The remaining ruins of this place make visitors imagine a city that was once very prosperous, rich, and bustling in Iran in the past.

Persepolis in the past

Shiraz is the sixth largest city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. The pink mosques are everywhere, but Persepolis is the most memorable. Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BC). It is located 60 km northeast of Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran. The remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. The city exemplifies the Achaemenid architectural style and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

It is a landmark building in Iran, almost representing the glory of the former Persian Empire. Today, it still holds a deep place in the minds of Iranians. Iran Airlines travel videos and people often use Persepolis as an iconic attraction.

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This shows that Persepolis is really a must-see attraction in Iran, compared to other places, there are few tourists here. Because this place is far from the city center, surrounded by desert, making it mysterious and peaceful.

When talking about Persepolis, we cannot help but mention the “king of kings”, Darius I. In 520 BC, Darius I began to build this ancient city. The ancient city of Persepolis took 70 years to complete and went through 3 dynasties: Darius I, Xerxes I and Artaxerxes I. Even when only ruins remain, we can still see its glorious past. The scale and scenery are extremely magnificent.

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But no one expected that just 200 years after Persepolis was built, Alexander the Great attacked Persia and destroyed this magnificent capital.

Persepolis today

Persepolis is now a very large square, surrounded by 2,500 trees, planted on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the founding of Persia. The entrance ticket to this place costs 33,000 VND.

After pᴀssing through the tree-lined avenues, at the end of the road, visitors can see a giant stone area, many large stones are neatly stacked to form a path. The reliefs on both sides are very beautiful. Visitors can feel the prosperity of the former Persian empire. 35 dependent countries and 23 ethnic groups paid homage to the Persian emperors and donated a lot of cattle, sheep and horses.

As you step onto the platform, you will see a huge gate decorated with cattle. The ancient Persians praised cattle as the most powerful animal, so you will probably see many cows in the remaining ruins of Persepolis.

After pᴀssing through the main gate, visitors will see the most elaborate palace in Persepolis, including the Apardana Hall, a place that could accommodate up to 10,000 people. Even after the war, many of the halls still have many exquisite reliefs that have not been destroyed, most of which reflect the Persian dynasty, truly magnificent.

Next to the Apardana Hall, there is an equally beautiful building, where King Xerxes I held court every day. Therefore, this place is very luxuriously decorated, the works are carved in exquisite stone, proving a very prosperous period.

On the hillside behind are the tombs of King Artaxerxes II and III, which are similar in architecture to the usual Persian tombs. Once inside, visitors can see the entire picture of Persepolis, where visitors will see the huge ruins of this ancient city, even if only a very small part remains.

Some say that King Alexander, in revenge for the Persian raids, destroyed Persepolis. While we do not know exactly what it was, it is undeniable that the once mighty empire was destroyed in an instant. Now we can only imagine it through memories or the remaining ruins.