Persepolis. What an incredible site!

The construction of the city started in 550 before JC and it was destroyed in 330 before JC by Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

At that time, the achaemenides dominated an immense territory :Perse.

Their religion was the zoroastrianism but they were very tolerant with the other religions.

The scientific excavations started only in 1931 !

More than one century ago, visitors from everywhere in the world had taken the habit to engrave their name in the entrance gate of Persepolis  ... 

The american explorer Stanley, officials from all countries, ...strange habit !

We are really impressed by Persepolis!

The children like it very much and ask us a lot of questions ... we try to find solutions to them all together !

For information, Persepolis doesn't mean the city of the persians but the city of the destructors!

If it was the city of the persians, in greek, it would have been ' Persaipolis' !

The persian name of the city was : Parsa !

The old city was all painted in the past ... Today, the sculptures and reliefs are not painted anymore however it is still beautiful !

On top of the column were the double headed capitals on which the wooden beam sustaining the roof stayed.

The cuneiform writings are superb !

Lisa would like to learn it ...

The remains of Darius's palace ...

The royal graves in Persepolis ...

Really, this site is unique !

We love it !

Back to the camp in the parking, we are full of images and feelings in our minds ...

Luka with a new iranian friend ...

Later on, we met an italian family ...

Tullio, Marzia, Gaiatri and Sunita have been travelling since eight months with their camper.

They will visit Persepolis tomorrow.

They set up their camp just beside us for the night.

We spend a lovely evening together !

It is funny to listen to the children when they talk ... they use a mix of different languages !

However they understand each other  !

We have found a second Emma ... same character, same style !

We thought it was impossible !

The day after, we leave them.

They visit Persepolis and we start again to Isfahan.

Perhaps we'll see them on the way to Turkey !

Quick repair before departure !

We stop at Naqsh-e-Rostam.

Once again, we are amazed !

The royal tombs of the achaemenides were digged directly in the cliffs.

The children ask us how it is possible to lift the body of the dead inside and how the family could come close to the grave ...

Now, let's go to Esfahan ...