We have arrived at one of the highlights of our Ancient Persia and Depth tour; we are at Persepolis, one of the great cities of the ancient world. This scale model prepares us for what we're about to see. Construction began in 515 BC under the rule of Darius the Great, and his successors continued developing the city over the next 200 years. In fact, it was still unfinished when Alexander the Great arrived in 330 BC. Wooden steps cover the grand staircase, which leads us up to the Gate of the Nations. In the Assyrian culture, this great gateway was constructed by Darius's successor, Xerxes I, around about 475 BC. Here, trumpets would have sounded as visitors walked through the enormous wooden doors. Arriving visitors are greeted by two giant sculptures of quadrupeds, while on the reverse side, two huge human-headed winged bulls of Assyrian style face into the palace area. Coming into the palace area, we can observe several walls full of bas-relief. These give us an insight into life during the reign of Darius and his successors. The depiction of the lion and the spear, the immortal soldier, and the ceremonials held here are meant to convey the coming of the new year and the end of the old year, considering the constellation. This symbolism shows the high regard for the celestial events and their impact on the Persian calendar and rituals.

The reliefs also show the importance of chariots, the unique design of Persian carpets, and the significance of the Median people, depicted hand in hand with Persians, indicating a close alliance. The artifacts and construction techniques, such as the use of male and female sockets and sometimes lead to fix the structures completely, demonstrate the advanced engineering skills of the Persians. Persepolis is not just about towering columns but also about the artifacts at ground level, providing a glimpse into the Apadana Palace, constructed by Xerxes the First, and the Winter Palace of Darius, believed to date from around 486 BC. This panel shows figures of servants or priests carrying food vessels and lamps, highlighting the daily life and rituals of the time.

Darius's great treasury, with the foundations of walls and the footings of 250 columns, suggests that it was well stocked with treasure. The remains of the Palace of a Hundred Columns, begun during the reign of Xerxes the First, and the four royal tombs carved out of the solid rock, further illustrate the grandeur of Persepolis. An impressive relief panel, once the center of the Apadana staircase but shifted during a later building period, epitomizes the artistic and cultural zenith reached by the Persian Empire. In 330 BC, Alexander the Great and his armies not only conquered the city but also looted it and then burnt it to the ground. Persepolis had been built as a showcase for the Empire, meant to awe all visitors with its size and beauty. What we see today is just a mere shadow of the city's former glory. Over the centuries, the ruins became lost as they were covered by dust and sand, and it wasn't until the 1930s that they were revealed in the glory that we see today.