Tachara

Tachara Palace

View of the ruins of Tachara Palace.
Basic information
Location Iran Marvdasht, Iran
Geographic coordinates 29°56′04″N 52°53′29″E / 29.934444°N 52.891389°E / 29.934444; 52.891389Coordinates: 29°56′04″N 52°53′29″E / 29.934444°N 52.891389°E / 29.934444; 52.891389
Sector Persepolis
Municipality Marvdasht
Territory Iran
State Marvdasht
Province Fars province
Region 70 km northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran
Ecclesiastical or organizational status in ruins
Website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/114
Architectural type Achaemenid Persian
Specifications
Length 12,486
Width 12,486
Materials stone

The Tachara, Tachara of Darius, Tachar Château, Mirror Hall or exclusive palace of Darius is one of the interior Persepolis palaces. The palace is made of gray stone. It was built by Darius I but only a small portion of the palace was finished under his rule, and it was completed after his death in 486 by his son and successor Xerxes I, who called the house a Taçara, meaning "winter palace" in Old Persian. Artaxerxes I continued to use the palace. Its ruins are immediately south of the Apadana.

Panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Tachara Palace, painted by Charles Chipiez

Like many other parts of Persepolis, Tachara Palace has reliefs of tribute-bearing dignitaries. This palace was one of the few structures that escaped destruction in the burning of the complex by Alexander.

The Tachara, measuring 1,160 square meters (12,500 square feet), is the smallest of the palace buildings in Persepolis. Its main room is a mere 15.15 m × 15.42 m (49.7 ft × 50.6 ft) with three rows of four columns.

The name Tachara was chosen by Darius I for his palace, the first completed structure on the Terrace before his death. It stands back to back to the Apadana and is oriented southward. The Tachara's function, however, was more ceremonial than residential. Upon completion, it served in conjunction with the earlier south oriented entrance stairs as the Nowrouz celebration venue until the other buildings that would comprise Persepolis could be finished, a provisional union of the Apadana, the Throne Hall, and a Banquet Hall.

As the first of the palace structures on the Terrace, the Tachara was constructed of the finest quality stone. The surface was almost completely black and polished to a glossy brilliance. This surface treatment combined with the high quality stone is the reason for it being the most intact of all ruins at Persepolis today. Although its mud block walls have completely disintegrated, the enormous stone blocks of the door and window frames have survived. A complete window measuring 2.65 m × 2.65 m × 1.70 m (8.7 ft × 8.7 ft × 5.6 ft) was carved from a single block of stone and weighed 18 tons. The door frame was fashioned from three separate monoliths and weighed 75 tons.

Darius the Great's pride at the superb craftsmanship is evident by his ordering the following inscription on all 18 niches and window frames: Frames of stone, made for the Palace of King Darius.

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References

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