Pasargadae
The first capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire and the resting place of Cyrus the Great, the most remarkable ruler of the ancient world — Pasargadae (c.559-530 BCE; Fars Province, Iran; at 1,900m altitude on the Murghab Plain) was built by Cyrus the Great after his defeat of the Medes (550 BCE), Lydians (547 BCE), and Babylonians (539 BCE); within 30 years a single tribal chief had created the largest empire the world had ever seen, stretching from the Aegean to the Indus, while issuing the Cyrus Cylinder — the world’s first known declaration of human rights.
At a glance
Pasargadae (the most precisely Pasargadae single first Achaemenid capital Cyrus Great 559-530 BCE largest empire Aegean Indus UNESCO heritage: the Achaemenid Persian Empire founded by Cyrus II (“the Great”; c.600-530 BCE; reigned 559-530 BCE) was the largest empire the world had seen: from the Aegean coast of Turkey to the Indus River in Pakistan; from the Caucasus to Egypt; at its height under Darius I (522-486 BCE) the Achaemenid Empire comprised approximately 44% of the world’s population — the highest percentage any single empire has ever achieved — the most precisely Pasargadae single first Achaemenid capital Cyrus Great 559-530 BCE largest empire Aegean Indus UNESCO heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site; the Cyrus Cylinder (the most precisely Pasargadae single Cyrus Cylinder 539 BCE Babylon British Museum human rights charter UNESCO heritage: the Cyrus Cylinder (discovered in Babylon in 1879 CE; now in the British Museum; made of fired clay; inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform; c.539 BCE; shortly after Cyrus captured Babylon without a battle by the favour of the god Marduk) records Cyrus’s policy of releasing captive peoples (including the Jewish exiles), allowing religious freedom, and restoring temples; it is widely regarded as the world’s first declaration of human rights — the most precisely Pasargadae single Cyrus Cylinder 539 BCE Babylon British Museum human rights charter UNESCO heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site)).
Key facts
- The Paradeisos — The Origin of “Paradise”: the most precisely Pasargadae single paradeisos Persian walled garden irrigation four-fold division origin paradise word Greek heritage — the Pasargadae paradeisos (the Old Persian word for an enclosed royal garden; from pairi — around; daeza — wall; a walled royal garden with irrigation channels dividing it into four quarters) is the oldest known Persian formal garden; the four-fold division (chahar bagh in Persian; four channels meeting at a central pavilion) is the origin of the Islamic garden tradition; the word was borrowed into Greek as paradeisos; passed through Latin paradisus into English as “paradise”; the paradeisos at Pasargadae is literally the origin of the word for heaven
- Alexander the Great’s Visit: the most precisely Pasargadae single Alexander Great 330 BCE visit tomb Cyrus restoration order Aristobulus Arrian Strabo heritage — Alexander the Great visited Pasargadae in 330 BCE during his Persian campaign; he found the tomb of Cyrus open and robbed; he ordered its immediate restoration and posted a Macedonian guard; the ancient sources (Arrian, Strabo, Aristobulus) record Alexander’s deep veneration for Cyrus — he reportedly said that Cyrus was the ruler whose policies and character he most admired; the inscription (in Old Persian and Elamite) that Alexander found on the tomb read: “O man, I am Cyrus, son of Cambyses, who founded the Persian Empire and was lord of Asia. Begrudge me not therefore this monument”
- The Tall-e Takht — The Unfinished Citadel: the most precisely Pasargadae single Tall-e Takht citadel platform limestone terrace unfinished Cyrus heritage — the Tall-e Takht (the “Throne Hill”; a massive limestone platform 410m × 290m; the citadel of Pasargadae; left incomplete at Cyrus’s death in 530 BCE and never finished; the construction technique (multi-tonne ashlar blocks without mortar; fitted with iron clamps) is the same as at Persepolis — suggesting the same school of builders) stands 1 km northwest of the tomb
- GPS: 30.1942° N, 53.1676° E
History
The Return of the Jews (the most precisely Pasargadae single Cyrus Edict Babylon 539 BCE Jewish exiles return Jerusalem Temple construction Bible Isaiah heritage: the fall of Babylon to Cyrus (539 BCE; “Babylon the Great” fell without a battle; the Babylonian king Nabonidus fled; the gates of the city were opened by Babylonian priests who regarded Cyrus as the servant of their god Marduk) allowed the Jewish exiles (the Babylonian Captivity; 597-539 BCE) to return to Jerusalem; the prophet Isaiah referred to Cyrus as “the Lord’s anointed” (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1) — the only non-Jewish figure so titled in the Hebrew Bible; Cyrus financed the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem — the most precisely Pasargadae single Cyrus Edict Babylon 539 BCE Jewish exiles return Jerusalem Temple construction Bible Isaiah heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site; later history (the most precisely Pasargadae single Cambyses II Darius I move capital Persepolis heritage: Cyrus’s son Cambyses II moved the administrative focus of the empire to Susa; Darius I (522-486 BCE) built the new imperial capital at Persepolis (45 km southwest of Pasargadae) which superseded Pasargadae; Pasargadae retained its religious significance as the tomb of the dynasty founder and coronation site of later Achaemenid kings; all Achaemenid kings were formally crowned at Pasargadae — the most precisely Pasargadae single Cambyses II Darius I move capital Persepolis heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site)).
