Persepolis (Old Persian: Pārsa; Modern Persian: Pārse – پارسه; "Persia"),[2] literally meaning "the Persian city,"[3] also known as the Throne of Jamshid (Taxt e Jamšid – تخت جمشيد), was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BC).
Persepolis is situated 60 km northeast of the city of Shiraz in Fars Province, Iran. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared the ruins of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.[4]
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In an effort to conclude my photographic study of Persepolis, I am posting several random images from this fascinating archaeological site in southwestern Iran.
There are so many more details I could have captured if only I knew then what I know now. That's life :-) Maybe there will be a next time.
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Thanks for viewing and commenting on my Iran 2012 images. www.flickr.com/photos/artsylens/sets/72157629946409296/wi...
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Enjoy your weekend.
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Palace of Xerxes, in Persepolis, Iran, was destroyed and plundered by Alexander The Great in 330 B.C.
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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.
Directions: As you approach from the main staircase, the Palace of Xerxes is to your far left, in the southern corner of Persepolis.
Read more: members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d287/1acf02/4/?o=1#ixzz250v...
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Apadana Palace
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 reliefs depicts Lydians binging gifts of gold to the palace.
Directions: The Apadana Palace is in the centre of Persepolis. As you approach from the main staircase, it's straight ahead of you
Read more: members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d287/1acf02/4/?o=1#ixzz24dT...
Have a wonderful Sunday and thanks for dropping by.
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The Apadana staircase in Dariush the Great's Hall of Audience, Persepolis, is best divided into three portions, a central, a northern and a southern panel. [...].
Some sections of [the southern panel] are artistically more advanced than others while some are not polished or even completed. The details of dress and the characterization of animals is unusually excellent. Artistically one of the best is panel 8, the Cilicians with the two fat-tailed rams.
realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Elam/Persepo...
FYI:
Fat-tailed sheep
Fat tailed or fat-rumped sheep are so-named because they can store large amounts of fat in the tail and region of the rump. Fat-tailed sheep are found mostly in the extremely arid regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. They often produce wool, but are raised primarily for meat or milk production. Fat-tailed sheep comprise 25 percent of the world's sheep population.
www.sheep101.info/sheeptypes.html
Upon the defeat of the Persian Empire by the Macedonian King Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. Persepolis was plundered, and the palace of the then Persian King Xerxes, was burned. [...].
What's left of the palace is marked by a large terrace [...] on the west side of [which] is the magnificent double stairs of Apadana. [on which] are relief's of Persian, Median, and Elamite officials.
Additionally, there are twenty three scenes, separated by cypress trees, depicting representatives from the twenty three vassal kingdoms of the empire. They are being led by a Persian or Mede, as they come to [make] offerings to the king at the festival of the vernal equinox. The various delegates are shown in great detail, giving insight into the costume and equipment of the various peoples of the Persian Empire in the 5th century B.C. But, there is NO inscription to identify who these people are!
www.enel.ucalgary.ca/People/far/hobbies/iran/persepolis.html
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Captured this imposing view of Darius' Palace or The Tachara as we approached Persepolis
on foot and before climbing the Terrace Staircase to begin our exploration of this incredible Site which was drenched in the golden glow of the early morning sunshine.
Persepolis is one of the three properties included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 belonging to the Achaemanid dynasty and is the most complete architectural form and city planning of this period.
See series below re details of the Tachara Palace.
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The Tachara, Taçara, Tachara of Darius, Tachar Château, Mirror Hall or exclusive palace of Darius I is one of the interior Persepolis Palaces. The meaning in olden Persian is wintry home. The palace is made of gray stone. It was built by Darius I but only a small portion of the palace was finished under his rule, and it was completed after his death in 486 by his son and successor Xerxes I, who called the house a Taçara, winter palace. Artaxerxes I continued to use the palace. Its ruins are immediately south of the Apadana.
Like many other parts of Persepolis, Tachara Palace has reliefs of tribute-bearing dignitaries. This palace was one of the few structures that escaped destruction in the burning of the complex by Alexander.
The Tachara, measuring 1,160 square meters (12,486 sq. feet), is the smallest of the palace buildings in Persepolis. Its main room is a mere 15.15m x 15.42 m (49.70 ft. x 50.59 ft.) with three rows of four columns.
The name Tachara was chosen by Darius I for his palace, the first completed structure on the Terrace before his death. It stands back to back to the Apadana and is oriented southward. The Tachara's function, however, was more ceremonial than residential. Upon completion, it served in conjunction with the earlier south oriented entrance stairs as the Nowrouz celebration venue until the other buildings that would comprise Persepolis could be finished, a provisional union of the Apadana, the Throne Hall, and a Banquet Hall.
As the first of the palace structures on the Terrace, the Tachara was constructed of the finest quality stone. The surface was almost completely black and polished to a glossy brilliance. This surface treatment combined with the high quality stone is the reason for it being the most intact of all ruins at Persepolis today. Although its mud block walls have completely disintegrated, the enormous stone blocks of the door and window frames have survived. A complete window measuring 2.65m x 2.65m x 1.70m (8.69ft. x 8.69ft. x 5.57ft.) was carved from a single block of stone and weighed 18 tons . The door frame was fashioned from three separate monoliths and weighed 75 tons .
Darius the Great's pride at the superb craftsmanship is evident by his ordering the following inscription on all 18 niches and window frames: Frames of stone, made for the Palace of King Darius.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachara
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