Finally, there was in the neighborhood of Persepolis, but completely distinct from the town, the Great Palace, which, as the chief residence, at any rate of the later kings, Alexander burnt, and of which the remains still to be seen are ample, constituting by far the most remarkable group of buildings now existing in this part of Asia.
It is to this last edifice, or group of edifices, that the reader's attention will be specially directed in the following pages.

Here the greatest of the Persian monarchs seem to have built the greatest of their works.

Here the ravages of time and barbarism, sadly injurious as they may have been, have had least effect.

Here, moreover, modern research has spent its chief efforts, excavations having been made, measurements effected, and ground-plans laid down with accuracy.

In describing the Persepolitan buildings we have aids which mostly fail us elsewhere--charts, plans, drawings in extraordinary abundance and often of high artistic value, elaborate descriptions, even photographs.