Iran History and Culture

The Elamites built the ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil more than three thousand years ago, and the ancient city of Susa is among the world's oldest. In the 6th century BC Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire; the Cyrus Cylinder, often described as an early charter of tolerance, is one of history's most famous documents. Darius the Great built Persepolis, whose staircases are carved with delegations bringing gifts from across the known world.

The Parthians and then the Sasanians ruled for nearly a thousand years, building great vaulted palaces and spreading Persian art and statecraft. From the 7th century, Persia embraced Islam while keeping its language and culture, and Persian scholars such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina), al-Khwarizmi and Omar Khayyam led the Islamic Golden Age.

The Safavid dynasty made Isfahan its capital in the late 16th century, creating Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest city squares in the world, framed by tiled mosques and palaces. Later the Qajar era built the ornate Golestan Palace in Tehran. See the regional timeline and the region's former monarchies. Recent World Heritage inscriptions include the Persian Caravanserai (2023), ancient Hegmataneh, the Median capital beneath Hamadan (2024), the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley (2025) and Alamut Castle and its mountain fortifications (2026).

The ancient qanat system of underground water channels, some thousands of years old, is a World Heritage Site. Backgammon and polo both have Persian roots. The word paradise comes from an old Persian word for a walled garden. Explore more on our Persian heritage and culture page and see Isfahan's heritage.