SAEDNEWS: A tour through history reveals that Tehran has long been a city of firsts and has remained a pioneer even in the development and improvement of its streets.
According to Saed News, citing Hamshahri Online, if you have walked through Toopkhaneh Square, Valiasr Street, or Jomhouri Street, you may have noticed that some sections of these streets are still cobblestone-paved—a story worth knowing.
The First Asphalted Street in Iran
Tehran historians say that the first street in Iran to be asphalted was in the capital. According to the book “In Otoli Ke Man Migam” by Abbas Hosseini, Imam Khomeini Square (Toopkhaneh) was asphalted during Reza Shah’s era to commemorate the visit of King Faisal of Iraq to Tehran. The asphalted area stretched from the Almasiyeh gate (the current Treasury building) to the end of Bab Homayoun Street, covering Toopkhaneh Square and its surroundings.
The asphalt work at Imam Khomeini Square was completed in just three days. Although there were plans to asphalt several other streets, the slippery conditions caused by the horses of the carriage drivers and mounted police led the city authorities to decide to pave the streets with cobblestones instead. As a result, this approach was applied to streets including the stretch from Toopkhaneh Square to Har Square, and Valiasr Street from Imam Khomeini Street to Enqelab and Jomhouri Streets.
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