One of Iran’s Unesco World Heritage sites, Choqa Zanbil’s magnificent brick ziggurat is the best surviving example of Elamite architecture anywhere. Even if you’re not a fan of ancient ruins, the great bulk and splendid semi-desert isolation of Choqa Zanbil can’t fail to impress. Although close access is prevented after 6pm, the ziggurat arguably looks most appealing after dusk when the golden floodlighting emphasises the structure’s form better than the hazy desert daylight.
