Art and Architecture

Paradises and Chaharbaghs are among the greatest innovations of the Iranians, with roots in the Achaemenid era, and they had a profound influence on garden design in both the East and the West. It appears that the paradises of the Achaemenids and Cyrus the Great influenced humanity’s vision of paradise itself—so much so that in the myths of various nations, paradise is depicted in the likeness of Iranian paradises. Even in the face of devastating invasions by the armies of the Caliphs and Genghis Khan’s Mongols, Iranian paradises were not destroyed; rather, in the Timurid and Safavid periods they once again flourished.

The palace of Persepolis (Parseh) holds great artistic value, as it incorporates the styles of various peoples and cultures. It reflects the cultural policy of its time—an inclusive approach that encouraged all ethnic groups to view Persepolis as their own and to forge a sense of connection with it.