Symbol of 2,500 Year Celebration, Cyrus Cylinder in Center

The 2,500 year celebration of Iran’s monarchy consisted of an elaborate set of festivities that took place October 12-16, 1971 on the occasion of the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian monarchy by Cyrus the Great. The intent of the celebration was to demonstrate that Iran had a long magnificent history and to showcase its contemporary advancements under its then ruler, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Image File history File links 2500_Y_symbol. ... Image File history File links 2500_Y_symbol. ... The Cyrus Cylinder The Cyrus Cylinder is an artifact of the Persian Empire, consisting of a declaration inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform on a clay barrel. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... Cyrus the Great (Old Persian: KuruÅ¡,[1] modern Persian: کوروش - KuruÅ¡; ca. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau (Irān - Land of the Aryans[1]) and beyond. ... One of the worlds longest-lasting monarchies, the Iranian monarchy went through many transformations over the centuries, from the days of Persia to the creation of what is now modern day Iran. ... Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran (Persian: ‎) (October 16, 1919, Tehran – July 27, 1980, Cairo), styled His Imperial Majesty, and holding the imperial titles of Shāhanshāh (King of Kings) and Aryamehr (Light of the Aryans), was the the monarchial ruler of Iran from September 16, 1941 until the...

Planning

The planning for the event took more than a decade. With the decision to hold the main event at the ancient city Persepolis near Shiraz, the local infrastructure had to be improved including the airport at Shiraz and a highway to Persepolis. While the press and supporting staff would be housed in Shiraz the main festivities were planned for Persepolis that for this occasion would be the site of an elaborate tent city. The area around Persepolis was cleared of snakes and other vermin.^[1] Other events were scheduled for Pasargadae, the site of the tomb of Cyrus the Great, and Tehran. Persepolis aerial view. ... Eram Garden, Shiraz most popular garden. ... Pasargadae was a city in ancient Persia, and is today an archaeological site and one of Irans UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ... Cyrus the Great (Old Persian: Kuruš,[1] modern Persian: کوروش - Kuruš; ca. ... Tehran (IPA: ; Persian: تهران, also transliterated as Teheran or Tehrān), population (as of 2005) 7,314,000 (metropolitan: 12,151,000), and a land area of 658 square kilometers, is the capital city of Iran (Persia) and the center of Tehran Province. ...

The Tent City of Persepolis

The Tent City (also Golden City) was planned by the French interior design firm of Jansen on 160 acres that took its inspiration from the 1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting between Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England.^[1] Fifty 'tents' (actually prefabricated luxury apparments with traditional Persian tent-cloth surrounds) were arranged in a star pattern around a central fountain, and vast numbers of trees were planted around them in the desert, recreating something of how the ancient Persepolis would have looked. The large Tent of Honor was designed for the reception of the dignitaries. The Banqueting Hall was the largest structure and measured 68 by 24 meters. The tent site was surrounded by gardens of trees and other plants flown in from France and adjacent to the ruins of Persepolis. Catering services were performed by Maxim's de Paris, which closed its restaurant in Paris for almost two weeks in order to provide for the glittering celebrations. Lanvin designed the uniforms of the Imperial Household. 250 red Mercedes-Benz limousines were used to chauffeur guests from airport and back. Dinnerware was created by Limoges.^[1] mary elline m. ... The Field of the Cloth of Gold , or in French Le Camp du Drap dOr, is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. ... Francis I (François Ier in French) (September 12, 1494 – March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ... For the play, see Henry VIII (play). ... Maxims de Paris is a Parisian restaurant of the Belle Epoque. ... Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946), born in Brittany, France, began as a milliner in 1890, but is famous for the robe de style and semi-modern fashion techniques. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... The manufactory of hard-paste Limoges porcelain was established by Turgot in 1771 and placed under the patronage of the comte dArtois, brother of Louis XVI. Limoges had been the site of a minor industry producing plain faience earthenwares since the 1730s, but the first identified French source of...

Festivities

The Shahyad Tower was renamed Azadi Tower in 1979

The festivities were opened on October 12, 1971 when the Shah and the Shahbanu paid homage to Cyrus the Great at his mausoleum at Pasargadae. For the next two days, the Shah and his wife greeted arriving guests often directly at the Shiraz airport. On the evening of the 14th, a grand gala dinner took place in the Banqueting Hall in celebration of the birthday of the Shahbanu. Sixty heads of royalty and heads of state were assembled at the single large serpentine table in the Banqueting Hall, to be served, amongst other things, roast peacock, Iran's ancient national symbol. A son and lumière show followed by fireworks concluded the evening. The next day saw a parade of armies of different Iranian empires covering two and half millennia by 1,724 men of the Iranian armed forces, all in period costume. In the evening a less formal “traditional Persian party” was held in the Banqueting Hall as the concluding event at Persepolis.^[2] Image File history File links Azadi1. ... Image File history File links Azadi1. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Shahbanu (in Persian: شهبانو) means Empress in Persian. ... St. ... Pasargadae was a city in ancient Persia, and is today an archaeological site and one of Irans UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ... Peacock re-directs here; for alternate uses see Peacock (disambiguation). ... Son et lumière (French, lit. ...

