Bisotun

I note that the previous reviewer managed to climb up to the main bas-relief (in 2012). I fear that such access is unlikely ever to become the “norm” again. When we visited on a Friday in Apr 2016 the site was packed with Iranians enjoying themselves on their day off and the practicality of arranging for large numbers of visitors to climb up and down the rickety scaffolding which is the only way of reaching the carvings set high up on the cliffs seems zero. One can certainly appreciate the efforts of Sir Henry Rawlinson, who copied the inscriptions in the 1840s whilst suspended by ropes!

The knowledge that one isn’t going to be able to see the main attraction very well is a bit of a “downer” on the visit - but there are other things to see at the site. Firstly, Mt Behistun (on the base of which the bas reliefs are carved) is impressive in itself – towering majestically and almost vertically above the plain and visible for a great distance around (still snow capped in April). This striking mountain’s location on important military/trade routes and the emergence of running water from it into a pool, no doubt explain its long significance to Man. The National Museum in Tehran has an entire exhibit given over to the discovery in 1949 in caves on the mountain of what are the oldest known human remains found in Iran. The Nomination goes into some detail about the 5 caves …

we visited this site in november 2012. After purchasing our tickets we started to walk on the foothpath and saw on our right the Mitridate II inscription and the Hercules statue both from partic times. We the walked down to the caravanserrail only to find out it was closed. Disappointed we tried to reach the main attraction of the site, the achemenid bas relief by Darius the Great only to find out that the stairway to it was closed. Even from below it was impossible to see anything because they had covered the structure of the stairs with wooden panels. Furious we went to the ticket office but the man in charge said it was closed because it was too dangerous. We left saying that we were going to complain with Unesco but stopped not far from there. With no surprise (once you get to experience the extremely proud and kind attitude of iranians towards strangers) the man reached us with the keys and accompanied us to the top where we had the chance to see this masterpice on our own for about 20 minutes and take fantastic pictures. As expected when we tried discretly to tip him something for his help he firmly refused and warmly waved us good bye.