Tomb of Cyrus the Great, Ancient limestone mausoleum in Pasargadae, Iran.
The Tomb of Cyrus the Great is a mausoleum in Pasargadae in Fars Province, Iran, standing on a six-step platform made of limestone. The burial chamber with its gabled roof sits on this wide base and reaches a total height of over eleven meters.
The burial site was created between 530 and 540 BCE for the founder of the first great Persian empire. Soldiers of Alexander looted the chamber in 330 BCE and damaged parts of the interior.
The structure bears the name of the Persian ruler who founded the empire and whose final resting place this was. Visitors see a plain burial chamber without decorations, showing how Persians honored their leaders.
The tomb stands in a wide archaeological area and is accessible throughout the year. Spring offers comfortable temperatures for exploring the ruins on the plain.
The stones were stacked without mortar and hold through their own weight and special interlocking. This construction method allows the building to absorb slight movements during earthquakes, which is why it has stood for 2500 years.
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