The gaze of history on old Tehran

Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in western Asia. It is also the hub of the country's railway network. The city has numerous large museums, art centers, palace complexes and cultural centers. In addition to Persians, there is a large population of Azeris in Tehran, as well as other ethnicities including Armenian, Assyrian, Kurdish, Jewish and Zoroastrian communities. The majority of Tehran's residents speak Persian. The city is dotted with mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples.