Sardare Baghe Melli
One of the remaining monuments of the Qajar period that was built by Jafar Khan Kashani in 1906 and renovated in 1922 by command of Reza Khan is Sardare Baghe Melli. This building is located on the northern side of Imam Khomeini Street. This gate was known as the symbol of Tehran until the construction of Azadi Tower. This relic was registered in the list of Iran’s national relics in April 22nd, 1997.
Description
This portal was constructed as an entrance to the parade ground, owned by the army. After building the gate, the idea of creating the first public garden of Tehran within the area of the parade ground was suggested and carried out. Thereafter, the portal of the Parade Ground was called (The Portal of Bagh Melli). The National Garden is a government compound where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, the National Museum of Iran, Malek National Museum, and the Future National Museum of Post are located nowadays.
The gate has a large passageway in the middle and two sidewalks on the sides of Sardare Baghe Melli. There are poems, tile designs of two lions holding a crown, leopard, the lion and the sun (Shir-o Khorshid), guns and cannon balls on the facade.
Architecture
National Garden is a magnificent brick gate, decorated with colorful tiles and multiple inscriptions is one of old symbols of Tehran built based on direct order of Reza Shah by Jafar Khan Kashani and Germans cooperation in a mixture of Iranian–European architectural styles especially of tile works and Kolah Farangi in Qajar era between 1920 to 1923.
In the upper part of the building, monitoring station, timpanist and the armed forces passage have been designed. The Gate of National Garden has a gateway for car pass and two for pedestrians.
Opening hours
This building is open for visitors on every day from 07.30 a.m. to 07.00p.m..