Firuzabad Ensemble
Iran (Islamic Republic of)Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization
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Description
The ensemble at Firuzabad comprises, within a 12 km diameter area, such archaeological sites as the City of Gur, the Palace of Ardashir (Atashkadeh), Qal'eh Dokhtar fortress, bas reliefs from the time of Ardashir (the founder of the Sassanian dynasty), the Pahlavi inscription of Mehr-Nerse and Tangab Bridge. This ensemble embodies the political, historic, cultural and artistic developments of the early Sassanian period.
The City of Gur covers a perfect circle 2 km in diameter, and 8 km away from it, the palace of Ardashir stands beside a pond on the bank of the western branch of Tangab river (Firuzabad). The Qal'eh Dokhtar fortress stands atop the mountain adjoining Tangab river and the ensemble built 4 km away from the palace of Aldashir. At the foot of the Qal'eh Dokhtar fortress the remains of a Sassanian bridge, and on its opposite body the bas-relief depicting the crowning of Ardashir, the Pahlavi Sassanian inscription of Mehr-Nerse, from the time of Yazdgerd II, and at a small distance, between the palace and the fortress, the bas-relief depicting the victory of Ardashir over Ataban V, the last Parthian king, are situated.