See Persepolis as It Was 2500 Years Ago
A new video recreates an ancient site
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This video takes you on a journey through a virtual reconstruction of the ancient Persian city of Persepolis in southern Iran, inviting you to follow in the footsteps of its ancient visitors.
Built by powerful Achaemenid kings, Persepolis served as the ceremonial capital of what was then the world’s largest empire. Produced for the 2022 Getty exhibition Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World, this reconstruction features key buildings and examples of the site’s extraordinary art and architecture.
Founded by Darius I around 518 BC, Persepolis served as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Persian kings and thrived for nearly 200 years. Though Alexander the Great looted and set fire to Persepolis in 330 BC, its ruins survive today and are a source of national pride for modern-day Iranians as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ruins of Persepolis, Iran with partially standing walls, doorways, and steps from The Grand Staircase. Diego Delso, delso.photo, license CC-BY-SA
Want to see even more of Persepolis? Check out the immersive web experience Persepolis Reimagined. This annotated virtual tour presents select objects from Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World and presents them in the context of life at Persepolis, bridging surviving physical artifacts with this standalone digital recreation.
