Inside the Palace of King Ardashir in Fars (south-west Iran), built the same year he founded the Sasanian Empire in 224 AD – the earliest example of Sasanian architecture. [1348×1080]

It is is located two kilometers (1.2 miles) north of the ancient city of Gor. The palace contains three domes. From the architectural design, it was more of a place of social gathering where guests would be introduced to the imperial throne. The palace is built next to a picturesque pond fed by a natural spring, perhaps in connection with the Persian goddess of water and growth, Anahita. The spring is thought to have fed a royal garden, in the same way that Cyrus the Great had his garden built at Pasargadae (546 BC). The pond was tiled on its sides, surrounded by pavement for guests of the royal court to enjoy the evenings by.

The structure is 104 m (340 ft) by 55 m (180 ft). The iwan is 18 m (60 ft) high. The style of the interior design is comparable to that of Tachara Palace at Persepolis. In 2018, the “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region” was inscribed by Iran on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site includes 8 major Sasanian-era locations:

-Palace of Ardashir (which I’ve posted about)

-Qal’eh Dokhtar (The Maiden’s Castle)

-The Circular City of Firuzabad

-Sarvestan Palace

-Ardashir Khurrah (ancient urban layout)

-Bishapur City Ruins

-Shapur Cave (with the statue of Shapur I)

-Reliefs at Tang-e Chogan (rock carvings)