Tachara

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Palace of Darius" redirects here. For the palace at Susa, see Palace of Darius in Susa.
Tachara
Fars Province
CountryIran Iran
Coordinates29°56′04″N 52°53′22″E / 29.9344°N 52.88955°E / 29.9344; 52.88955
Technical details
Materialstone
Website
UNESCO: Persepolis

The Tachara, or the Tachar Château, also referred to as the Palace of Darius the Great,

Fars Province
.

History and construction

The exterior of the Tachara and its surrounding gardens, as depicted by Charles Chipiez.

The construction dates back to the time of the

Xerxes I,[4] who called it a taçara in Old Persian
, translated to "winter palace".

In the 4th century BC, following his invasion of Achaemenid Persia in 330 BC, Alexander the Great allowed his troops to loot Persepolis. This palace was one of the few structures that escaped destruction in the burning of the complex by Alexander the Great's army.

Structure

Ruins of the Tachara, Persepolis.
Tachara palace.

The Tachara stands back to back to the Apadana, and is oriented southward.[5] Measuring 1,160 square meters (12,500 square feet), it is the smallest of the palace buildings on the Terrace at Persepolis.[6]

As the oldest of the palace structures on the Terrace,[2] it was constructed of the finest quality gray stone.

Bas-reliefs from the Tachara.

Its main room is a mere 15.15 m × 15.42 m (49.7 ft × 50.6 ft) with three rows of four columns. A complete window measuring 2.65 m × 2.65 m × 1.70 m (8.7 ft × 8.7 ft × 5.6 ft) was carved from a single block of stone and weighed 18 tons. The door frame was fashioned from three separate monoliths and weighed 75 tons.

Like many other parts of Persepolis, the Tachara has reliefs of tribute-bearing dignitaries. There are sculptured figures of lance-bearers carrying large rectangular wicker shields, attendants or servants with towel and perfume bottles, and a royal hero killing lions and monsters. There is also a bas-relief at the main doorway depicting Darius I wearing a crenellated crown covered with sheets of gold.[2]

The Tachara is connected to the south court by a double reversed stairway. Later under the reign of Artaxerxes III, a new stairway was added to the northwest of the Tachara which is connected to the main hall through a new doorway. On walls of these stairways, there are sculptured representations of figures such as servants, attendants and soldiers dressed in Median and Persian costumes, as well as gift-bearing delegations flanking carved inscriptions.[2]

Function

The function of the building, however, was more ceremonial than residential.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ISBN 9781575675008
    .
  2. ^ a b c d Encyclopædia Iranica. "The Palace of Darius (the Tačara)". PERSEPOLIS.
  3. ISBN 9780857718013
    .
  4. ISBN 9780967007663
    .
  5. ISBN 9781614510338
    .
  6. ^ "tachara of darius reconstruction". www.persepolis3d.com. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palace of Darius I in Persepolis.

External links

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