Important Persian and Median notables were probably ushered to the Apadana Palace to the south. Constructed on a terrace of stone by Xerxes I, the palace was reached via another staircase. Although it can be difficult to picture the grandeur of the palace from what remains, the bas-reliefs along the northern wall evocatively depict the scenes of splendour that must have accompanied the arrival of delegations to meet with the king.
Most impressive of all, however, and among the most impressive historical sights in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana Staircase on the eastern wall, which can also be reached from the Palace of 100 Columns. The northern panels recount the reception of the Persians in formal dress and the Medes in tied dress. The three tiers of figures are amazingly well preserved. Each tier contains representations of the most elite of the Persian nobles, the Imperial Guard and the Immortals. On the upper tier, they are followed by the royal procession, the royal valets and the horses of the king of chariots, while on the lower two tiers they precede the Persians with their feather headdresses and the Medes in their round caps. The stairs themselves are guarded by Persian soldiers. The central panel of the staircase depicts a ring with wings, flanked by two winged lions with human heads and guarded by four Persian and Median soldiers; the Persians are the ones carrying the indented shields. The panels at the southern end are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their gifts to the Achaemenid king. This rich record of the nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left corner, through a climbing pantheon of, among various other peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Kasmiris, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites, Egyptians and Medians at the top right.
Today, the staircase is covered by a permanent shelter and the only direct sunlight is early in the morning, so it’s worth heading straight here when the site opens.
The Tripylon ahead stands at the heart of the city but no one knows what its exact function was.