On the last day the Shah inaugurated the Shahyad Tower (later renamed the Azadi Tower after the Iranian revolution) in Tehran to commemorate the event. The tower was also home to the Museum of Persian History. In it was at display the Cyrus Cylinder considered the first human rights document to espouse freedom of religion. The symbol of this cylinder was also the official symbol of the celebrations, and the Shah's first speech at Cyrus' tomb praised the freedom that it had proclaimed, two and a half milennia previously. The festivities were concluded with the Shah paying homage to his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi, at his mausoleum.^[2] The Azadi Tower is the symbol of Tehran, Iran, and marks the entrance to this large metropolitan city. ... Protestors take to the street in support of Ayatollah Khomeini. ... The Cyrus Cylinder The Cyrus Cylinder is an artifact of the Persian Empire, consisting of a declaration inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform on a clay barrel. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... It has been suggested that Religious toleration be merged into this article or section. ... Shah Reza Pahlavi Reza Pahlavi (Persian: رضا پهلوی), (March 16, 1877–July 26, 1944), called Reza Shah the Great after his death, was Shah of Persia (later Iran) from December 15, 1925 to September 16, 1941. ...

Security

Security was a major concern. Persepolis was a favorable site for the festivities as it was isolated and thus could be tightly guarded, an very important consideration when many of the world's leaders were gathered there. Iran's security services, SAVAK, took people into preventive custody it suspected to be potential troublemakers. Elizabeth II had been advised not to attend, with security being an issue (Prince Phillip and Princess Anne representing her instead).^[1] Other major leaders who did not attend were Richard Nixon and Georges Pompidou. Nixon initially planned to attend, but pulled out late due to fears of terrorists attacking the event. SAVAK (Persian: ساواک, short for سازمان اطلاعات Ùˆ امنیت کشور Sazeman-e Ettelaat va Amniyat-e Keshvar, Organization for Intelligence and National Security) was the domestic security and intelligence service of Iran from 1957–1979. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... HRH The Duke of Edinburgh His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Philip Mountbatten, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark), styled HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (born 10 June 1921), is the consort of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. ... Princess Anne may refer to more than one person: Anne, Princess Royal (born 15 August 1950), daughter of Elizabeth II of the UK Anne, Princess of Orange (1709‑1759), daughter of George II of Great Britain Anne (1637‑1759), daughter of Charles I of England Princess Anne may refer to... NIXON GOT FUCKED RIGT UP THE ASS BY A BUG FAT BLACK MAN WITH A BIG ASS DICK. HE LOVED IT AND MOANED ALOT CAUSE OF IT. HE LOVES DICk ! President: | Dwight D. Eisenhower |- ! Political party: | Republican |} In 1952, he was elected Vice President on Dwight D. Eisenhowers ticket. ... Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou (July 5, 1911 – April 2, 1974) was President of France from 1969 until his death in 1974. ...

Critique

In retrospect, the event can be considered the swan song of the Iranian monarchy. Arguably, it was the most notable international social event in the 20th century involving royalty and heads of state. The festivities were criticized by for their lavishness and it was opined that the money could have been better spent by supplying social services. Such critiques were voiced in the western press and by Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers. Expenses were said to be as high as $200 million, while the the Ministry of the Court set placed the cost at $17 million. The actual expense figure may be difficult to tabulate and may remain a partisan issue; Ansari, one of the organizers, puts it at $22 million.^[1] The defenders of the activities point out other benefits such as the opening of 3,200 schools, improvement in infrastructure, and the positive effect on Iran's public relations. Further, expenses are contrasted to the significantly higher costs of the memorial to Ayatollah Khomeini.^[1] The event was largely discredited after the Iranian Revolution.^[3] A swan song is a reference to an ancient and false belief that the occasional Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is completely mute during its lifespan, but may sing one heartbreakingly beautiful song just before it dies. ... Members of the British royal family A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. ... Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini ( ) (Persian: روح الله موسوی خمینی Arabic: روح الله الموسوي الخميني) (May 17, 1900[1] – June 3, 1989) was a Shi`i Muslim cleric and marja, and the political leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. ... Protestors take to the street in support of Ayatollah Khomeini. ...

Today

Persepolis remains a major tourist attraction in Iran and apparently there are suggestions to rehabilitate the site of the festivities as they are a proclamation of Iranian history.^[3] The rededicated Azadi Tower is a major landmark in Tehran. The mausoleum of Reza Shah Pahlavi was destroyed after the revolution.

Trivia

The event brought together the rulers of some of the oldest monarchies, the Shah and Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. By the end of the decade, both monarchies had ceased to exist. Only the monarchy of Japan has a history of a possibly similar length. Emperor Haile Selassie I (Geez: , Power of the Trinity, full title His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, King of Kings and Elect of God, Geez girmāwÄ« ḳadāmāwÄ« aṣē ḫāyllÄ“ Å›illāsÄ“, mōā anbassā zaimnaggada yÄ«hÅ«da... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇, tennō) is Japans titular head of state and the head of the Japanese imperial family. ...

Quotes

• Orson Welles: "This was no party of the year, it was the celebration of 25 centuries!"^[1]
• Ruhollah Khomeini: "Devil's Festival."^[1]

George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American theater and film director, and theater, radio and film actor. ... Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini ( ) (Persian: روح الله موسوی خمینی Arabic: روح الله الموسوي الخميني) (May 17, 1900[1] – June 3, 1989) was a Shi`i Muslim cleric and marja, and the political leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. ...

References

For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Opening Ceremony at the Mausoleum of Cyrus the Great at YouTube
• Photos of the Persepolis Celebration