Complex at Pasargadae
Pasargadae, Iran
Pasargadae is the deserted capital of the Achaemenid Persians, founded ca 550 BCE by Cyrus the Great (reg. 559-530 BCE).

Principal structures include the tomb of Cyrus, the Zendan-i Suleyman, the Tall-i Takht, an open-air enclosed prayer area, a palace complex with a gatehouse (Gate R, also called Palace R or Palace with the Relief), Palace P, from Herzfeld's "Palast mit der Pfeiler," or Palace with the (gateway) Pillar, and Palace S (Herzfeld's "Palast mit der Saule," or Palace with the Column). These structures, placed at a distance from one another, were once linked by a set of gardens. It is possible that Pasargadae represents the first appearance of the chahar bagh garden.

Sources:

Kawami, Trudy S. "Pasargadae." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T065622. [Accessed October 19, 2010]

Stronach, David and Hilary Gopnik. "Pasargadae." Enyclopedia Iranica, Online Edition, 20 July 2009, available at http://www.iranica.com/articles/pasargadae. [Accessed October 19, 2010]

Additional resources:

"Aerial Survey Flights." [Photographs in Iran, including Pasargadae, 1935-37, by Erich F. Schmidt and Boris Dubensky] Oriental Institute Photographic Archives. http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/collections/pa/persepolis/surveys.html.

"Pasargadae." UNESCO World Heritage Centre. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1106/. [Accessed October 19, 2010]
Location
Pasargadae, Iran
Images & Videos
Events
ca. 550 BCE
Style Periods
Variant Names
Royal Residence of Cyrus
Variant
Tomb of Cyrus
Variant
Building Usages
funerary
palatial