Darius I ordered the construction of the royal palace complex at Persepolis.
Darius began developing Persepolis around 518 BCE, choosing a terrace at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat in Persis, the Persian homeland. The site was not simply a residence: it was a ceremonial center where the Achaemenid king received delegations and displayed the empire’s wealth and order.
Darius started major structures including the Apadana audience hall and the Tachara, or private palace. His son Xerxes I continued the work and added important buildings, so Persepolis is often associated with both rulers. This can cause confusion when a question asks who began the complex rather than who completed individual monuments.
Alexander the Great captured and burned Persepolis in 330 BCE, although parts of the site remained standing. Its reliefs preserve images of delegations from many peoples of the Achaemenid Empire.