When the famous Syrian architect “Epsi” began building the city of Bishapur on the orders of Shapur I, he probably never imagined that this city would become a world heritage site in the future and become known as one of the oldest cities in Iran with a written history of urban planning! If you would like to learn more about the historical city of Bishapur, join us on the Hey Persia blog.
Information about the city of Bishapur in Iran
The Sassanid city of Bishapur, as mentioned, was about 2000 years ago after the victory of Shapur I over the Roman emperor Valerian. The city has an area of 200 hectares and has a stone inscription with two different Parthian and Sassanid scripts, which is on the memorial pillars of Bishapur. According to this stone inscription, it is that this city has a written history of urban development.
The historical city of Bishapur is also by the names of Bishapur, Shapur, and Andiyushapura. Due to its location on the “Royal Road”, the presence of two rivers, “Shapur” and “Tang Chogan” near it, its pleasant climate, and its convenient geographical location, this city was among the 5 important and famous cities of the Sassanids. The Royal Road is the road that connected Persepolis to Susa. The historical city of Bishapur, Sassanid, was in the list of national monuments of Iran in 1310 solar year. Bishapur was on a rectangular land using the Greek engineering method by “Hippodamus”. The city had 4 gates and 2 streets. Its important parts were:
The Royal Arg of Bishapur
The Royal Arg included various historical monuments such as: Anahita Temple, Shapur Ceremonial Hall, Mosaic Porch, Valerian Palace.
The popular area of The City of Bishapur in Iran
The popular area of Bishapur also included residential houses, a bathhouse, a caravanserai, and a market.
Where is the city of Bishapur?
The city of Bishapur is in Fars Province, next to the Chogan Valley, and its distance from Kazerun is to be about 19 kilometers. As mentioned, this city is located next to the two rivers Shapur and Tang Choupan.
Important attractions of Bishapur Kazerun
The presence of sufficient water resources and a favorable climate; 2 suitable features for building a city. The Sassanid city of Bishapur had both features, which is why it is one of the best Sassanid cities. In this section, we will talk about the historical monuments around the city of Bishapur:
Anahita Temple of Bishapur
The most important historical monument in the city of Bishapur in Fars is the Anahita Temple. This temple, which is actually a temple of the goddess of water, is one of the most important historical masterpieces of the Sassanid period. In the Anahita Temple, river water was professionally to the temple from a distance of 250 meters, and there, with the help of devices that were different and practical at the time, the water divided. This temple was with dimensions of 27 meters long and 23 meters wide, and about 7 meters of excavation was for its construction.
The materials used in this building are of very high quality. In such a way that after 2000 years they are still intact and standing. The Anahita Temple is not only one of the most important buildings of the Sassanid era, but also one of the most valuable examples of water goddess temples in the world. The Anahita Temple is not only one of the most important buildings of the Sassanid era, but also one of the most valuable examples of water goddess temples in the world.
Valerian Palace in Bishapur City in Kazerun
It is that Valerian Palace is attributed to King Valerian and after the Romans defeated the Sassanids, the emperor was in it and lived there until the end of his life. The distance between Valerian Palace and Anahita Temple is about 150 meters and the entrance facade of Valerian Palace is very similar to Anahita Temple. An interesting point about this palace is the use of iron fasteners to increase the strength of the palace while placing the carved stones on top of each other. The interior of the palace, unlike its exterior, which is with white veneer, is carved and patterned.
The Ceremonial Hall of Bishapur, Fars
The Bishapur Hall was for official ceremonies and ceremonies. This 781 square meter hall was southeast of the Anahita Hall and was built in the form of 4 porches and a square shape, with a 23 meter dome in the middle. The Bishapur Hall is one of the most magnificent parts of the city, with 64 niches with very beautiful stucco carvings and geometric, plant, and other shapes in bright colors.
The Bishapur Memorial Stone Columns of The City of Bishapur in Iran
The historical and written document of Bishapur, which was mentioned in the previous sections, is in this part. These columns are actually the site of Bishapur’s votive offerings and were located on the edge of the West-East Street, passing through the city center. The site of the votive offerings or memorial stone columns are two 6-meter columns with the aforementioned inscription in Parthian and Pahlavi languages carved on them in 16 lines. Between these two high columns, there was a 9-meter statue of Shapur I, of which unfortunately nothing remains.
Mosaic Porch of the Sassanid City of Bishapur
Among the unique historical sites of the city of Bishapur, Kazerun, is its mosaic porch. Two porches were at the end of the east-west corridor of the ceremonial hall, which was as the mosaic porch. These porches were also located in the opposite direction and were the exclusive place of Shapur and his harem. The crescent-shaped arch, stucco and painted decorations, and patterned mosaics on the floor of the hall all added to the beauty of this section. Currently, part of the hall’s mosaics is in the Lor Museum and another part in Ancient Iran.
Bishapur Cave
At the end of the Chogan Gorge, there is a cave as “Shapur Cave”. At the mouth of the cave, there is a 7-meter statue, unfortunately, both of its hands have broken and disappeared over time. This giant statue is 1700 years old. In addition to the Shapur statue, there are also 2 stone inscriptions at the 30-meter mouth of the cave, one of which is a translation of the Shapur inscription on Naqsh-e Rajab, and the other tells about how the statue was by the army after 1000 years.
Chogan Gorge Carvings of the Historical City of Bishapur
23 kilometers from the city of Kazerun, opposite the ancient city of Bishapur, there is a gorge as “Chogan Gorge”. As the name suggests, the Sassanids used this area to play polo. On the walls of this part of the Sassanid city of Bishapur, there are 6 inscriptions about Shapur’s victory over Valerian, 3 inscriptions about Bahram II’s victory over the rebels, the coronation ceremony and taking the crown of Bahram I from Ahura Mazda, and Shapur II’s victory over the rebels.
How to get to Shapur City in Kazerun
The distance from Shiraz to Bishapur is about 145 kilometers. This area is located in Fars Province, 23 kilometers from Kazerun on the Ghaemieh Road and is open every day from 8:30 to 19:30. You must purchase a ticket to visit it.
The City of Bishapur in Iran
The city of Bishapur is one of the sights of Kazerun, which was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. If you have also traveled to these areas and have more information about them, you can write them in the comments and suggestions section and provide them to us. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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