Invasions, battles and revolutions always dictated the numerous great empires which developed on Persian soil and the kingdom of Meder was the country’s first great empire, with Hamedan its capital and one of its oldest, continuously inhabited cities.

Although the Achaemenid made Hamedan one of its summer residences, they also built their headquarters there, a sprawling city system in the form of a large camp.

Dareios The Great began construction of Persepolis shortly after he had attained power as Third Emperor of Persia. Although he already had two capital cities, Pasargadae and Susa, he wanted to present to the world a third impressive city. During several decades of construction the glorious total work of Persian-Achaemenid art was achieved. Todays ruins, former residence of the Achaemenid Empire, are one of the greatest and most impressive palace complexes in the world.

From the Middle Ages, Shiraz had a well-developed network of quantum, underground drains that continue to nourish a number of gardens. The Mongols left Shiraz undamaged but the Afghans conquered, destroyed and looted the city until finally a Kurd, Karim Khan Zand, established a trading centre there, protected by a citadel, which became the capital of his empire.

After Teheran and Yazd, Kerman has the third largest community of followers of the teachings of Zarathustra, with attendant fire temples. The Ganj Ali Khan Complex has a large courtyard with a water pool and is framed by arcade passages, a mosque, caravanserai, bath house and bazaar.

Shiite Islam became the state religion and several golden dynasties followed until Persia became an empire with a long and remarkable history.