2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire
The 2,500 year celebration of Iran’s monarchy was an elaborate festive event 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 the contemporary advancements under its ruler, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Planning
The planning for the event took more than a decade. With the decision to hold the main event at the ancient 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 and Tehran.
The Tent City of Persepolis
The Tent City (also Golden City) was planned by the French interior design firm of Jansen on 160 acres. Fifty tents were arranged in a star pattern around a central fountain. The large Tent of Honor was designed for the reception of the dignitaries. The The Banqueting Hall was the largest structure and measured 68 by 24 meters. The tents site was surrounded by gardens with by trees flown in from France and adjacent to the ruins of Persepolis. Catering services were performed by Maxim's de Paris that closed its restaurant in Paris for the duration of the festivities. Lanvin designed the uniforms of the Imperial Household. Twohundredfifty red Mercedes limousines were used to chauffeur guests to and from the airport. Dinnerware was designed by Limoges.[1]
Festivities
The festivities were opened on October 12, 1971 when the Shah and the Shahbanu paid homage to Cyrus at his mausoleum at Pasargadae. For the next two days the Shah and his wife greeted arriving guest often already directly at the Shiraz airport. 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. A son and lumière show 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 forces. In the evening a less formal “traditional Persian party” was held in the Banqueting Hall as the concluding event at Persepolis.[2]
On the last day the Shah inaugurated the Shahyad Tower (later renamed Azadi Tower) 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 that espouses freedom of religion. The festivities were concluded with the Shah paying homage to his father at his mausoleum.[2]
Security
Security was a major concern. Persepolis was a favorable site for the festivities as it was isolated and thus could be tightly guarded. SAVAK took people in custody who were suspected to be potential terrorists. The Queen of England had been advised not to attend and security was an issue.[1] Other major leaders who did not attend were Nixon and Pompidou. As a result the Iran people were largely excluded from direct participation. The Shah celebrated with the world leaders, not with his people.
Critique
In retrospect the event was the swansong of the Iranian monarchy. Arguably, it was perhaps the most notable international social event in the 20th century involving royalty and heads of state. The festivities were harshly criticized for their lavishness. Such critiques were voiced in the western press and by Khomeini and his followers. Expenses were rumored to be as high as $ 200 million, while officially the Ministry of the Court said to be $ 17 million. It was opined that the money could have been spend better by supplying social services. The actual expense figure may be difficult to attain 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 the infrastructure, and positive effect on public relations for Iran. Further, expenses are contrasted to the significantly higher costs of the memorial to the Ayatollah Khomeini.[1] The event was largely discredit after the Iranian Revolution.
Today
Persepolis is 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]
Quotes
- Orson Welles: "This was no party of the year, it was the celebration of 25 centuries!"[1]
- Ruhollah Khomeini: "Devil's Festival."[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Kadivar C (2002-01-25). "We are awake.2,500-year celebrations revisited". Retrieved 2006-10-23.
- ^ a b "The Persepolis Celebrations". Retrieved 2006-10-23.
- ^ Tait R (2005-09-22). "Iran to rebuild spectacular tent city at Persepolis". Retrieved 2006-10-23.
External links
- Video: Opening Ceremony at the Mausoleum of Cyrus the Great [1]