Pasargadae
Pasargadae is one of the most valuable historical cities of Iran and the site of eternal tomb of Cyrus the Great. Pasargadae complex is located in the northern part of Fars province and in the fertile plain of Murghab. Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency invites you to read this article about this treasure.
About city of Pasargadae
Pasargadae complex is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and attractive historical attractions in Iran. Pasargadae complex is actually a collection of ancient structures from the Achaemenid period, which is located in Fars’s province. Pasargadae was the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire, built in the sixth century BC by Cyrus the Great, the first king of the Achaemenid dynasty. In Pasargadae you can see the prominent examples of Iranian civilization as well as the magnificent architecture and art that are used in the palaces and gardens of Pasargadae and the tomb of Cyrus.
The Pasargadae plain, which is located 130 km north of Shiraz and is irrigated by the Plovar River, dates back to the Middle Paleolithic period. Pasargadae complex includes buildings such as the tomb of Cyrus the Great, Pasargadae Mosque, Pasargadae Kingdom Garden, Gate Palace, Bridge, Public Palace, private palace, two pavilions, fountains of the royal garden, Cambyses tomb, Tal Takht defense structures, Mozaffari Caravanserai, Holy Yard Balaghi gorge. Pasargadae is the fifth collection registered in the list of World Heritage Sites of Iran, which was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List at the UNESCO meeting held in July 2004 in China. In the construction of Pasargadae, different materials have been used, including stone, brick, raw clay, black marble, white limestone, and so on. Wood is also used to cover the roof. The color of the bricks used in Pasargadae is red.
Interesting facts about Pasargadae
In this part, we will talk about some interesting facts about Pasargadae:
The Achaemenids established a state that ruled the ancient world with the exception of two-thirds of Greece. The Achaemenid Empire is considered to be the first empire in the history of the world that chose Pasargadae as their first capital.
The ancient city of Pasargadae is the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire in the heart of Fars province, on the plain of the river Plovar. The name of the city “Pars Camp” indicates the location of Pasargadae. Pasargadae was built by Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II) in the sixth century BC. The main area (160 hectares) is surrounded and protected by a large natural area that is approximately 7127 hectares.
The main area of Pasargadae includes some buildings such as the tomb of Cyrus in the south, Tal Takht or Takht-e Soleiman or throne of Solomon, and buildings located on the northern hill, the royal complex in the center of the main area, including the remains of the gate building, public hall, residential palace and royal garden. To the east of the Pasargadae, there is a small building that is a bridge based on the evidence. To the north of Pasargadae there is the royal complex of Suleiman Prison, which is a stone tower with 14 meters high.
The main site of Pasargadae includes the excavated area, but the ancient capital is much larger than this area and has not yet been excavated. There are other remnants in the surrounding conservation area of Pasargadae.
Different parts of Pasargadae
Some famous and important parts of Pasargadae are mentioned below:
Mausoleum of Cyrus the Great: The tomb of Cyrus the Great is the most famous and prominent building in Pasargadae. Cyrus, the first and most powerful Achaemenid king for nearly 25 centuries, rests in this tomb in Pasargadae. This cube-shaped building, which was originally known as the tomb of Solomon’s mother, is located on six steps and is about 12 meters high. The tomb of Cyrus the Great is the first thing that attracts everyone’s attention after entering Pasargadae. The tomb of Cyrus the Great is similar to the tomb of Gur-Dokhtar in Bushehr and a tomb in the ancient city of Sardis in Turkey.
Kingdom Garden
The Pasargadae Kingdom Garden, also known as the Campus of Cyrus, is one of the oldest Iranian gardens and has been considered a model for Iranian gardening for centuries. The Pasargadae Kingdom Garden, built by Cyrus the Great, which was full of various trees, flowers and birds and was irrigated with a water circulation system in rocky streams. On both sides of the Pasargadae Garden, there are two pavilions for resting and watching the garden.
Gate Palace
The Pasargadae Gate Palace, located northeast of the tomb of Cyrus, is also known as the “Entrance Palace” of Pasargadae. The palace had a hall with eight stone pillars and a bas relief of the winged man on the northwest gate of Pasargadae Gate Palace.
Audience Palace
The only surviving column of Pasargadae complex is in this palace which is more than 2,550 years old. The Audience Palace of Pasargadae was a place to receive guests of the King’s court and was the first UN ordinance where the human rights ideas were shared here for the first time.
Private Palace
The private palace with central columned hall sliced open by stone doorways in all four walls, is located in the Pasargadae complex and it is about 1.5 km far from the tomb of Cyrus the Great.
How to get to Pasargadae
The easiest way to travel to Pasargadae is by plane. By plane you can get to Shiraz in the shortest time and then drive from Shiraz to the Isfahan’s Road and get to Pasargadae. But if you plan to travel to Pasargadae with your personal car, first move from your city to Shiraz and enter the Shiraz-Isfahan Road to reach the Saadatshahr city. Then pass 20 km from this city and move towards the village of “Madar Soleiman”. Then after about 2 km you will reach Pasargadae.
The Pasargadae complex is open all days of the week except on Fridays. The best time to visit Pasargadae is spring because of the cool breeze, natural beauty of Shiraz in this season and various programs during Nowruz. In your trip to Pasargadae, it is not bad to visit Murghab plain, which is only two kilometers away from Pasargadae. The green plain of Murghab has several springs and an artificial lake. If you are interested in camping, you can camp by the lake and enjoy the pleasant weather.
Pasargadae is place that each and every person must plan to visit. When you visit city of Pasargadae you will enter to the ancient world and get familiar with history and architecture of Achaemenid era. Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency offers you a great tour to this historic city.