Apr 16

The Capital of Iran Is Transferred to the Persepolis (Takht e Jamshid)

In the second half of April 465 BC (and according to some documents; 16 April), Ardeshir I (Artaxerxes I) of the Achaemenids (according to Greek historians, the Macrocheir (Latin = Longimanus) or Long Hand Ardeshir) succeeded his father and became king of Iran, and transferred the capital of Iran to the Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid. Ancient Greek historians made Takht-e Jamshid known as Persepolis). The Nowruz ceremonies of 465 BC were held in Takht-e Jamshid, while yet 2 weeks were left for completion of the final touches to the construction. Ardeshir I (ruled 465-424 BC) succeeded his father Xerxes I in Pasargad. Xerxes I ruled over a territory extending from Danube up to Indus River and from Syre Darya up to Sudan. In the Achaemenids era Iran had two capitals; Pasargad and later Takht e Jamshid (which was very close), being the royal capital and Susa (Shush) as the administrative capital. In summer, when the weather of Susa was hot, the employees of various government offices went to Hamedan (Ecbatana = Ecbatan) to continue their work there. For this reason the Greek historians thought Iran to have three capitals in the Achaemenids era. The designing of Takht e Jamshid was initiated by Darius the Great. Construction of the city, the king, s palace and reception halls of Takht e Jamshid lasted for 51 years.          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour

Kerman Ganjali Khan Public Bath (Museum)

Ganjali Khan, who was appointed as Governor of Kerman Province by Shah Abbass Safavid, built a large public bath in the city which was opened in mid April of AD 1598. This building, after centuries of serving as a public bath, was turned into an ethnological museum, from the 7th decade of the 20th century, includes wax dummies showing what to do in a bathhouse. By visiting this museum one can visualize the system by which this bath, and other traditional baths in Iran, would work, including cleaning of the body with luffa bag, massaging and also the bathhouse (locker room) and…. In those days the locker room of a public bath in Iran was a spot for chance meeting of friends, chatting, drinking tea and smoking hookah (water pipe = ghalyan). ganjali khan bathhouse and Ethnological Museum - wax dummies showing what to do in a bathhouse in the past          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour