Kings of Persia

Coming from the UAE, arriving in Iran is a little like stepping into time capsule.

Leave behind shimmering glass skyscrapers and development and expect instead a sleepy, effortlessly casual society dotted with kitsch hotels that resemble the set of a colourful 1970s sitcom.

While roads are brilliant and the infrastructure is First World, you can't help but notice the effects of the 1979 revolution, when the Shah's grand plans of opening up to the West were permanently shelved by the incoming theocracy.

Nevertheless, underneath all the countless martyrs' posters (young men killed in the Iran-Iraq war) there's a thirst for internationalism on every street.

Cheeky, charming kids will constantly shout “Hayllo! Welcome to Eeran!'' and are more than likely to know all the words to the latest Eminem hit.

You can't help but be stunned by the hospitality of a people whose warm embrace transformed our journey into a string of afternoon teas and spontaneous dinners.

Invitations all around

Some may accuse me of bias. My wife is Iranian and we were largely travelling with her family and friends.

But that doesn't account for the unexpectedly high proportion of meal invitations we'd receive from complete strangers.

Where else in the world would taxi drivers invite you home for lunch? Never in my travels have I felt so categorically and non-judgementally welcomed by a people, to whom I must have seemed like a gangly white alien, toying clumsily with the building blocks of Farsi.

The second thing that hits you about Iran is its jawdropping history. Admittedly, it doesn't exactly smack of a country that once held the world in its hand. Yet three distinct and powerful Persian empires flourished and fell.

At its height, around 500 BC, the Achaemeni dynasty ruled over 18 distinct subject countries. Undoubtedly, the most vivid relic of this era are the magnificent ruins of Persepolis, outside the southwestern town of Shiraz.

The remains of an ancient capital, Persepolis is a spectacularly preserved monument to Persian power, and an archaeological wonder to rival the classic sites of Rome and Athens.

Persepolis is a vast city, covering some 125,000 square metres and raised on a platform nearly 20 metres above the fertile valley floor.

It was the heart of the empire established by Cyrus the Great, which stretched from Central Asia to Africa and encompassed many of the peoples of the ancient civilised world including the Babylonians, Ionians and Egyptians.

Behold the views

At the turn of the 5th century BC, Cyrus's successor Darius established Persepolis as a royal residence and religious capital, which would act as the epicentre for festivals culminating in Nourooz (New Year), and the spring equinox.

A grand double-staircase sweeps one up to the terrace, consisting of hundreds of steps hewn from titanic blocks of granite.

It imbues the site with colossal force and elicits awe from the visitor, as Persepolis cannot be seen from ground level.

At the top, one meets with breathless grandeur. Here stands a mighty 10-metre doorway, the “Gate of All Nations''.

This broken arch is flanked by twin guardian statues, composed of the body of a bull, wings of an eagle, and the head of a bearded man.

Carved proclamations adorn the gate, attributed to Xerxes (Darius's son) who completed many of Persepolis's structures.

He credits the city to “the grace of Ahuramazda'', the Zoroastrian deity.

Total recall

Directly east is the Unfinished Gate. Its notable remnants are two stunningly intact sculptures of the Simorgh, which preside over the city like creepy stone gargoyles.

The citadel served the Persians for almost two centuries, before Alexander the Great overthrew the empire and incinerated Persepolis in 330BC.

Historians are split over Alex's pyromaniacal deed; some say it was revenge for the Persians' sacking of Athens, others maintain it was an accident.

Either way, Persepolis withstood the Grecian flames rather well.

Continuing on, we strike a giant construction of tiered seating overlooking the ruins.

The Shah built this in the 1970s to celebrate of the 2500th anniversary of the Persian monarchy.

Many Iranians recall the massive party with acridity, particularly the estimated $70 million (Dh257 million) his government splurged to woo foreign celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor.

Such extravagance stoked the flames of fundamentalism, which eventually spelled the Shah's downfall.

The ghosts of many a fallen monarch reign over this place. Tombs of ancient Persian kings are set in the vast cliffs behind Persepolis.

Murals of horses and men stretch like a bas-relief comic strip around the crypt entrances, relating grandiose stories of their legendary residents.

The niches are accessed by a steep, rubble-strewn path and provide sweeping views of the city and the surrounding valley. From here, it's easy to imagine a bustling metropolis, thick with the glory of a flourishing empire.

Returning below, we pass through the Hall of 100 Columns. Its broken remnants stretch out like an atmospheric forest of stone stumps.

Apadana palace

Persepolis's centrepiece is undoubtedly the Apadana palace. It is the largest and most magnificent building in the city and sits 3 metres above the courtyard.

The square hall consists of 32 magnificent columns, which stand like gargantuan stone fingers pointing to skywards.

The palace's twin staircases are highly ornamented, although the eastern one is better preserved. Its famous façade bears three rows of sculptured figures, representing subjects of 23 countries offering gifts to the Persian king.

Dignitaries, soldiers and attendants from Ethiopia, Babylon, Assyria and India carry gifts of clothes, food, animals and horses.

The reliefs are fantastically detailed, right down to tiny curls on a goat's head.

Persepolis is an incredible site, breathtaking in scale and an absolute highlight of any itinerary to the region.

I know it's an appalling travel writers' cliché, but I can't help it: Persepolis has unequivocally snagged my vote for the “Eighth Wonder of The World''.

Tim Brothers is a UAE-based freelance writer

Go there ... Presepolis ... From the UAE ... From Dubai

Closest airports are Tehran and Shiraz.

Emirates flies daily to Tehran. Fare from Dh2,040

Iran Air flies daily to Tehran. Fare from Dh1,240

Iran Air flies two days a week to Shiraz. Fare from Dh1,170

— Information courtesy: The Holiday Lounge by Dnata.
Ph: 04 4380454

Trip notes

Travel in Iran is simple, provided local customs are observed. Women are required to wear a hejab. Men are best to pack long trousers and shirts.

Couples are advised to take copies of their marriage documents, or twin accommodation may be refused.

Iran prides itself on politeness. Taxi drivers may refuse to be paid, which some travellers mistake as genuine generosity. It's customary to offer payment at least three times. Only then may you accept a gift.

Ensure that you approach the Iranian Embassy for a visa with plenty of time to spare. The processing may take up to three weeks. Visit www.iranconsul.org.ae