What you see
The Tomb (the most precisely Pasargadae single Tomb Cyrus Great 11m six steps gabled chamber limestone isolation plain heritage: the tomb stands in isolation on the Murghab Plain; its six receding limestone steps (each successively smaller; the engineering is precise; no mortar) support a gabled burial chamber (3.17m × 2.11m × 2.11m interior; a single door; the interior stripped of its gold sarcophagus and furnishings by looters before Alexander’s arrival); the overall height is 11m; the isolated position on the flat plain gives it a presence out of all proportion to its modest dimensions — the most precisely Pasargadae single Tomb Cyrus Great 11m six steps gabled chamber limestone isolation plain heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site; the palace complex (the most precisely Pasargadae single Residential Palace Gateway Palace Audience Hall columns stone Persian Ionic capital heritage: the residential and ceremonial complex of Cyrus (the Residential Palace; the Private Palace; the Audience Hall; the Gate R) is scattered across the plain at distances of 0.5-1.5 km from the tomb; the column bases and column capitals (the oldest known stone-carved column capitals in Persia; some showing proto-Ionic influences from Ionian Greek craftsmen who worked on the site) give the most direct evidence of the multicultural labour force that built Pasargadae — the most precisely Pasargadae single Residential Palace Gateway Palace Audience Hall columns stone Persian Ionic capital heritage in any European UNESCO world heritage site)).
Practical information
- Getting there: Pasargadae is 130 km northeast of Shiraz (2h by car or shared taxi (savari; IRR 500,000 / approx €4 in a shared car with 4 passengers); or by tour from Shiraz which typically combines Pasargadae + Persepolis + Naqsh-e Rostam in a single day; entry approximately IRR 2,000,000 (€4 at the official rate)); allow 1.5h for the site; the combination of Pasargadae + Persepolis (45 km southwest) + Naqsh-e Rustam (the Achaemenid rock-carved royal tombs of Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II) is the complete Achaemenid heritage circuit of Fars Province; fly into Shiraz (SYZ) from Tehran or Dubai
Getting there
130 km from Shiraz (2h car/taxi). Tour combines Pasargadae + Persepolis + Naqsh-e Rostam. Entry IRR 2M. 1.5h. GPS: 30.1942, 53.1676.
Nearby
- Persepolis — UNESCO WHS 1979 — 45 km southwest (1h by car); the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire built by Darius I and Xerxes I (c.515-465 BCE); the Apadana (the Audience Hall; 72 columns; 36 surviving; the most famous carved reliefs in the ancient world — the Procession of Nations showing delegations from 23 countries bringing tribute); burned by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE (accidentally or intentionally); one of the great heritage sites of the world
- Naqsh-e Rustam — 60 km southwest; the cliff-face rock tombs of four Achaemenid kings (Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, Darius II) carved 30m up a vertical cliff face; and the Ka’ba-ye Zartosht (a mysterious Achaemenid square tower; purpose debated; possibly a fire temple or royal archive)
Sources
- Wikipedia, Pasargadae; Cyrus the Great; Cyrus Cylinder, accessed June 2026
- UNESCO, Pasargadae, WHS reference 1106, inscribed 2004
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →📷 Diventa un fotografo di Cultural Heritage Online
Condividi le tue foto dei luoghi: restano pubblicate con la tua firma come autore. Più vengono viste, più ti fai conoscere — e presto un concorso premierà le foto più apprezzate.
Accedi o registrati gratis per aggiungere una foto