Persepolis - Persepolis

Persepolis, the "City of the Persians" is a historical site of global importance near the city of Marvdasht (مرودشت) in the province Fars in the southwest Iran. The place is one of the most important Unesco world heritage sites of the country. This article continues to cover the necropolis, a funeral complex about 5 km away.

background

The royal seat of Persepolis was one of the capitals of the ancient Persian Empire under the Achaemenids and was founded in 520 B.C.E. founded by Dareios I. Alexander the Great, who also got through here, torched them in 330 B.C.E. from.

getting there

By plane

The nearest airport is in Shiraz. This is very well connected to other airports in Iran and almost all airlines in the country fly here. Most and best links it offers Iran Air at. In addition to several domestic airports, Iran Air also connects Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait and London-Heathrow with Shiraz and thus Persepolis.

By train

The next long-distance train station is in Shiraz.

In the street

Most of the time you leave Shiraz to Persepolis. Since the place in Shiraz itself is not signposted or is only poorly signposted, you first drive to the Koran Gate and continue on in the direction Marvdasht, which in turn is very well signposted in Shiraz. It takes about an hour from the city center.

Minibuses and taxis depart from the Karandish bus station in Shiraz.

Opening times and prices

It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., some places until 5.30 p.m.

Foreigners are charged around seven times the local price. That was 200,000 rials for foreigners in 2020, with Persepolis and the museum each costing extra. This is also the price for the evening show.

Tourist Attractions

Persepolis

Since the irrigation systems were also destroyed during the destruction, the buildings were largely covered by desert sand and thus preserved. The last Shah had parts of Persepolis restored in 1971 to mark the 2500th anniversary of the Iranian monarchy and equipped with tourist infrastructure, parking lots and shops.

The ornate buildings and palaces were created on an artificial terrace of 300 × 500 meters, carved out of stone and only surrounded by a high brick wall. In addition to the three palaces of several kings, the Hundred Columns Hall was very impressive, but above all the Apadana audience hall with 36 columns almost 20 meters high. The capitals of the columns are decorated with bull and lion motifs, the symbols of kings; there are also bird capitals and cuneiform texts in the Elamite language. The first systematic excavations were carried out in the 1930s by German archaeologists. It is noticeable that in the whole of Persepolis there are no reports of combat operations at all.

The “gate of all countries” was a small square palace with a side length of 24.75 meters. Most of it was built during the reign of Xerxes I. The location and orientation seem to have been carefully chosen: On the equinox (March 21st), the date of the Persian New Year, the morning sunlight falls through the "gate of all countries."

The largest palace in Persepolis is the "Apadana Palace," which was built by Darius I around 515 B.C.E. was built and expanded by the successors. The northern and eastern side stairs to the Apadana are decorated with various reliefs, the high-quality stones of which have largely survived the devastating fire.

The "Dareios Palace" is the best preserved palace in Persepolis. The huge door and window frames can still be seen clearly here.

The "Hundred Pillar Palace" was the second largest palace in Persepolis. Its central hall ("Hundertsäulensaal") had dimensions of 68.5 meters square, which made it probably the largest hall in the ancient world. The ceiling was supported by 100 columns arranged in 10 rows of 10 columns each.

An important side effect of the 330 B.C.E. fire. was the hardening of the clay tablets of the archive, which today is an important written historical source.

necropolis

Entry for foreigners: 200,000 rials (2020).

The tombs in the cliffs of 29.98888888888952.8747222222221 Naqsh-e Rostam (نقش رستم) are a good six kilometers north of Persepolis. Here are four graves of Achaemenid great kings and a number of Sassanid rock reliefs. Kings Darius I (522–485 BCE), Xerxes I (485–465 BCE), Artaxerxes I (464–425 BCE) and Darius II (425–405 BCE) were buried here.

The cube-shaped tower is called Kaʿbe-ye Zartuscht, "Zarathustra's cube." The purpose of this construction is unknown.

Naqsh-e Rajab

Entry for foreigners: 200,000 rials (2020).

29.98852.8711 Naqsh-e Rajab (نقش رجب) is about three kilometers north of Persepolis. There are four reliefs from early Sassanid times. Pictured are the Sassanid kings Ardaschir I and Shapur I, as well as the Zoroastrian priest Kartir.

Istachr

29.98166666666752.9094444444442 Istachr was one of Alexander d. G. founded city, which he built after Persepolis was burned down. In 998, most of the city was finally destroyed, so that only a small settlement remained. Ruins were uncovered in the 1930s.

activities

shop

accommodation

Upscale

• 29.9226115371952.8909013502021  Shidgar Tourism Residence (‏اقامتگاه و رستوران شیدگر‎). Tel.: 98 7143422171. Price: approx. € 40 (special, excessive foreigner price).last change: Apr. 2020
• 29.9360279922852.886341097722  Apadana Hotel (‏هتل آپادانا‎) (directly at the parking lot for Persepolis). Tel.: 987143341550. Former state guest house. Close enough to Persepolis to have a view of the grounds at night.last change: Apr. 2021
• Persepolis Tourist Hotel (‏هتل جهانگردی تخت جمشید‎). Tel.: 987143404001. 22 freestanding wooden houses. Part of a chain.Price: (50% for retirees).last change: Apr. 2021

health

Directly at the central intersection in Marvdascht is a 29.8928284565752.8162713225481 state hospital.

Practical advice

trips

• Shiraz, 52 km by road south

literature

• Calmeyer, Peter et al .; The reliefs of tombs V and VI in Persepolis; Mainz am Rhein 2009 from Zabern
• Koch, Heidemarie; Persepolis: brilliant capital of the Persian Empire; Mainz am Rhein 2001 Philipp von Zabern

Web links