Persepolis literally means “the Persian city” and is known as the Throne of Jamshid. It was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire during ca.550-330 BC.
The Old Persian city is located 60km northeast of the city of Shiraz, Fars Province. In 1979, the ruins of Persepolis were declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The earliest remains of Persepolis go back to 515BC. The city exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture and embodies the greatest successes of the ancient empire.
The exquisite reliefs, imposing gateways, and monumental staircases leave no space for doubt that the Achaemenid Empire was extremely grand and really impressive. Only its fallen and broken columns give us an idea how emphatic and merciless was the end of the grand empire.
The ruins you see today are a simple part of the former glory of Persepolis. Nevertheless, the extensive excavations of the 1930s allow us to pretend the scope and majesty of this ceremonial city.
The construction of the city began with Darius I (520BC), who took the throne. He was followed by a series of kings (Xerxes I and II, and Artaxerxes I, II and III) for 150 years until the Persepolis got ready.