Introduction to Ardashir Papakan Palace
Shiraz, as one of the oldest regions in Persia, embraces long history and countless historical monuments. Ardashir Papakan Palace is one of the most valuable ancient relics in Firuzabad city, left from the Sassanid rule and known by some as Firuzabad Fire Temple. The city is one of the most prominent nomadic areas.
History of Ardashir Papakan Palace
Firuzabad (Firooz Abad), which was the city of Gur in the past, was made by Ardashir Papakan (Babakan)’s order.
Ardashir Papakan Palace is one of the most important buildings of the Sassanid period, had built by Ardashir Papakan’s request in 224 AD and is 1800 years old. Some archaeologists and experts have believed that such a building was not a palace but one of the significant fire temples of that era. According to the ancients, every spectacular building located near the water is a worship place of the water goddess (Anahita). One of the reasons for such an area development is the water stream that passed by the same palace or fire temple. On the other hand, some historical texts and travelogues of tourists who have traveled to Persia mentioned the building (a large fire-temple).
Architecture of Ardashir Papakan Palace
The Palace’s main map is influenced by the Achaemenid period architecture and its fundamental elements in the Islamic architectural style that is typical in Persia. The palace structure consists of three parts; a high porch with four perpendicular halls, a courtyard with two porches and several halls next to it, and three halls inside the dome. In addition, Ardeshir Papakan Palace is the first building belonging to the Sassanid period that contains both a porch and a dome. One of the notable points in the palace architecture is gypsum and stone materials used, which were considered extremely valuable and magnificent in their time.
The architecture of the Sassanid era was such that they used semi-cut stones in different parts of the building to showed off their style. Beautiful and eye-catching plaster embellishments are other pure Persian skills in the mentioned mansion. Intertwined halls inside the palace are one of its unique features, which is very interesting and remarkable. The decorative strength of the ancient building is that even after 1800 years since its construction, the plasterings of the upper part of the interior walls remain firmly in place. In the eastern part of the palace, you can see four mansions built in the form of domes. Also, the building’s exterior is excellently decorated with half gypsum columns. From the interior decorations, it is clear that the stone cornices of Persepolis have been imitated in the delicate plastering of the cornices on the columns. Another fascinating and stunning feature of Ardeshir Papakan (Babakan) Palace is the wind-catchers on the walls, which have been installed to allow airflow in the rooms and halls.