Save the best for last....the Column hall

it's almost 1200 noon and the scorching heat makes you long for the cool, airconditioned room at the museum, and under the tree besides it.

The museum is right beside the most important part of the castle, the Treasury room!

History tells us that during the Godlen Age of Persepolis, it was considered as one of the richest kingdom in the east. Maybe that's why Alexander the Great was fascinated by the place and tried conquering it...and so he did. Alexander the Great conquered and looted Persepolis in 330 B.C. and, according to Plutarch, carried away its treasures on 20,000 mules and 5,000 camels. Soshal!

(Me and the imbakan of pera at the side)

Across the Treasury section the Throne hall is located. The place is like a majestic maze with differnt stone ballusters all over. Didn't get the idea on how it works though.

We we're suppose to go up the Throne hall but the guards tells us not to coz it's prohibited since the whole area is fragile and the stones might fell over us. Yaiks, don't want to die there, and I dont wanna see King Darius soon!

(No Entry....Exit only!)

(Bring in the Harems!!)

(Stolen shot of Jasper)

The last area that we've visited was the Hundred Columns area. It's just so hot that even my 50 pesos Cowboy Hat cannot protect me anymore from the heat of the sun. That's why we immediately pose for pictures then leave the place ASAP.

According to history, this area used to have hundred clolumns (hence the name Hundred columns was derive from)but since it was burned down by Alexander the Great, and this palce was buried for so many years under the rubbles of destruction (and sand and rocks, and earth), only a few remaining columns was recovered from the site.

(Jphil engineer rocks!)

(gardens on the side of the palace)

(Exhausted!)

(What's up there???)

(Presenting Persepolis!)

Another area of interest in the palace was the burial area of the other king of Persepolis. It was located on the mountain besides the majestic palace. ASme as nash-e-Rustam, the graveyard is adorned with many sculpture and manuscripts all depicting how the king live and ruled the kingdom. Unfortunately I didn't ahd a chance to went there because we forgot. We only took picture of it and settles with the experience of our friends who went up to the mountains to see the grave yard.

And there you have it. The visit to Persepolis was complete. But wait there's more after this. shiraz tour is far from over after our visit in Persepolis.

Still more to come =D.

Facing the Wall....Carved walls of the Palace

Another marvelous creations of Persians in the Persepolis palace was the carved walls. Marvelous!!!

carved pictures of marching soldiers, in full batlle gear

Most of the carvings can be seen on the main hall of the palace, which is located on the eastern side portion of the palace. Even the stairs going to the main hall aer decorated by this carvings

If you can see on the right side of the picture, there is a bull eating (or biting) an deer (or another bull, i can't remember), this symbol is signifying the Persians New Year called Now-Rooz. The deer signifies the old year and the bull is the new year.

(deer and bull, find me!)

Here's an example of a procession during Now-Rooz. It was a tradition that every nation that the Persians conquered pay homage to their Kings. Also neighboring countries (Like Egypt, babylonian, Phoenicians, etc.)pay homage to the Kings as well and gifts are being brought as a sign of good gesture.

(happy new year mahal na hari!)

Samples again (this time im included in the pic hehehe)

(faceless offertory)

("payungan mo ako, mainit"-mahal na hari)

(warriors in motion)

(stolen shot!!!!)

(another marvelous staircase)

An Iranian friend told me that the design of each warrior is not similiar to one another. Each carvings are different by attire, beard, hair, weapons, etc. Same-same with the terra-cotta warriors of China. Galing!


























Another striking carvings can be seen on a small stairway, leading to the hundred columns area. Imagine a very small passageway and still there are carvings on the stairway. The carvings depicts a group of men carrying some things (maybe sako ng bigas). My lucky guess is that maybe during those times the pantry of the king is located near here and that's why there are food representation in the carvings.

(super pagod, but worth it!)






















(offering na tupa)

Next post will be the last psot for persepolis, but waut there's more...soon!!!

Xee Yah Zoon!!!!