SAEDNEWS: If you are interested in Achaemenid archaeological sites, Persepolis is not the only place you can visit.
According to the Saed News Agency, citing Faradeed, in addition to Persepolis in Shiraz, you can also see a prominent example of Achaemenid architecture in the city of Shush. Inside the Shush Castle complex, the Achaemenid winter palace, known as the Apadana Palace of Susa, stands out.
This palace, during the late reign of Darius I and the periods of Artaxerxes I and Artaxerxes II, was a place of great grandeur and splendor. At the height of its glory, it was filled with large statues of winged lions, as well as colorful brick reliefs depicting Achaemenid soldiers, many of which are now kept in foreign museums.
“Apadana” refers to a columned hall in ancient Iranian architecture, built both in Susa and in Persepolis. These two Apadanas are among the most important columned halls in ancient Iranian architecture.
This palace was commissioned by Darius the Great and built over the remains of earlier Elamite structures to serve as the winter residence of the Achaemenid dynasty. Its construction began in 521 BCE and continued until 515 BCE.
The Apadana Palace covered an area of 10,432 square meters and consisted of several sections, including a gate, a harem, three central courtyards, rooms, and a reception palace. However, it was smaller in size compared to the Apadana Palace of Persepolis.
One of the most important inscriptions discovered in the Apadana Palace describes the construction process of the palace. According to this inscription, the Apadana Palace was burned during the reign of Artaxerxes I. This inscription is currently kept in the Louvre Museum.
The palace is located in the city of Shush, Khuzestan Province, near Imam Khomeini Boulevard. Visiting hours are from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM during the first six months of the year, and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM during the second six months of the year.
According to tourism statistics, the most popular time to visit the Apadana Palace of Susa is during the Nowruz holidays, as the weather is pleasant and suitable. Additionally, the second half of the year is also favorable for southern cities like Shush. However, if you visit during the summer, you should expect extremely hot weather in Shush and at the Apadana Palace.
