Photo Gallery
Tall-i Takht Citadel (built 6th century BCE)
The Tall-i Takht Citadel is an enormous unfinished platform built to one side of a natural hillock. It was probably built during the reign of Cyrus the Great but was abandoned after his death in 530 BCE. Like the acropolis in Athens, it may have been intended as a massive fortified plinth to hold palaces and temples. This was, in fact, realized later at Persepolis when Cyrus' successors built their palaces on large plinths somewhat similar to Tall-i Takht.
Bibliography:
All images copyright 2009 Sanaz Shirshekar. Photographed April 2009.
Curatola, Giovanni & Scarcia, Gianroberto. The Art and Architecture of Persia
Abbeville Press., 2007. Milan
Hattstein, Markus and Delius, Peter. Islam: Art and Architecture
George Braziller, Inc., 1965. New York
Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic Architecture: Form, Function, and Meaning
Columbia University Press., 1994. New York
Michell, George. Architecture of the Islamic World: Its History and Social Meaning
Thames and Hudson., 1996. London
Pope, Arthur Upham. Persian Architecture.
Tandem Verlag GmbH., 2007. China
Stierlin, Henri. Islam: From Baghdad to Cordoba
Taschen GmbH, 2009. China
Signposts on site
Leave a Comment (*required)