The Persian Temple's Column

When you reach Iran’s square, placed between Figueroa Alcorta Avenue, Sarmiento Avenue, Casares Avenue and Berro Street, you will find a monumental column known as the “Column of the Persian Temple”.

It is a replica of one of the columns of Cyrus’ Palace in Persepolis, constructed in between the VIth and Vth centuries b.C. by Darius and Xerxes. The column was donated by the Persian Shah during one of his visits, along with the Empress Farah Pahlevi, to Argentina. It is 19 meters tall and is crowned by two bullheads.

The Mayor of the City of Buenos Aires, Saturnino Montero Ruiz, thanked this gift on March the 3rd, 1972. However, the 6 containers in which the 102 thousand kilogram column was held were delivered by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires to the firm in charge of placing it where it can be found today, 6 years later, on the 21st of December, 1976.

Blas Salvador Gurrieri's Persian Lion

The construction of the column was made out of casts of the original conic column, which was then filled, with a mixture of cement and pulverized stone from the same place where the ruins of the Palace are located in Iran.

Moving away from Iran’s column, but also in Iran’s square, you will find a Persian lion. It is a beautiful work from the talented Argentine plastic artist: Blas Salvador Gurrieri.