Guide to visit Persepolis

The Persepolis Or Parse was one of the ancient capitals of Persia, Persepolis, was established by Darius I in the late 6th century BC. Its ruins lie 56km north-east of the city of Shiraz, in an small town called Marvdasht, where the dry climate has helped to preserve much of the Persepolis architecture. Darius transferred the capital of the Achaemenian dynasty to Persepolis from Pasargadae, where Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, had ruled.

Construction of Persepolis began between 518 and 516 BC and continued under Darius’s successors Xerxes I and Artaxerxes I in the 5th century BC. Known as Parsa by the ancient Persians, it is known today in Iran as Takht-e Jamshid (Throne of Jamshid) after a legendary king. However, The Greeks called it Persepolis.

Gate of the nation

The Gate of All Nations or Gate of Xerxes palace is located in the ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis, it was buld by King Xerxes I , so whenever important deligations arrived, their presence was heralded by trumpeters at the top of the staircas, the Gate of the All Nation is still wonderfully impressive and guarded by bull like figures that have a strong Assyrian character. above these, there is cuneiform inscription in Old Persian,Neo Babylonian and Elamite Language that king Xerxes says:

“by the favor of ahuramazada this Gate of All Nation was built much else that is beautiful in this Parsa, which i built and my father built.”

Apadana palace and the bas reliefs

Importand Persian and notables of Medes were probably ushered to the South, The Apadana Palace was constructed on the terrace of stone by Xerxex I and Apasada Palace is reached via another staircase. Although it can be difficult to picture the grandeur of the palace from what we see today, the bas-reliefs along the northern wall avocatively depict the scene of splendour that must have accompanied the arrival of delegations to meet with the King.

Most impressive of all and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staicase on the eastern wall, which can also be reached from the nearby Palace of 100 Columns . The northern panels recount the reception of the Persian in long robes and the Medes inshorter dress, the three tiers of figures are amazingly well preserved. Each tier contains representations of the most elite of the Achaemenid soldiers, the imperial guard and the immortals, on the upper tier, they are followed by the royal procession, the royal valets and the horses of the Elamite king of chariots, while on the lower two tiers they precede the Persian with their feather head dresses and the Medes in their round caps.

The stairs themselves are guarded by Persian Soldiers the central panel of Apadana Staircase is dedicated to the symbols of Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazada that is symolized by a ring with wings, flanked by two winged lions with human heads and guarded by four Persian and Median soldiers; the Persian are the ones carrying the indented shields, also, there is an inscreptions announces that the Apadana Palace was started by Darius and completed by Xerxes abd implores god to protect it from famine, lies and earthquakes.

The most interesting panel at the southern end are the most interesting, showing 23 deligations bringing their tributes to the Acahaemenid King. This rich record of the nations of the times ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left corner, through a climbing pantheon of, among variours other peoples, Aarabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites and Medians at the top right.

Tripylon; the King Xerxes hall of audience

This Small but handsomely decorated Palace is known as both the Tripylon and Xerxes Hall of Audience. The Palace stands at the heart of the Persepolis but what its exact function was remains unknowns. but one of the more widely accepted theories is that the Kind Xerxes used this Palace to receive notables and courtiers in a private area, possibly to make important political decisions. On the columns of the eastern doorway are reliefs showing Darius on the Throne, borne by the representatives of the 28 countries; the crown prince Xerxes stands behind his father, The 28 representatives have their arms interlinked, as the union of nations.

Tachar and Hadish palace

The Southwestern corner of Persepolis is dominated by Palaces believed to havebeen constructed during the reigns of Darius and Xerxes, The Tachar Palace or Dariush Winter Palace is easily the most striking, with many of its monilithic doorjambs still standing and covered in bas-reliefs on the southern side bear highly skilled reliefs and are some of the most photogenic in Persepolis. The Tachar Palace opens onto Royal Courtyard and flanked by two other Palaces, to the East is the Hadish Palace  that was completed by king Xerxes and reached via another monumental starircase.

Some Scholars speculate that its wooden columns on stone bases might have served as kindling for Alexander’s fire especialy to the torch. there is another unfinished Palace to the south known as Palace H.

Treasury and tombs in Persepolis

The southeastern corner in Persepolis is dominated by Darius Treasury, one of the earliest structures at Persepolis. Archaeologist have found stone tables in Elamite and Akkadian detailing the wages of thousands of labourers. When Alexander looted the treasury it’s reported he needed 3000 camels to cart off the contents. The foundations of walls and bases of more than 300 columns are all that remain.

On the hill above the treasury are the rock hewn tombs of Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III

Palace of 100 column

The Palace of 100 Columns  has an extravagant square hall  measuring almost 70 meters square and supported by 100 stone columns, the Palace of 100 Columns was the second biggest building at Persepolis, buit during the time of Xerxes  and Artaxerxes I , some scholars believe it was used to receive the military elite upon whom the empire’s security rested. an impressive array of broken columns remain  and reliefs of the doorjambs at the southern side of the  building show a king, soldiers and representatives of 28 subject nations.

Little remains of the Hall of 32 Columns built at the very end of the Achaemenid time. The arrival of Alexander and his armis stopped work on a larger version of the Gate of All Nations, in the wide courtyard in front of the Palace of 100 Columns which now called the Unfinished Gate.