Persepolis - Antique Persia
The magnificent ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis are one of
the must-sees in Iran. Here you will get an idea of the former glory and
splendour of one of the biggest empire ever, ranging from Eastern
Europe in the west to the Indus Valley in the east, including Egypt and
Mesopotamia. Take your time and admire the remains of the once
magnificent palaces and climb up to the rock tombs to enjoy a unique
view over the ruins.
Nearby, at Naqsh-e Rostam at only 4 km of distance from Persepolis, you will also find the tombs of the great Kings of the time.
If
you like to see more or if you are a fan of antique history, you can
drive to Pasargadae some 80 km northeast of Persepolis. There, on a wide
plateau surrounded by arid mountains, the antique Kourosh, founder of
the old Persian Empire, built his vision of a paradisiacal garden.
Although there is not much left of the once splendid gardens, you will
get an unforgettable impression of the landscape and the antique work done.
Persepolis - City of Kings
Persepolis is situated about 60 km northeast of Shiraz. Shortly after
taking power in 515 BC, the Achaemenid king Dariush I started with the
construction of his new city near the old Pasargadae residence. He
invited the best builders and craftsmen from all over his empire to
contribute. The new city was to become even bigger and more beautiful,
even richer and more powerful than all previous residences. The first
construction phase alone took more than 50 years.
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Naqsh-e Rostam
The ancient Achaemenid Kings decided to have their tombs in the
neighbourhood of Persepolis. A steep cliff wall on the other side of the
valley was the perfect place for this purpose. It seems that the
Elamites had already left some reliefs on the stone, before the
Achaimenid went to work. The four rock-hewn tombs high up in the cliff
wall are indeed very impressive. It is believed that they are the tombs
of Dariush I, of his son Xerxes I, his grandson Artaxerxes I and his
great-grandson Dariush II. The reliefs on Dariush I’s tomb resemble his
own palace at Persepolis. Interestingly enough, some 400 years later, the Sassanians made the
very nearby city of Istakhr their new capital. They were great admirers
of the ancient Achaemenid Kings and so they decided to add a few more
reliefs into the steep cliff. Therefore, now you can also see imperial
scenes out of the royal life of the Sassanian Kings such as Ardeshir I,
Shapur I and some more, showing them sitting on horseback, fighting
against Romans or showing royal ceremonies.
If you have time also visit the Naqsh-e Rajab, were there are some more fine Sassanian rock-reliefs to be seen.
Pasargadae
About 140 km northeast of Shiraz, the former residence city of
Pasargadae is located on a plateau at an altitude of around 1,800 m
above sealevel. It was here, that King Kourosh defeated his grandfather, the Median King Astyages. To commemorate this event he had a magnificent garden and
palace built in this place. The Pasargadae Persian Garden seems to be
the earliest known example of a Persian Chahar Bagh garden. The dream of
a paradise-like garden was thus born here in the middle of the arid
desert of the Iranian highlands. After the Arab invasion of Iran,
the stones of the palaces and gardens were removed in mass for the
construction of mosques.
In 2004 the
site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.