About

One of Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, Choqa Zanbil’s magnificent brick Ziggurat is the best surviving example of Elamite architecture anywhere. Even if you’re not a fan of ancient ruins, the great bulk and splendid semi-desert isolation of Choqa Zanbil can’t fail to impress. Although close access is prevented after 6 pm, the Ziggurat arguably looks most appealing after dusk …

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Planning a Trip

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Getting Around

There’s no public transport. An ideal way to visit this site is as side trips on a taxi-charter from Shush to Shushtar.

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History & Culture

The ancient inhabitants of Proto-Iran attached great religious importance to mountains. Where they had no mountains, they made their own. This was the origin of distinctive pyramidal, tiered temples known as ziggurats. Choqa Zanbil’s ziggurat was the raison d’être of the town of Dur Untash, founded by king Untash Gal in the mid-13th century BC. Dur Untash bloomed especially in …

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Top Attractions

The Ziggurat: The ziggurat was dedicated to Inshushinak, the chief god of the Elamite pantheon and patron of Shush. In those days the area was fertile and forested, and the ziggurat was built on a slightly raised base to guard against flooding. It has a square plan with sides measuring 105 m. The original five storeys were erected vertically from …

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