Ruins have the power to stir our emotions. Ages have passed; so have civilizations. Fragments of glory remain. The fragrance of the past lingers in the ruins. Through them we touch the depths of history. Ruins cry out for our attention, with their ever-whispering, dreaming voices of the past.
As dusk settles over the ruins of Persepolis, against the backdrop of mountains, we witness one of the most enchanting scenes in the world. Persepolis, now referred to as Takht-e Jamshid (`Throne of Jamshid'), once "the richest city under the sun," is an unforgettable sight.
Cut in the rock at several places in the mountain chain, which borders the Iranian plains, are grand military scenes. The `King of Kings' had grand tombs built in their honor such as the ones at Persepolis and Naqsh-i Rustam. The entrances of the royal tombs at Naqsh-i Rustam, were carved with columned facades with reliefs and inscriptions. These sculptured mountains and the ruins of the great terraced palaces, to which giant staircases decorated with reliefs lead, evoke the artistic splendor of ancient Persia. |
