Founded by Darius the Great in 518 BCE, it served as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The city is a testament to the grandeur and sophistication of Persian civilization in its heyday.

Construction of its immense terrace was begun about 518 BC by Darius the Great, the Achaemenid Empire’s king. On this terrace, successive kings erected a series of architecturally stunning palatial ...