Pasargadae

The first capital of the largest empire of the ancient world, the main model of the Achaemenid architectural style and the tomb of the peace-loving emperor of the world is the World Heritage Complex of Pasargadae in Fars Province.

This complex contains remains from the Achaemenid era and a number of buildings and facilities from the Islamic era. Pasargadae is considered one of the most important and oldest UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In this article, we will check the different aspects of this historical place.

What Does Pasargadae Mean and What Is Its Origin?

The names of ancient Iranian monuments are divided into two parts, before and after the advent of Islam. The first place that mentions this place is the inscriptions of Persepolis, in which it is introduced as “Patasharqz”. Then Ketzias called it “Pazargadae” and other Greek historians called it “Pasargadae” until the time of Alexander. According to Herodotus, Pasargadae was one of the most important and large tribes of the Persians; however, it was called “the grave of the mother of Solomon the Prophet” after the advent of Islam due to deep ignorance of Iranians about their history.

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When, Why and How Was Pasargadae Built?

It can be said for sure that the order to build the structure was issued by Cyrus the Great; in fact, the site of the complex was actually a battlefield where Cyrus defeated the last Median king and established the Achaemenid dynasty. After this victory, Cyrus ordered the construction of Pasargadae.

Roughly and according to some sources, the construction date of the complex is 559 BC and structures were added to it until the death of the son of Cyrus (Cambyses II). The reason for the continuation of construction in Pasargadae was the new conquests of the Achaemenids in Lydia, Babylon, Asia Minor and Egypt; the architecture of these nations encouraged the kings to build new buildings with new structures.

Various Components of Pasargadae Complex

Pasargadae World Heritage Complex today includes the Tomb of Cyrus the Great, the Gate Palace with winged human figure, Royal public reception Palace (Bar-e Am Palace) with long columns, Exclusive Palace, the Stone Tower known as Suleyman the Prophet Prison , the stone platforms of the sacred area, the stone platform known as Takht-e Suleyman, Single buildings and the buildings around the complex that were built in the Islamic era.

Now let's briefly introduce each of the above buildings:

A- Tomb of Cyrus the Great: The most important and beautiful structure of the Pasargadae complex is the tomb of the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty. A square cube structure with a triangular roof made of yellowish white limestone. To enter the coffin room, 6 large stone steps are built, which increase the height of the whole structure to 11 meters. Plutarch, the famous Roman historian, attributed this place to Cyrus the Great for the first time. Inside the tomb, there is an inscription on the stone of Cyrus coffin, which reads as follows: ((O man! I am Cyrus, the son of Cambyses I, who founded the Persian Empire and was the king of Asia. So Dont be jealous when you visit me.)) Interestingly, when Alexander saw this structure, he ordered the Greek translation to be engraved below the Persian text.

B- Gate Palace or the eastern palace which was considered as the entrance to the whole complex with a huge gate. But the most important thing that draws the attention of researchers to this palace is the relief on its eastern wall with the title “Portrait of Cyrus” or “Winged Man”, which still cannot be definitively commented on; a human with 4 wings and clothes similar to Elamites, whose hands are facing the sky for prayer. He has a crown on his head that includes two horns around it and 3 cone-shaped flowers. The goddess of the stars, the protective spirit, the winged king and Cyrus are the titles that are set on this picture.

C- Royal Public Reception Palace (Bar-e Am Palace): Located in the northeast of Cyrus Tomb, it was the place where the king and his relatives were received; furthermore, Cyrus used to meet his people and courtiers in this palace. A column, several column bases and some stone walls remain from this palace today; patterns such as a warrior in a half-length dress, a man with half a cow's body, a goddess with fish scales and a lion-like demon have been adorning the walls of the palace.

D- Exclusive Palace: only a few pieces of stone and a very limited number of raised stones with cuneiform lines that are attributed to Cyrus have been left. According to the type of objects found, researchers consider this palace to be the main residence of the royal family and Cyrus himself.

E- Stone Tower: It includes a square tower with three rows of windows on three sides of the structure and a windowless room on top of it, which were connected to each other through a staircase. Common people used to call it Solomon prison; however, according to the similarity between this tower and Cube of Zoroaster, researchers consider it to be either a fire temple, or a storehouse. Today, a new theory has been expressed that introduces the stone tower as the tomb of Cambyses II.

F- The Stone Platforms of the Holy Area: there are two large 2-meter hollow stones with a distance of 9 meters from each other, which had a staircase next to them. Due to its proximity to water and lighting fire, this place was the temple to worship Anahita, Mithra and Ahura Mazda.

G- Stone Platform: In the northern part of the complex on a 50-meter hill, there is a stone slab called “Takht-e-Soleyman” or “Solomon's Hill.”

H- Single Buildings: It includes huts and mansions that are surrounded by trees and were considered as a kind of resort for the royal family.

I- Buildings of the Islamic Era: In the Islamic era, different buildings and areas were built around Pasargadae complex because it was considered the grave of Prophet Solomon's mother and thus a holy place, so men were forbidden to enter the tomb. Atabak Zangi Mosque, Muslim cemetery, caravanserai belonging to the Muzaffarids period and the ruins of a caravanserai belonging to the Safavid era are among these buildings.

Pasargadae Architectural Style

German Ernst Herzfeld, who started the first explorations in Pasargadae, published the results of his research in the book "Pasargadae" in 1908 in Berlin. After him, much more extensive researches were conducted to shape our present knowledge of Pasargadae and its architecture. Pasargadae is a royal complex in a very large garden where each structure is located in a small garden; a pond and fountain are built in front of the structures. Abundant water and fertile plains around Polvar river have resulted in the construction of this big garden; this style of architecture, which is called "Persian Garden", has continued until today. Interestingly, objects have been found in Pasargadae that are related to prehistoric times, which shows that Pasargadae has been considered a suitable habitat for human civilization since ancient times.

The most beautiful and important feature of Pasargadae architecture is the international mixed art of Achaemenid, which Cyrus created with his cleverness. The art of architecture is based on using the experiences of all the peoples under the Achaemenid rule, which expresses the policy of this government regarding expansionism and peaceful dominance over the whole world; Assyrian, Greek, Sumerian, Babylonian, Elamite, Lydian, etc. architecture can be seen in the structures of Pasargadae. The type of architecture used became a model that the Achaemenid kings used in other government structures, including Persepolis; large polished stones, stone columns, carved inscriptions, use of religious elements, rectangular buildings are among the features of this important human complex.

How to Visit Pasargadae?

To get to Pasargadae, you have to go from Isfahan or Shiraz to Marvdasht city. At the end of your route, which will be about 130-140 km, you will see the World Heritage Complex of Pasargadae in Pasargad plain. All seasons of the year are perfect to see this wonderful heritage.

Pasargadae is not only the national identity of Iranians, but also a symbol of the identity of all people on the Earth. Pasargadae houses the tomb of a man whose human rigts cylinder became the cornerstone of human rights in the United Nations and the world!!!

 

Tags: Fars Province, Fars Attractions, Pasargadae , Achaemenid Empire , Cyrus the Great , UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Iran Historical Attractions, Persian Gardens, Historical Tombs in Iran

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