Sassanid Archaeological registered as the 23rd UNESCO heritage site
The Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Province on the list of World Heritage Sites has been inscribed by UNESCO. The related dossier has been submitted by the Iranian officials to the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the International Union for Conservation of Nature in July 2017. The attraction is also known as the Ensemble of Historical Sassanian Cities Ensemble which consists of Firouzabad, Bishapour, and Sarvestan in Fars Province. Based on the dossier, the ensemble represents the historical, cultural, political and artistic advances of the Sassanid time (224-651). It embraces a number of bas reliefs, the ruins of the city of Goor, Ardeshir’s Palace and Qal’e-ye-Dokhtar fortress.
The bas-reliefs of Sassanid era which are mostly carved near the main roads have been used to narrate historic events such as coronations, battle fields and so on. The main purpose has been to show the passer byes the glory and power of the royal families and courts along with their beliefs and traditions which are really majestic and worth a visit.
Little is left of the ancient Sassanian city of Gour (also spelled Gor or Gur): mainly a tower, visible from the highway, against the backdrop of mountains. This site is of major architectural importance, however, because originally the city was constructed as circular; it is important in the history of urban planning, and the scattered remains which therefore may not seem at all impressive in themselves are archaeologically fascinating to those with a special interest in urban archaeology. If you are visiting the nearby castle/palace of Ardeshir, it is worth making a quick side-trip to Gour.
The town of Firuzabad is located south of Shiraz. It dates back to 220 AD when the Parthians were defeated and Ardashir I, the first king of the Sassanid dynasty, became the new king of Persia. The ruins of his splendid place are just outside the ancient walled city with a view overlooking a small natural lake; this monument is both beautiful and historical and fascinating in terms of architecture. In fact, it is like a hidden gem.
Finally, the ancient Ghaleh of Dokhtar (fortress of girl) is free to see but you have to go up a few hundred steps. It is recommended to go early in the morning so you don’t get stuck in the heat of the day. It is a Sassanian castle built around 220AD during the reign of the first Sassanian king when he was still fighting the Parthian king. It has a big and great dome. It is a big castle and when you are on top, you can see how far down the castle actually goes. Some of the sections were reconstructed for tourism but it still is a great place.
Iran traveling center team expresses its congratulations to all the people of the planet Earth and especially lovers of Persian history, architecture and culture and hopes that this registration will open horizons for better preserving and excellence of Mother land of Persia and all its attractions.
