With massive buildings and gigantic sculpture, this ancient city was the capital of the Achaemenid dynasty and a telling example of the period’s architecture. Its founder was Dariush the Great, after whom his son Xerxes and his grandson Artaxerxes I added to the expansion of the complex. Much of the available knowledge of the Achaemenid background and their culture is available due to stone inscriptions in these palaces and on the walls around the area. Historians believe that Alexander the Great, Macedonian commander in the 330 BC, attacked Iran, set fire to Persepolis, and probably destroyed a great deal of Achaemenid books, art, and artifacts. However the ruins of this place are still under excavation, and archaeologists confirm signs of fire and invasion. You shouldn’t miss this UNESCO World Heritage Site as one the most important historical places in Iran to visit.

Read more in Tripatini member Rashel Jones' post The Top 10 Historical Sites to Visit in Iran.