Grand Stairway

Iran


Persepolis sits on top of a great plinth of stone blocks and today, as in ancient times, visitors seeking entry to the city must approach this elevated complex of wonders from a tree-lined avenue across the plain, before ascending to the entrance via the monumental Grand Staircase. The stairs were carved from massive blocks of stone, but each step was shallow so that Persians in long elegant robes could ascend the 111 steps gracefully.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Iran attractions

1. Xerxes’ Gateway

0.03 MILES

The bronze trumpets that once heralded the arrival of important foreign delegations (a fragment of which is on display in the museum) may now be silent,…

2. Apadana Palace

0.09 MILES

Constructed on a stone terrace by Xerxes I, the Apadana Palace lies largely in ruins. It's thought that this is where foreign delegations would have been…

3. Apadana Staircase

0.12 MILES

The stairs, which are guarded by stone soldiers, are decorated by an exceptionally finely crafted frieze in three panels. Each panel is divided into…

4. Persepolis

0.14 MILES

In its heyday Persepolis was one of four key cities at the heart of an empire that spread from the Indus River to Ethiopia. Its original name was Parsa…

5. Private Palaces

0.17 MILES

The palaces in the southwestern corner of the site are believed to have been constructed during the reigns of Darius and Xerxes. The Tachara is easily the…

6. Palace of 100 Columns

0.19 MILES

With an extravagant hall measuring almost 70 sq metres and supported by 100 stone columns, this palace formed one of two principal reception areas in…

7. Persepolis Museum

0.2 MILES

Restored in the 1930s, what was perhaps once the royal harem now houses the museum and administrative offices. The museum contains a stone foundation…

8. Treasury

0.22 MILES

The southeastern corner of the site is dominated by Darius’ Treasury, one of the earliest structures at Persepolis. Archaeologists have found stone…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "iran/central-iran/persepolis-takht-e-jamshid/attractions/grand-stairway/a/poi-sig/1444241/361015",
      "destination": "Iran",
      "continent": "Middle-East",
      "country": "Iran",
      "position": "superzone"
    }