Persepolis founded
510 BCE.
Shown on the map at 29.935°, 52.890°.
Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BC). 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. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC. The city, acting as a major center for the empire, housed a palace complex and citadel designed to serve as the focal point for governance and ceremonial activities. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. The complex was taken by the army of Alexander the Great in 330 BC, and soon after, its wooden parts were completely destroyed by fire. According to one theory, Alexander deliberately set fire to Persepolis to avenge the destruction of Athens by the Persians; a second theory is that it was at the urging of Thaïs, a courtesan, during a feast when Alexander was intoxicated. The exact function of Persepolis remains unclear.
Text from the Wikipedia article Persepolis, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.