Persepolis belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage and is an old Persian residential city near Shiraz which originated around 520 B.C. Back then, on an area of 15 ha, 14 buildings were erected by Darius I and his successors. After existing for 200 years Persepolis was nearly completely destroyed by Alexander the Great. Only at the beginning of the 20th century specific excavations were made. In 1971 Persepolis was partly restored and made accessible for tourists. To this day the palace city is an identification location for many Iranians although it reaches way back into the pre Islamic period.