center includes several halls for exhibiting films, performing concerts, etc. It is adjacent to the tower. With a hall that can hold 1500 people, it is one of the largest in West Asia.

Whether you should visit or not depends largely on the weather; on a rare clear day the views are worth it, but otherwise probably not. You need a taxi to get here.

The first time Tehran is mentioned in historical accounts is in an 11th-century chronicle in which it is described as a small village north of Rey.

Tehran has many to offer its visitors including Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar, Treasury of National Jewels, National Museum of Iran, Glass & Ceramic Museum, Masoudieh Palace, Sarkis Cathedral, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Carpet Museum of Iran, to name a few.

ABU/MG