About 2km towards Firuz Abad, a signed dirt road fords the Tang Ab river to reach Ardashir’s Palace , a much grander structure built beside a wonderfully refreshing spring once Ardashir felt more secure. Given it is almost 1800 years old, its domes, high iwans and clean, stable lines – which set the tone for all Sassanian architecture – remain hugely impressive. The iwans and domes, with their accompanying squinches, are some of the earliest surviving examples. In winter, the Tang Ab is impassable so you’ll need to take a lengthy detour through Firuz Abad by taxi.
