Persepolis

Introduction of Persepolis tourism attraction

 The symbol of the glory of the ancient Iranian empire, one of the most important places in the history of the world before Christ, an excellent example of integrated architecture and the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid dynasty.

 Yes, we mean the complex of Persepolis or Takht-e-Jamshid palaces, the most famous ancient heritage of Iran. Join us to learn more about this unique place.

 Where is Persepolis?

 Takht-e-Jamshid is located 58 km north of Shiraz city (Fars Province) in Marvdasht city. An 8 kilometer road will take you from Marvdasht to the slopes of Mount Rahmat or Mehr, where the complex of Persepolis palaces was built.

 What is the History of Persepolis?

 Persepolis was built to show off the greatness of the Achaemenid dynasty among the subject nations and enemies because this was not built during the time of Cyrus the Great (the founder of the dynasty) and his son Cambogia, but during the time of Darius the Great when the vastness and power of the empire was at its peak. Although Achaemenids had several capitals before, including Susa, Ecbatana and Babylon, Persepolis was considered the only luxurious and ceremonial capital of the most powerful state in the ancient world.

 Historical research shows that Darius the Great issued the decree to construct Persepolis in 519 BC. Pythagoras, who saw the palace up close, said: "After completion, this building will be the largest and most beautiful place in the world”. The numerous inscriptions of the Achaemenid kings show well the process of building palaces and various structures, among which there is an inscription attributed to Darius the Great, which clearly shows that he initiated the construction of the palace for the first time. After Darius, each of the Achaemenid kings added a building along with an inscription. It is very interesting to know that the construction of Persepolis was was an ongoing process that never finished; even the last Achaemenid emperor (Darius III) built a structure there; for this reason, Persepolis can be considered a structure that was destroyed before it was completed. Finally, Persepolis was set on fire by Alexander the Great and turned into ruins; nonetheless, important parts of this cmplex are still standing and we can extract valuable information from Persepolis.

 German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld conducted the first excavations in 1931 and introduced the luxurious capital of the Achaemenids to the world. Finally, in 1979, Persepolis was inscribed as the second UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iran.

 Different Names of Persepolis Throughout History

 Examining its different names throughout history requires a lot of research. The Achaemenians called this complex "Parsa" which means the city of the Persians; they adopted the name Parsa from the name of their tribe. Herodotus and all the Greek historians also use the Greek translation Parsa, which means "Persepolis" (the city of the Persians). Furthermore, During the Sassanid era, it was called "Hundred Pillars" due to the number of remaining pillars.

 Contradictory narratives and diverse names that the historians of the Islamic era put on Persepolis like Suleyman the Prophet Mosque, Takht-e Jamshid, Homa Fire Temple, the capital of Suleyman the Prophet etc. show a deep ignorance about the history of ancient Iran. The common people, based on the general belief, attributed this complex to Jamshid, the legendary king of Iran and Shahnameh, who had demons at his sevice. But the scientific research conducted by European archaeologists clarified the truth and introduced Iranians to their magnificent history. Today, it is still called Persepolis in Iran, but not out of ignorance but because of the popularity of the name.

 What Was the Function of Persepolis?

 Today, most historians and researchers consider Persepolis as the ceremonial palace of Achaemenid. The Achaemenid emperors organized important ceremonies such as Nowruz in Persepolis and hosted representatives, ambassadors and envoys of different nations to show off the glory and power of their government to everyone. But after it was burnt and destroyed, it lost its use and became just a glory of the past

Architectural Characteristics and its Various Components

 As mentioned, Takht-e-Jamshid is built on the slopes of Mount Rahmat with an area of about 13 hectares. Its basic shape is a polygon, which is 300 meters in the north, 455 meters in the west, 390 meters in the south, and 430 meters in the east. The Achaemenid kings used thousands of architects and workers from different nationalities to build this masterpiece and observed full labor rights for men and women, including pregnancy and childbirth leave.

 Architectural sites in Persepolis can be divided into 5 categories:

 1- Southeast where the treasury is located. Darius the Great personally ordered its construction and Xerxes made changes in it. For about 200 years, the treasury was the storage place for jewels along with royal and government properties, which was plundered by Alexander the Great.

 2- southwest where the private palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and an unknown structure are located. Another public palace, the construction of which was started by Xerxes and finished by Ardeshir I, can be seen right in the center of Takht-e-Jamshid.

 3- Northeast, where there is a palace and a barracks of soldiers guarding the complex.

 4- northwest part that includes two large entrance gates of different nations, Apadana Palace and a large two-way staircase.

 5- The tombs at the foot of Mount Rahmat, where a number of Achaemenid kings are buried in the heart of the mountain.

 Persepolis is a collection of wonderful features, including 3 aqueducts to collect and transport water to different places - eleven 10-cm steps with very high accuracy - inscriptions in three languages so that all the nations subject to the Achaemenids can understand the text -2 0-meter stone pillars that are connected to each other by thick chains from the inside - motifs carved on the walls throughout the complex that indicate the nationality of the people bringing gifts to the king through their clothes and the type of gift - Existence of inscriptions belonging to Iranian rulers of the Islamic era - the importance of motifs of natural elements such as flowers and trees – preservation of the columns and stone remains of the palace - using creatures with a mixed appearance (man - lion - winged cow) - the use of colored glazed bricks - the use of gold in many components of the complex- even the nails and covering of the doors, and dozens of other features.

 Architectural Effects of Persepolis

 Takht-e-Jamshid became a model for later structures; for instance, Sasanians built many of their buildings based on the model and architecture of Persepolis. Its effects are evident even in the works of Greece (Acropolis), Balkh, India (Sarnath Column) and Egypt. During the period of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the idea of archaism rose in Iran, and many government buildings such as Shahrbani Palace, National Bank, Post and Telegraph Building, Iran Carpet Company, School of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Ferdowsi Tomb were directly influenced by the architecture of Persepolis. Moreover, numerous works left from the Islamic era also have motifs of Persepolis. Today, Iran National Airlines, Parsian Bank, Tehran Persepolis team and several other organizations and companies are inspired by Persepolis and its architecture in their symbols.

 There is no difference between Persepolis and Takht-e-Jamshid because this complex is deeply imbedded in each Iranian individual and is a part of our national identity.

 

Tags: Fars Province, Fars Attractions, Persepolis, Achaemenid Empire , magnificent architecture , UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Palaces in Iran, Iran Historical Attractions

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