| / Compton's Atlas of the Ancient World
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| Comma Seperated Value File | 1997-10-13 | 999b | 3 rows |
| # | Takht-i-Sulaiman | meaning 'the Throne of Solomon' | was a great walled circular city reinforced with 40 ft (13m) high towers. It was the summer residence of Parthian kings | but the stone walls date to the Sassanian era of the late 3rd century AD. |
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| 1 | The many buildings here included a Sassanian palace. The spectacular main gate | which was influenced by Roman architecture | can still be seen today. The buildings were grouped around a 'bottomless' lake of intense blue | formed in a crater. |
| 2 | The city was the religious centre of the early Sassanian Empire. After their coronation at Ctesiphon | Sassanian kings would make a pilgrimage to this city on foot. They would offer rich gifts and pay homage to the Zoroastrian supreme deity | Ahura Mazda | then they would receive divine investiture at the great fire sanctuary of Adhar Gushnasp - the 'Royal Fire' or 'Fire of the Warriors'. This fire temple is situated in the middle of the north shore and its walls are 13 ft (4 m) thick in places. |