 | Takht-e Jamshid (Persepolis) Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 39 |  |
Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (39) The most complete structure still standing in Persepolis is the Palace of Darius, also known as the Tachara or Winter Palace. Twelve massive columns supported the roof of the central hall. King Artaxerxes III made later alterations to the palace including the addition of ornamented staircases. Leave a Comment Directions: The Palace of Darius is towards the southern corner of Persepolis. As you approach from the main staircase, the Palace of Darius is a little to your left, at the foot of the mountains.
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The columns of the Apadana Palace form the image of Persepolis that people are most familiar with. Darius died in 486 BC before it was completed and the construction was continued by his son, Xerxes. There are thirteen columns still standing. Originally, the roof was supported by 72 of these giant columns, each 25 metres high. On top of the columns were capitals, consisting of two heads of animals, usually bulls or lions. The wooden roof beams were supported between the two heads. It must have been magnificent!
The palace was used as a reception hall for great feasts and the visits of foreign dignitaries. One of the releifs depicts Lydians binging gifts of gold to the palace. Leave a Comment Directions: The Apadana Palace is in the centre of Persepolis. As you approach from the main staircase, it's straight ahead of you
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The picture shows Xerxes on his throne,
atop one of the eight stone doorways to the Throne Hall.
Work on the Throne Hall was started by Xerxes and completed by his son, Artaxerxes.
It was used as a reception hall where foreign dignitaries paid their tribute to Xerxes and Artaxerxes. This was usually in the form of gold, ivory, precious stones etc. It also served as a treasury for these gifts. Of course, these fabulous treasures were all looted by Alexander the Great. Leave a Comment Directions: As you approach from the main stairway, the Throne Hall is directly in front of you.
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The Palace of Xerxes is quite similar in architectural style to the Palace of Darius, although it was twice as big and is slightly less well preserved than its neighbour. The best preserved part is the staircase. The main palace hall originally had 36 columns and was surrounded by six smaller rooms. Leave a Comment Directions: As you approach from the main staircase, the Palace of Xerxes is to your far left, in the southern corner of Persepolis.
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The royal necropolis of Naghsh-e Rostam is, if anything, even more impressive than the main site of Persepolis. It comprises four massive tombs hewn out of the rock face. The tombs are known locally as the 'Persian crosses', because of the shape of their facades. The entrance to each tomb is at the centre of the cross, which opens onto to a small chamber, where the king's sarcophagus lay.
The tombs are, from left too right, the tombs of Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC), Darius the Great (522-486 BC), Xerxes I (488- 465 BC) and Darius II (423-404 BC). A fifth unfinished tomb is thought to be that of Darius III (336-330 BC). The tombs were emptied of their contents by the army of Alexander the Great.
Two inscriptions have been found in the tomb of Darius the Great, outlining his life. One line, which indicates that he was a just king reads, "It is not my desire that a man should do harm, nor is it my desire that he goes unpunished when he does harm." Leave a Comment Directions: Naghsh-e Rostam is 8km north-west of Persepolis, just off the main road.
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Many of the original structures have been re-erected since Professor Herzfeld's 1931 expedtion. This is the re-constructed Gate of Xerxes, also known as the Gate of all Nations, with it's guardian man-bulls. Above the bulls, on the inner side of the Gateway is a cuneiform inscription in the three main languages of the empire, Persian, Babylonian and Elamite, which reads: "A great God is Ahuramazda, who has created this Earth, who has created the heaven, who has created man, who has created good things for man, who has made Xerxes King, sole King of many, sole Commander of many. I am Xerxes, Great King, King of Kings, King of lands, King of many races, King of this earth reaching even far off, son of Dariush the King, the Achaemenian. King Xerxes says: By the grace of Ahuramazda I constructed this Gateway of All Nations. Many other beautiful things were constructed in Persia. I constructed them and my father constructed them. Everything we have constructed which looks beautiful we have constructed by the grace of Ahuramazda. King Xerxes says: May Ahruamazda protect me and my kingdom and whatever is constructed by me as well as what has been constructed by may father". Leave a Comment Directions: The Gate of Xerxes is in the far northern corner of Persepolis. It's to the far right as you enter from the main staircase.
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At the base of the rock face, beneath the tombs, there are nine rock reliefs, depicting great episodes from the lives of the Sasanian kings. These include the investiture of Ardashir I, Bahram II in his royal court, two equestrian reliefs of Bahram II, the investiture of Nasreh, and an equestrian relief of Hormizd II. My photo shows the best preserved and most interesting one. It celebrates the victory of the Persian King Shapur I over the Roman Emperor Valerian, at Edessa, in 260 AD.
Emperor Valerian is shown kneeling down in front of the triumphant Persian king, who is mounted on a horse. Leave a Comment Address: Naghsh-e Rostam
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The entrance fee to Persepolis is IR 5000 (July 2006) and then you will have to pay another IR 5000 if you want to see the museum.
During the day it can be very hot, but if that is a problem for you, you can come very early as the site opens already at 6am during the summer months. The site is open:
Mar – Jun, Sep – Oct: 6am – 6pm
Jul – Aug: 6am - 8pm
Nov – Mar: 8am -5pm Leave a Comment
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The first structure you will come to after walking up the Grand Stairway to Persepolis is Xerxes’ Gateway (also called the Gate of All Nations).
By the doorway are two 6 metre high limestone bulls with the heads of bearded men. On the other side (the east side) there is another pair of bulls, with wings. Above the bulls are cuneiform inscriptions in three languages; Persian, Babylonian and Elamite, saying what a great king Xerxes was. The gateway had a square form with four inner columns, 12 metre high, and with three passages. Leave a Comment
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Apadana Palace was built on a platform and two monumental stairways lead up to the palace, one on the east side and one on the north side. The stairways are very impressive because of all the beautiful bas reliefs. The bas-reliefs on the eastern wall is considered to be the best ones and are now protected under roof.
On the eastern wall there are rows depicting delegates from the 23 subject nations of the Achaemenid Empire. The delegates are carrying gifts and their origin can be recognised because of the clothes they are wearing. Among others there are Ethiopians, Arabs, Indians Parthians , Elamites and Medians.
Other reliefs are showing fighting lions, court nobles, guards and soldiers and their horses and chariots. Leave a Comment
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on August 23, 2008
on April 19, 2007
