Iranians tour Persepolis, Iran. Persepolis was one of the Persian empire’s cities and was burned to the ground by the army of Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. A tour guide said Persepolis is believed to have been used as a ceremonial site about one month out of each year, around the Persian new year (Navroz) in the spring. People would come from all over Persia to celebrate the holiday here.