Pasargadae
Location
About
The first capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great around 546 BCE following his victory over the Median king Astyages. The site contains Cyrus's simple yet profoundly moving tomb — a gabled stone chamber on a stepped plinth that Alexander the Great reportedly visited and ordered protected. The palace complex gardens at Pasargadae are the earliest known Persian chahar bagh (paradise garden) layout.
Significance
Pasargadae is the birthplace of the concept of religious tolerance as imperial policy. Cyrus the Great, buried here, issued the Cyrus Cylinder (539 BCE) — called the world's first human rights charter — declaring that conquered peoples could worship their own gods and return to their homelands. This policy specifically enabled the Jewish return from Babylon (Isaiah 44:28, Ezra 1:1-4), making Cyrus uniquely honored in the Hebrew Bible as God's 'anointed' (mashiach).
History & Historical Arc
Cyrus the Great founded Pasargadae after uniting the Persian and Median kingdoms. He died in 530 BCE fighting in Central…
Archaeological Notes
The Tomb of Cyrus is the best-preserved structure on the site. The palace gardens have been studied through soil and pol…
Key Features & Structures
- Tomb of Cyrus the Great
- Audience Hall (Apadana)
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Open daily. 90 km north of Shiraz. Combine with Persepolis.
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Isaiah 44:28-45:1
- Cyrus Cylinder (British Museum)
- Arrian, Anabasis 6.29