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March 9, 2017March 9, 2017

Persepolis And The Tombs of Naqsh-e Rustam

This post is part of a series called Iran 2016
Show More Posts
  • Mashhad, My First Destination in Exotic Iran
  • Riding The Night Train From Mashhad to Yazd in Iran
  • Exploring The Desert Town of Yazd
  • Day Trip to Kharanaq, Chak Chak, And Meybod
  • Mosques And Bazaars of Shiraz
  • Persepolis And The Tombs of Naqsh-e Rustam
  • Exploring The Ancient Castles and Temples of Firuzabad, Iran
  • Isfahan, The Most Beautiful City I Visited in Iran
  • Desert Oasis Town of Kashan
  • Ancient Town of Abyaneh, And Beautiful Fin Garden
  • Tehran, My Last Stop in Iran
  • In Review: 24 Days of Backpacking in Iran

I was really looking forward to visit Persepolis, a place with so much history, and the center of the once mighty Persian Empire.

It is about a 1-hour drive from Shiraz so I, along with an older Chinese couple, hired a taxi to take us there. On the way we stopped at the nearby Naqsh-e Rustam. This is a necropolis believed to once have contained the tombs of Darius II, Artaxerxes I, Darius I, and Xerxes I. The tombs look very impressive high up on the side of a big cliff. Standing there, I couldn’t help but feel a connection with ancient history.

Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran
Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran
Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran
Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran
Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran

We only had two hours to explore Persepolis, which was barely enough time. Entrance fee was 200,00o rials (6 USD, the same as for Naqsh-e Rustam). Since they closed at 7pm it’s impossible to be there during sunset, which was at 8:30pm. The whole city of Persepolis was destroyed in a fire in the 3rd century BC, so not much of it is left. Still, there are many interesting things to see, including very beautiful wall carvings.

Entrance to Persepolis, Iran
Entrance to Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Wall carvings, Persepolis, Iran
Wall carvings, Persepolis, Iran
Wall carvings, Persepolis, Iran
Wall carvings, Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran
Persepolis, Iran

Up on a hill and behind the complex of Persepolis are two tombs very similar to the ones in Naqsh-e Rustam. They are believed to be the tombs of Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III. You can reach them after a short climb through dirt paths, although you can’t go inside them.

Tomb of Artaxerxes III, Persepolis, Iran
Tomb of Artaxerxes II, Persepolis, Iran

I went to Persepolis knowing that not much of it was left after the fire that destroyed it. With my lowered expectations, I ended up having a great time there.

Posted in Travel, Photography, Round The World Trip, Iran, Middle East
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