The Persian Empire

One of the best-known and glorious sites of the ancient world, Persepolis, is located in the plain of Marvdasht, about 75 km northwest of Shiraz. It was one of the dynastic centers in the Achaemenid era. UNESCO has registered this impressive manifestation of Achaemenid architecture as a world tangible cultural heritage in 1979. There is a wide-ranging debate on the function of Persepolis. Many scholars believe Achaemenids have built it as a ceremonial palace complex mainly for celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year festival. Others deny any evidence of celebrating Nowruz in the Achaemenid period, and therefore, at Persepolis. Some scholars, on the other hand, see the site as a manifestation of royal power or think of it as a political, economic, and administrative center of the empire.