Iran Route: Persepolis to Naqsh-e Rostam and Yazd
Explore architectural masterpieces across Iran spanning 2,340 km, from the precision-engineered columns of Persepolis near Shiraz to the cliff-face royal tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam and the wind-tower engineering of Yazd. This 41-minute route connects sites that demonstrate Persian ingenuity across twenty-five centuries.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Naqsh-e Rostam
- End
- Towers of Silence
- Stops
- 7
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Naqsh-e Rostam — Cliff-face royal tombs carved 60 feet above ground for four Persian kings, featuring the Cube of Zoroaster and intricate reliefs showing Sassanid victories and coronations.
- Takht-e Soleyman — Mountaintop Zoroastrian fire temple complex featuring sacred flames and royal palace ruins from the Sassanid Empire's golden age.
- Tchogha Zanbil — Ancient Elamite ziggurat standing 25 meters high, among the world's oldest and best-preserved stepped temple structures from 1250 BCE.
- Persepolis
- Yazd
- Atash Bahram — Sacred eternal flame that has burned continuously for 1,500 years in a Zoroastrian fire temple, tended by generations of fire keepers maintaining ancient traditions.
- Towers of Silence — Circular stone platforms used by Zoroastrians until 1960s for sky burial rituals, with channels designed to guide rainwater for bone purification and panoramic desert sunset views.
Useful for your trip
- Timing
- Arrive at Persepolis at sunrise to see details in stone reliefs that become invisible at midday due to light angles.
- Tip
- Persepolis is located 70 kilometers northeast of Shiraz. Only about 30% of the site has been excavated.
- Timing
- Visit Naqsh-e Rostam during full moon when polished interior tomb surfaces reflect moonlight, making tombs appear to glow from within.
- Tip
- Naqsh-e Rostam is 6 kilometers north of Persepolis. The Cube of Zoroaster functions as a resonance chamber with acoustical properties.
- Timing
- In Yazd, the temperature drops 10 degrees when entering the old city due to wind catcher towers. Best experienced on hot days.
- Tip
- The Atash Bahram sacred fire in Yazd hasn't been extinguished for 1,500 years. Visitors can view it through glass.
- Where to stay
- Traditional houses in Yazd have been converted to boutique hotels, allowing visitors to sleep in historically significant rooms.
- Timing
- Visit Takht-é Soleyman at dawn when mist rises from the warm lake into cold air, creating ethereal photography conditions.
- Tip
- Takht-é Soleyman is at 2,100 meters altitude in West Azerbaijan. The lake maintains exactly 21°C year-round despite winter temperatures reaching -25°C.
- Transport
- Tchogha Zanbil is 40 kilometers from the nearest city in Khuzestan province, surrounded by desert reaching 50°C in summer.
- Tip
- Tchogha Zanbil ziggurat is already 3,000 years old. Climbing is no longer permitted, but walking the perimeter is accessible.
- Timing
- Sunset at Yazd's Towers of Silence offers one of Iran's most photographed moments, with desert vistas and city lights.
Video on this route
Wonders of Persia | The Lost Empire of Ancient Iran | 4K Travel Documentary