Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel

The Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel is a hotel in Tehran, Iran. Opened during the Pahlavi era, in 1962, the hotel was originally called the Royal Tehran Hilton. It was designed by the Iranian architect Heydar Ghiai.

Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel
The Royal Tehran Hilton in 1967
Hotel chain	Parsian Hotels
General information
Location	Tehran, Iran
Coordinates	35.7906°N 51.4130°E / 35.7906; 51.4130
Opening	1962
Management	Parsian International Hotels Co.
Technical details
Floor area	70,000 m2
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Heydar Ghiai
Other information
Number of rooms	550
Number of restaurants	6
Website
http://esteghlalhotel.ir/

Overview

Full moon over the two towers of the Parsian Esteghlal Hotel

The hotel's design consultants also included noted British architect Raglan Squire,^[1] who also designed Hilton hotels in Tunis, Bahrain, Nicosia, and Jakarta.^[2]

The hotel originally consisted of a single tower containing 259 rooms. An additional tower, with 291 more rooms, was constructed in 1972. The hotel's famous guests during the Pahlavi era included Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, King Hussein of Jordan, and Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

The hotel was renamed the Esteghlal Hotel (meaning "Independence" Hotel in Persian) following the Iranian revolution in 1979, when all foreign hotel management contracts were severed. Today, it is part of the state-run Parsian International Hotels Co. A third tower is currently under construction.

Building and Construction Facts

Unlike its more contemporary twin building, the original white concrete of the first tower was able to retain its colouration due to an innovation by its architect Heydar Ghiai who decided to include particles of crushed white marble into the concrete mix.^{[citation needed]}

Architect's References

• J.I Cohen, M. Eleb & A. Martinelli, "The 20th century Architecture & Urbanism" ; Paris, A+U, 1990, pp. 146–51
• F. Ghiai, " Yady az Heydar Ghiai", Rahavard, No.26, No27, No28, No29, Los Angeles, 1990-91-92-93, pp. 246–52, pp. 233–40
• M. Ghiai, Iran Senate House, Max Gerard Edt. Draeger Paris, 1976 ISBN 2-85119-008-3
• Architecture d'aujourd'hui, No.78, 1958, "Exposition et Hotel à Téhéran", pp. 96–101
• F. Bemont, "Téhéran Contemporain", Art&Architecture, Teheran, No.17, 1973, pp. 85–88
• B. Oudin, Dictionnaire des Architectes, Paris, 1982, p. 187 ISBN 2-221-01090-6
• H. Stierlin, Iran des Batisseurs, "2500 ans d'Architecture", Geneva, 1971, p. 102
• Michel Ragon Histoire de l'architecture et de l'urbanisme modernes, éd.Casterman, Paris, 1986 ISBN 2-02-013290-7
• E. Yarshater, Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume X, New-York, 2001, p. 591-92
• M. Akri, "Iran during the Pahlavi Era, Major political players", London, 1989, p. 392
• R. Ghirshman, Persia El reino immortal, London, 1971, p. 141
• Paris Match, "La Grandeur d'un Règne; le Sénat Iranien", No.1448, Paris, 1977, p. 12
• Teheran Journal, "Downtown's Masterpiece", March 5, 1977, p. 6
• Architecture Méditerranéenne, No 55, "From father to son, a dynasty of builders", Marseille, 2001, pp. 130–60
• Jours de France, "Monde", June 21, 1965, p. 65
• Jean Royere "Decorateur a paris" page 40 p165 edition Norma
• "GĪĀʾĪ, ḤAYDAR – Encyclopaedia Iranica". iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2015-04-21.