Ardabil
Arg-e Bam
Abyaneh
Babak Castle
Behistun
Chogha Zanbil
Dasht-e Lut
Golestan Palace
Isfahan
Imam mosque
Kashan
Kharanaq
Mashhad
Masuleh
Meymand
Pasargadae
Naqsh-e jahan
Naqsh-e Rostam
Persepolis
Rayen Citadel
Saint Thaddeus
Saint Stepanos
Shiraz
Shushtar
Sultan Amir Ahmad
Tabriz
Takht-e Soleyman
Tehran
Tower of Silence
Yazd
Chogha Zanbil
The architectural styles may look similar, but they differ fundamentally from one city to another. At Chogha Zanbil, you will be captivated by the charm of this Babylonian tower. The ziggurat has exceptional architectural characteristics throughout the Mesopotamian civilization. Nevertheless, the survival of some of these structures has been noted outside the area where this ancient civilization shone. You will find one of these ziggurats in the precious city of Chogha Zanbil, which welcomes us today. Located near Susa, in the province of Khuzestan, the city is full of many constructions that you will spend hours contemplating.
What makes this monument special is that unlike the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, it was not built by placing one floor above the other. Here, all five floors have been erected following several platforms naturally superimposed in height. You will also discover that the original temple dedicated to Inshushinak is surrounded by an open square courtyard. This courtyard gives the ziggurat its unique character. You will explore its remains rising to about 25 meters in height with a square base of 105 meters on each side.
Marvelous sacred city of the Elamite Kingdom, where one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The city was founded around 1250 BC by the Elamite king, Untash-Napirisha. The main god honored at Chogha Zanbil was Inshushinak. This is why you will discover its temple, which was originally a square building, then converted into a ziggurat. It remained as the first floor of this new structure. Today, Chogh Zanbil is considered to have had some religious significance in the Elamite Kingdom.
Apart from the Babylonian tower and the temple of the god Inshushinak, you will discover other equally important and interesting properties. Thus, you will find a group of temples located on the northwest side of the ziggurat, which were dedicated to minor deities. Explore the second enclosure surrounded by a large, almost empty area, designed to protect the city against invaders. You will also visit three magnificent palaces. Today, this city is like a place of pilgrimage for many visitors.
The royal quarter built in the south-east of the city includes a set of three palaces, organized around large courtyards, and composed of numerous rooms connected by interior courtyards. You will observe royal tombs, built under one of the palaces, which seems intended for funerary use. You will discover a temple of Nusku. It is a Mesopotamian deity of fire, erected near palaces. This is a rather surprising fact, Mesopotamia not having particularly honored this god. However, everything leads us to believe in the presence of the first traces of a Persian imprint.
