
Persepolis is one of the crown jewels of Persian architecture, and among the first World Heritage Sites in Iran to be registered on UNESCO’s list in 1979. It was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and was built by Darius I in the 6th century B.C. and completed during the reign of his son, Xerxes I.

“The desire to know more about these ancient monuments was kindled in the 14th century, when merchants and diplomats started making the long journey to the south of present-day Iran,” said the Dutch National Museum. “Persepolis is without a doubt one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the ancient world. The Persian palace complex still strikes awe into every visitor who sees its vast size and the great beauty of the monuments for the first time.”

Persepolis or “City of the Persians” was the name given to the ancient city of Parsa by the Greeks. The city was founded by Persian settlers in the 6th century B.C., and named after the province of Parsa and the people inhabiting it. Alexander the Great conquered Persepolis in 330 B.C., plundered Parsa, slaughtered its people, pillaged the citadel housing the treasury, and deliberately burned the palaces.