It is an ancient capital city of the Persian Empire and one of the greatest cities in the Middle East at the height of the empire. It was sacked by Alexander The Great.
Persepolis which originally covered more than 125,000 square metres, was built over a 150 year period commencing about 512 BC during the reigns of the Achaemenian dynasty kings Darius I (Darius the Great), Xerxes I and II, and Artaxerxes I, II, and III.
The name "Persepolis" is that given to the city by Alexander, who sacked the city and burned it to the ground in 331 BC. Understandably, you'll rarely hear Alexander deemed "the Great" in these parts.
The original name in Achaemenian times was "Parsa". Today, most Iranians refer to the site as Takht-é Jamshid, or "Throne of Jamshid", a mythical king of ancient Persia.
Above is a birdeye view of the central part of Persepolis, taken from the tomb of Artaxerxes II (404 - 358 BC), carved into a mountainside above the city. Xerxes' gateway is at the very right of the image.
At the front are stables and encampments for troops, behind which lie the ruins of the Palace of 100 Columns (only the bases of which remain). The columns of the Central Hall of Apadana Palace, to the left of which lie Darius' Palace, with Artaxerxes' palace at the very left of the frame. Little remains of Xerxes' Palace, which lies in front of Artaxerxes' from this vantage point. The tree-shaded area to the left is the Persepolis Museum in front of which is what's left (nothing) of Darius' large treasury. The original city extends well to either side of this view.
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