Fars Province

Fars is a province in southwest Iran known for its rich Persian culture and history. Vestiges of the powerful Achaemenid Empire include the terraced 518 B. C. palace complex in Persepolis, and the Pasargadae archaeological site with its Tomb of Cyrus. Southwest of both, the leafy provincial capital, Shiraz, is centered on the turreted Karim Khan citadel. The nearby Pars Museum holds handwritten Qurans and Persian art.