# The architecture of ancient Persia, (Iran)



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

"Iran, (Persia) is one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations. The history of Iran covers thousands of years, from the ancient civilization on the Iranian plateau, Mannaeans civilization in Azerbaijan, Shahr-i Sokhta (Burned City) in Zabol and ancient Kingdom of Jiroft followed by the kingdom of Elam and the Achaemenid, the Parthian, the Sassanian and following Empires to the modern Republic of Iran.

The earliest sedentary cultures date from 18,000-14,000 years ago. In 6000 BCE the world saw a fairly sophisticated agricultural society and proto-urban population centers. The south-western part of Iran was part of the Fertile Crescent where most of humanity's first major crops were grown. 

7000 year old jars of wine excavated in the Zagros Mountains (now on display at The University of Pennsylvania) and ruins of 7000 year old settlements such as Sialk are further testament to this."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_history












































]


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

The photos below are of winter in Tehran, they are not regarding the title of the post. I just wanted to show them so that people can see how cold it gets and how much it snows in Iran.


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)




----------



## deli (Dec 12, 2004)

great!! thanx for sharing these wonderful pics....

i did not know you could see such a heavy snow in Iran ....... just beautiful!!!


----------



## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

Persian culture is wonderful :drool:


----------



## LLoydGeorge (Jan 14, 2006)

Magnificent!


----------



## ereck (Jan 18, 2005)

very good


----------



## zybasalt (Jan 11, 2005)

Iran is a wonderful place that I wanna visit.


----------



## alitezar (Mar 10, 2006)

So beautiful. Thank you so much


----------



## goodmood10 (Oct 23, 2005)

wonderful pictures


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

By evidence, the history of architecture and urban planning in Iran (Persia) dates back some 10 thousand years ago. Persians were among the first to use mathematics, geometry, and astronomy in architecture. Teppe Sialk, an important ziggurat near Kashan, built 7000 years ago, represents one such prehistoric site in Persia whose inhabitants were the initiators of a simple and rudimentary housing technique.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_architecture


----------



## persian (Sep 15, 2005)

cheers.


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

Thanx


----------



## houston_texan (Mar 13, 2006)

i didn't like it.


----------



## Giorgio (Oct 9, 2004)

Seems to have some Hellenic Elements. Nice.


----------



## Puto (Jan 4, 2004)

wonderful thread :applause:


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

The architecture shown here out dates Hellenic culture by THOUSANDS of years. Some of the sites are more than seven thousand years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_architecture


----------



## DecoJim (Dec 6, 2005)

dariush4444 said:


> The architecture shown here out dates Hellenic culture by THOUSANDS of years. Some of the sites are more than seven thousand years old.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_architecture


True, but the other post probably refers to the palace at Persepolis of which you posted several pictures and which was built about 2500 years ago. This structure with its fluted columns MAY have been influenced by Greek architecture of the time. (One of the doorways even reminds me a little of an Egyptian entranceway.) Unfortunately Alexander the Great's troops accidently burned it down about 200 years later.

By the way, while I have seen a few of these pictures before, I am curious about the partially ruined building that shows an exposed barrel vault. Do you have any information about this structure and when it was built?


----------



## Facial (Jun 21, 2004)

Great pics.


----------



## persian (Sep 15, 2005)

DecoJim said:


> True, but the other post probably refers to the palace at Persepolis of which you posted several pictures and which was built about 2500 years ago. This structure with its fluted columns MAY have been influenced by Greek architecture of the time. (One of the doorways even reminds me a little of an Egyptian entranceway.) Unfortunately Alexander the Great's troops accidently burned it down about 200 years later.
> 
> By the way, while I have seen a few of these pictures before, I am curious about the partially ruined building that shows an exposed barrel vault. Do you have any information about this structure and when it was built?


I think it is the other way round. Maybe Greeks or Egyptians learned their architecture form persians. And the burning was very sad indeed.


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

..


----------



## dariush4444 (Apr 22, 2006)

Persepolis is much older than any of the Greek or Roman ruins you can find in the Medditeranian or the Middle East. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the architecture would have been influenced by these specific cultures. The fluted column and the vaulted doorway is a very ancient Persian style and has been used in Iran for ages.

Also, the photo you asked about is a Zoroastrian fire temple....It may also have been one of the Sassanian kings palaces. Firuzabad, which means the place of victory, is an ancient town about sixty kilometers south of Shiraz in the province of Fârs in central Iran. The building is 2000 years old.


----------



## edubejar (Mar 16, 2003)

Great stuff. I remember having learned about some of this in an art history class. It was among the first chapters of the book, which was in chronological order...so I know this is very ancient stuff.


----------

