The Behistun inscription, also known as Bistun or Bisotun, is a monumental stone inscription of the era made by hand on the cut of a cliff 100 meters high in the village of Bisotun 40 kilometers from Kermanshah. The Bisotun inscription was ordered by Darius I and is inscribed in three different languages, Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian in cuneiform script. The inscription is believed to have been made before 486 BC. C. In 2006 the Behistun inscription was included in the list of World Heritage by UNESCO. Bisotun along with Taq-e Bostan and Shafei Mosque are the tourist attractions of Kermanshah.
The town of Bisotun is located along the old trade route that connects the Persian plateau with Mesopotamia and boasts remains from prehistory to the Achaemenid, Sassanid and Ilkanato periods. The main inscription is a bas-relief and a cuneiform inscription ordered by Darius I the Great when he ascended to the throne of the Achaemenid Empire in 521 BC. C. The bas-relief portrays Darius I with an arch stepping on the chest of a figure that is face up before him. According to historians, the defeated figure represents Gaumata, a medium magician, pretender to the throne. Around and below the bas-reliefs are 1,200 lines of inscriptions telling the story of Darius I's battles against the rulers who attempted to confront the Persian empire. The text of Behistun inscription is made in three languages of which the oldest is an Elamite text that refers to legends describing the king and the rebellions he faced. Followed by the Elamite text there is a Babylonian version that refers to similar legends. The most important part of the Bistun inscription is where Darius I has entered the only monumental Achaemenid text documenting the reestablishment of the empire. This text, being the last phase of the inscription, is the first version written in ancient Persian. In addition to the aforementioned, there are remains of the medium and post-Achaemenid period. Although the location of Bistun has been chosen by Darius to be an inaccessible place to keep safe from modifications, but the monument suffered several damages during the occupation of Iran by Great Britain during the Second World War. Due to the nature of the damage, it is believed that British soldiers used Bistun for shooting practice.
The inscription of Bistun in Kermanshah is, without a doubt, the most interesting among the main tourist attractions in Kermanshah and one of the most beautiful World Heritage Sites in Iran. Iran Negin Travel team recommends you visit Iran and Kermanshah through Iran tours packages. Our Iran tour packages are made to plan your trip to Iran with unique services. We can make your trip to Iran a wonderful trip. Daily tours of Kermanshah can also bring you the best services!
Our team is eagerly ready to provide you all the services from Iran visa to Iran tours packages. Don't forget to contact us!
08:00 - 19:00
500.000 IRR