When I received this postcard I wondered if is home-made and who sent it to me, because on the back is written only a first name. To the first question I don't know either now the answer (I'm still inclined to believe that it's home-made), but the second I solved it browsing about 20 minutes through the hundreds of messages sent and received in the last two months (more sent). “I would love to have some postcards from Iran, with historic buildings (ancient or mosques) and/or people in traditional clothes, something specific for your country”, I wrote in a first message.
Milad Tower is neither a historic building nor (yet) "something specific" for Iran, but in a certain sense satisfies my requirements, because on the one hand by its architecture, incorporating traditional Iranian-Islamic symbols, the structure is a fusion of the country’s past with modern technology, and on the other the authorities wanting to replace the long-time symbol of Tehran, the Borj-e Āzādi (or Azadi Tower - Freedom Tower, formerly Shahyād Āryāmehr - King Memorial Tower), with a new one, which fully reflect the current situation.
With 435 meters height from base to the tip of it's antenna, Milad Tower was the fourth tallest tower in the world in 2008, when it was inaugurated, after several postponements, and it has cost the iranians 11 years of efforts and 194 million dollars. Even if it had been completed more quickly, it would have been also the fourth, because the first three were built long time before (CN Tower / Toronto – 1976, Ostankino Tower / Moskow – 1967, Oriental Pearl Tower / Shanghai – 1994). Meanwhile two others have surpassed its height: Canton Tower / Canton inaugurated in 2009 and Tokyo Sky Tree / Tokyo, which is still under construction and will be completed in 2012. The 315-metre shaft is topped by a 12-story glass and metal head of 60 meters.
The tower is a multi-purpose skyscraper, being designed to function as a communication and television tower, but also helping with many other applications such as weather forecast and traffic control. Iranians have why be proud, especially since the tower was entirely designed, projected and built by their own forces. Furthermore, the tower has been fitted with an ultramodern aircraft warning system which exceeded International Civil Aviation Regulations.
The stamp, shows Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis (1000 rls) is part of a definitive set, Fish, issued on 2010 and containing 11 wonderful stamps. But I found on the Internet many other stamps with the same characteristics, so I guess that the set is part of a bigger series.
Sender: Mahdi Delbari (direct swap)
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