Pasargadae

Pasargadae

Pasargadae is region in 120 km Shiraz, which Iranians and the people of around the world know by Cyrus the Great and Achaemenid rule. Cyrus the Great has chosen Pasargadae as the capital of his government, and according to the Roman historian, caving and the inscriptions of the palace, it can be understood that he ordered to build this area. This complex was registered in 2004 on the UNESCO World Heritage List and includes palaces, Cyrus the great tomb, Cambyses tomb and Mozaffari’s caravanserai.

The tomb of Cyrus the Great

Cyrus is the great king of history who calls him as a wise king and he is popular among all the people of the world. The tomb of Cyrus is the most well-known building in the area and many tourists all around Iran and whole the world come to Pasargadae to visit it. In the past, the tomb of Cyrus was among the royal gardens, and now it remains after 25 centuries. A magnificent and normal building made by limestone which has 6 steps and a room with a sloping roof over it. It should be noted that the construction of this building has not been used any mortar and what is connected the rocks is a special type of clamp, which at that time was a popular technique. There are different opinions about the architectural style of the tomb. Some believe that this style originates from Greek, Minor Asia, Egyptian, Elamite, Middle Rhode and Iranian architecture.

 This room was for the Maintenance of Cyrus body and looted by Alexander’s invasion and then all the objects inside it were plundered. Before Islam the tomb of Cyrus was the coronation of the kings, but this place changed with the Arab invasion of Iran as its name changed to the tomb of the mother of Prophet Solomon. Then the tomb became a holy place where many people came to pilgrimage and so they built a mosque and caravanserai near it.

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The tomb of Cambyses

In the northern part of the Pasargadae palaces there is the Cambyses’ tomb or Alexander’s Prison. There are different opinions about this building, and since only one wall remains, there can be no doubt about its use. However, some scholars attribute it to the tomb of Cambyses, the father of Cyrus, some others believe in Cassandra the wife of Cyrus and some believe that this monument have been the royal or religious treasury of Cyrus.

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The Bar-e Am Palace

The Bar-e Am Palace was the place where the king met and welcomed his guests. In this palace, discussions were held on issues such as freedom, human rights and equality, and it was the kind of first United Nations center. Cyrus’s Cylinder first appeared in this place. The reliefs of this palace are symbolically employed, for example combination relief of human and cattle is a symbol of blessing and the combination relief of man and fish is a symbol of human domination over water.

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Mozaffari Caravanserai

The Mozafari Caravanserai is located near the tomb of Cyrus, which dates back to Al-Muzaffar. The caravanserai has a number of small and large rooms that are used by the Cyrus Castle to build it. Gypsum mortar has been used to connect the rocks, and in some cases even mortar has not been used. The caravanserai is located eastward and behind it.