Central Iran - Iran - page 408

almost 1800 years old, its domes, high iwans and clean, stable lines - which set the tone
for all Sassanian architecture - remain hugely impressive.
Beyond Ardashir's Palace once lay his city, Gur (N 28°51'2.66”, E 52°31'58.52”),
which in its current form is an archaeologist's dream, but requires plenty of imagination.
With its perfectly circular plan, divided into equal sectors and separated by high walls,
Gur was a hugely ambitious town-planning feat. The only existing building is the 30m-
high 'minaret' that marked the centre of the circle. Gur is about 3km along the sealed road
between Firuz Abad and Ardashir's Palace.
Getting There & Away
Minibuses (US$1.80, 2½ hours) and savaris (US$6, 2¼ hours) run from Shiraz's Modars
terminal (near the Visa Extension Office) to Firuz Abad. Returning, the last services leave
in the early evening. For Qal'eh-e Doktar, ask to get off when you see the overhead foot-
bridge. Returning by savari you'll need to start from Firuz Abad, as cars will be full when
they pass Qal'eh-e Doktar.
A driver-guide from Shiraz will charge between US$60 and US$75 to bring you here
and back in half a day.
Kazerun & Bishapurروپاشیب و نورزاک
Just off the ancient royal road between Shiraz and Bushehr are the small but fascinating
ruins of another two ancient cities: Kazerun and, about 25km to the west, Bishapur. At
Kazerun there is a Sassanian-era bas-relief at the entrance to town.
Bishapur (admission US$0.50; 7am-5pm winter, to 8pm summer) , or 'Shapur's
City', was the grand capital of possibly the greatest of the Sassannian kings, Shapur I.
Shapur and his armies defeated the Romans three times, and much of Bishapur was built
by Romans taken captive after their Emperor Valerian was defeated in AD 260; he lived
his final years a captive at Bishapur. The site has been partly excavated, revealing the
Palace of Shapur and the nearby Anahita's Temple , where a stairway leads underground
to a pool around which the faithful once walked and prayed. Some fine Irano-Roman mo-
saics remain, but the best are now in the Louvre. A recently opened museum ( 8am-
noon winter, 8am-noon & 2-6pm spring & summer) displays artefacts excavated at the
site.