Persepolis


World Heritage Identification Number: 114

World Heritage since: 1979

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇮🇷 Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Continent: Asia

UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific

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Persepolis: The Imperial Capital of the Achaemenid Empire

Persepolis, located in the plains of Marvdasht, Fars Province, Iran, stands as a testament to the grandeur and architectural prowess of the ancient world. This archaeological site, founded by Darius I in 518 BC, served as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, a Persian empire that spanned from modern-day Afghanistan to Egypt during its height.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Founded by Darius I in 518 B.C., Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an immense half-artificial, half-natural terrace, where the king of kings created an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. The importance and quality of the monumental ruins make it a unique archaeological site.

Encyclopedia Record: Persepolis

Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It is situated in the plains of Marvdasht, encircled by the southern Zagros Mountains, Fars province of Iran. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 12.5 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (i) — Masterpiece of human creative genius
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions

Coordinates: 29.93444 , 52.89028

Image

Image of Persepolis

© Alborzagros, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

The Persian Garden
37 km — Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Pasargadae
39 km — Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region
128 km — Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Cultural Landscape of Maymand
241 km — Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Historic City of Yazd
260 km — Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Country Information: Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Flag of Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Official Name: Islamic Republic of Iran

Capital: Tehran

Continent: Asia

Population (2024): 91,567,738

Population (2023): 90,608,707

Population (2022): 89,524,246

Land Area: 1,622,500 sq km

Currency: Iranian rial (IRR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Persepolis are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Persepolis, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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