Persepolis-Sogol Tehran Iran tour operator & travel Agency -Persia

The center of the great Persian Empire, ceremonial capital of the Achamenians and the showpiece of Achaemenian art, Persepolis is a historic site in Fars Province, 60 km to the northeast of Shiraz by road for which the Iranians have got their own names: Takht-e Jamshid (The Trone of Jamshid), Jamshid being the first, probably mythical, ruler of Iran. It is 420 km south of Isfahan and 835 km south of Tehran on a first-class asphalt road. It can be reached by air through Shiraz international airport. The most important source of our knowledge on ancient Iran, its various royal buildings-palaces, audience halls, treasury, store rooms, stables, etc.- were built, as indicated in an inscription carved on stone, during the reign of Darius the Great (521-486 BC) and by his command, and further developments made under Xerxes I, Artaxerxes, Xerxes II, Darius II, Cyrus II, Artaxerxes II and III, and Darius III(336-331 BC), the whole process taking about one hundred and fifty years. This magnificent court was the summer residence of the Achamenian emperors and their official reception quarters. The terrace itself covers an area of 450 by 300 meters, and unfired brick wall, possibly at least partly faced with polychrome tiles, was built on top of the masonry wall. According to Professor Pope, the complex of buildings formed a ritual city whose very existence was kept secret from the outside world at a time when the glories of the other, secular, Achaemenian capitals of Susa, Babylon and Ecbatana were well known. But in fact it must be by some strange accident of history that Persepolis was never mentioned in foreign records, for it was here after all that representatives of all the varied peoples of the empire gathered to pay homage, and bring tribute, to the King of Kings, probably each spring, at the time of the ancient Now Ruz festival.
Although put on the fire and destroyed by Alexander the Great (331 BC) in a gesture symbolizing the destruction of Persian imperial power, its still impressive ruins permit a fairly complete reconstruction of its original appearance.

*Kouh-e-Rahmat: Standing behind Persepolis, is the site of two rock-face tombs in which Artaxerxes I and Artaxerxes II were buried(404-383 B.C.).
*Naqsh-e-Rostam : A spectacular series of cliff tombs close to Persepolis, chosen by Darius and his three successors as their place of burial, Twin fire Altars, and a square building of disputed origin, known as the shrine of Zoroaster.
*Naqsh-e-Rajab : Consist of three rock carving, the first and the second depict the investiture of Shahpour(252-261B.C.) and Ardeshir by The deity Ormuzed III, is a carving of Shahpour on horseback followed by 9 bodyguards.

This palace is 600 meters to the northeast of the Koorush Shrine. The area of this palace is 2,620 square meters and includes a large hall (with eight columns) in the middle and four terraces in four directions and two rooms in the corners. To the east of the palace is Pasargadae, composed of a large hall with eight columns. There is a doorway on the north, east and western side of this hall. In the northern doorway, there is an impression of a winged human with two wings directed towards the sky and two wings to the bottom. Where as the hands are raised towards the sky in a gesture of prayer.This edifice with 3,427 square meters area, is located 15 km. northwest of the palace. The main hall has 30 columns made of white stone. A mass of black and white stones have been used as construction material. One of the characteristics of Pasargadae is the canals made of white stone, which were used, for irrigation.There are equally other remains distributed in the province, some registered as national heritage monuments. These include the ruins of the Achaemenian Dynasty (Saravan Village), the Dokhtar Palace (Rastaq Village) dating back to the 3rd century AD, the restored Sassanian Palace (Sarvestan) dating originally back to the time of Bahram Gour (year 420 AD), Ardeshir Babakan Palace.