Persepolis was one of three capital cities built by the Achaemenids. It was used during Naw Ruz ceremonies (around 21 March), when subjects from the various nations under Persian rule would bring offerings. It would have been a much more pleasant time to be there. In May it's stinking hot.
What remains after Alexander the Great torched the place (returning the favour that Xerxes had earlier paid Athens) is an extensive stone platform, stone stairways, columns, door and window frames, and the stone foundations of buildings that were built largely from mud brick and timber. There are two tombs in the style of Naqsh e Rostam cut into the hill behind.
Unfortunately, most of the site is roped off or behind glass fence panels. So it's not possible to walk through most of the arches. Also, a high steel roof covers the middle part of the site, with a large portion of the carvings. So it doesn't feel untouched. There's no sense of discovery as you wander around.
The Achaemenids were Zoroastrian. This was the first monothiestic religion, and there are several carvings showing the Achaemenid kings, supported by people of different nations, under the blessing of Ahura Mazda, symbolized by the winged ring at the top of this picture.
The carvings show delegations from 23 nations, including Ethiopians, Arabs and Indians, bringing tribute. They can be distinguished by their different dress, hair and beards. It's depicted as a friendly affair, each delegation being led hand in hand by a Persian usher. The carvings are also liberally applied with flower motifs and stylized, but botanically detailed conifers. It gives some indication of how different the setting would have been back when the fertile crescent was still fertile.
I spent two days at the ruins, sitting out the heat at the middle of each day in the small museum, which is a reconstruction of one of the original buildings, and eating ice cream at the coffee shop.
At night I camped at a sort of tourist village, with bungalows scattered through a treed compound. A lot of people camp on the roadside, at Persepolis and anywhere, but it was worth the five dollars for the feeling of security, the hot shower and to put the tent on grass not dirt.
The second night was a Thursday, and on Thursdays and Fridays there is a much talked about light show. In the evening the site closes, everyone leaves, then buys another ticket and returns to sit in a grandstand at one end. It seemed to tell the story of one of the Achaemenid Kings through an antiquated PA system. It was difficult to tell, being all in Farsi. At one stage there was a sound of a horse galloping and later a battle with yelling and swords clashing. The light show was probably built by the last Shah, and consisted of various parts of the site being lit up in different colours, apparently without regard to the music or storyline. Anyway, it was all so far away from the grandstand and cut in half by the steel roof structure, it was wholly unimpressive. I spent half of the long 25 minutes with my head tilted back looking at the stars. It was the clearest night. The show concluded with what seemed to be the national anthem. I would have been more certain if Iran had won some olympic gold medals. Half the grandstand stood up and sang. The other half stood up and left.
What remains after Alexander the Great torched the place (returning the favour that Xerxes had earlier paid Athens) is an extensive stone platform, stone stairways, columns, door and window frames, and the stone foundations of buildings that were built largely from mud brick and timber. There are two tombs in the style of Naqsh e Rostam cut into the hill behind.
Unfortunately, most of the site is roped off or behind glass fence panels. So it's not possible to walk through most of the arches. Also, a high steel roof covers the middle part of the site, with a large portion of the carvings. So it doesn't feel untouched. There's no sense of discovery as you wander around.
The Achaemenids were Zoroastrian. This was the first monothiestic religion, and there are several carvings showing the Achaemenid kings, supported by people of different nations, under the blessing of Ahura Mazda, symbolized by the winged ring at the top of this picture.
The carvings show delegations from 23 nations, including Ethiopians, Arabs and Indians, bringing tribute. They can be distinguished by their different dress, hair and beards. It's depicted as a friendly affair, each delegation being led hand in hand by a Persian usher. The carvings are also liberally applied with flower motifs and stylized, but botanically detailed conifers. It gives some indication of how different the setting would have been back when the fertile crescent was still fertile.
I spent two days at the ruins, sitting out the heat at the middle of each day in the small museum, which is a reconstruction of one of the original buildings, and eating ice cream at the coffee shop.At night I camped at a sort of tourist village, with bungalows scattered through a treed compound. A lot of people camp on the roadside, at Persepolis and anywhere, but it was worth the five dollars for the feeling of security, the hot shower and to put the tent on grass not dirt.
The second night was a Thursday, and on Thursdays and Fridays there is a much talked about light show. In the evening the site closes, everyone leaves, then buys another ticket and returns to sit in a grandstand at one end. It seemed to tell the story of one of the Achaemenid Kings through an antiquated PA system. It was difficult to tell, being all in Farsi. At one stage there was a sound of a horse galloping and later a battle with yelling and swords clashing. The light show was probably built by the last Shah, and consisted of various parts of the site being lit up in different colours, apparently without regard to the music or storyline. Anyway, it was all so far away from the grandstand and cut in half by the steel roof structure, it was wholly unimpressive. I spent half of the long 25 minutes with my head tilted back looking at the stars. It was the clearest night. The show concluded with what seemed to be the national anthem. I would have been more certain if Iran had won some olympic gold medals. Half the grandstand stood up and sang. The other half stood up and left.
Impressive ruins. Sounds like aspects of your time there were a bit of a let down, especially as the antiquated light show seemed to be of the same vintage as the ruins themselves. At least you got to camp on grass. Love, Mum
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